Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-16
life SAVERS RESCUE
SEVENTEEN CASTAWAYS.
Tug Hurcu|es and Four Barges Lost on Pleasant
View BeaCh.--SCh. Thomas ". Lawson
Turns Turte--.0n|y Three Saved.

band and Capt. Jake Storer from the
barge Allerton A. Sumner. Mrs. Matt
son was taking the trip for her health
and today said that if she ever recov-
cred from her msadventures she would
never again venture on the water.
| The Sumner dragged her anchors
slowly and for hours was tossed by the
breakers before a line could be passed
ashore. In the meantime. the barge
broke in two and imprisoned in the deck
house on the after part of the vessel
the woman and the two men spent
their long hours of physical and mental
torture unable to keep their feet in the
mad lurchng and rolling of their pre-
carious support The roof of the little
house was buried repeatedly i'll the
smother of water that broke down up
| on it repeatedly. The lifesafers could
not reach tie wrechage in their boats
| and it was impossible for the men on
board to make fast any line that the
lifesavcrs might shoot aboard.
In these desperate straits the Yankee
ingenuity Of Captain Storer rose su-
premc. Tying Il long rope to 4 5-gallon
empty Oil can and making the other
end fast in the cabin Capt. Storer hurl
ed the can overheard. The act was seen
and understood by the lfesavers and
for over q l>liIc and a half dcwn the
beach they chased the can. fearing lest
they should loose in the fast gathering
darkness. At length it bobbcd near
enough ashore and forming a living life
line five Of the mon dashed into the
surf and seized the can and hauled
the line ashore.
Then came the tedious task of pulling
the deck house close enough for the
people on board to reach shore. Huge
comhCra hurled the deck house up to-
wards the beach, but the remcrSeleSS
sweep of the undertow sucked it back
each time. AT length the litesaverS
succeeded in pulling the structure
shoulder deep into the surf and then
came the no less difficult task of get
ting off the woman and two men. With
the seas constantly washing the deck
house the two men on board dragged
the helpless woman through a window
to the roof Of the house. Each grasp
ing her with one hand and the life line
with the other jumped into the boiling
calCIron of breakers. They We're swept
off their feet and butfettcd almost I'M
grabbed them and carried them ashore.
This work of rescue had lasted for
hours. ana it was long after midnight
when it was accomplished They were
the last to be brought ashore as the
others had been taken off by the aid Of
life lines by the combined efforts of
the two Iifesaving crews.
The survivors of the wrecks today
Il, IF ynri- IF q
lifesaverS. These mon who all the
morning had double patrolled the beach
had worked for l. consecutive hours
through the height of the storm with
out 1nouthfull to eat and drenched
to the skin. Despite the diScouraSlnE
failures of their several attempts to
bring Of the people Of the stranded
barges. they stuck to their task with
the patient sacrifice and unfalterinS
bravery that is characteristic of the
men Of the coast guard of the United
States.
The crew of tho Quonochontaug sta
ton launched their surf boat in the
teeth of the wild northeaster and pulled
five long miles down the coast to the
scene of the wrecks. Their self bailng
boat was filled time and again and the
men were hurled from their seats re-
peatedlv but they landed on Pleasant
View beach right side up and waiting
only to secure their boat, sprang with
undaunted courage to the work Of the
rescue. The names of the heroes of the
two stations are:
Watch Hill-Captain, w. II. Davis;
No. /, Charles J. Roodc; No. 2. Samuel
Carmeilham: No. SO. Robert W. Sharp;
No. (. Herbert Greenwood; No. ), Clar-
ence Hebb: No. 6. James McThompson;
No. Z. Portland V. Collins.
.luonochontaug crew Captain How
Continued on Page Ten.)