Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-08
CREW IS RESCUED
Daring Work of Fife Saving
 Crew Brought Wrecked Sailors 10 Shore.

merS ana the WreckerS on DOdTu, Il
 in all, were safely landed from tht
 ship shortly after o'clock this
 morning. The wind and the sea
 gradually went down during the
 night and soon after daylight the
 wreckers on the ship which had nov.
 ed somewhat closer in shore put of
 in three surf boats which they had
 on the ship. The crew of the Rick
 mers, B in number, were brought 1 ashore by the Oak Island, Short ' Beach, Jones Beach and Zachs inlet
 life saving crews.
 The stern of the Peter Rickmers
 was knocked off by the heavy seas.
 The revenue cutter Mohawk with
 the Sandy Hook life saving crew on
 board and towing the power life boat
 Rescue, passed out of Sandy Hook for
 the scene of the wreck early to-day
 The rescue was effected after one of
 the most trying experiences the hardy
 life savers on this exposed coast had
 ever been called upon to face. No
 fewer than dozen times hope of sav-
 ing the imperilled band who clung
 desperately to the doomed ship was
 all but abandoned and it was only the
 easing of the gale and terrific sea that
 made rescue possible. Not man was
 lost and it is believed not one of them suffered any permanent harm as a
 result of the long fight against death.
 The great steel ship, one of the finest sailing vessels that ever rode the seas, is practically total wreck. Her
 bow and stern have been completely torn off by the mountainous waves, 2 her masts were ripped out, her deck houses and bridge swept away and she Is full of water.
 The Rickmers struck the sand bar
 about 10 miles from Fire Island
 while bound out from New York for
 Europe one week ago yesterday. At
 first it was believed she would be
 floated without difficulty but as the
 wind continued and drove her far ther and farther on the shelving bar
 her position became serious. Even
 then when the wind decreased it was believed that she would be fioated without serious damage af- ter portion of her big cargo of case oil had been jettisoned. A arge force of wreckers were set to work and excellent progress was being made up to last Tuesday night when the last big storm broke on the coast. The wind increased so rapid ly in force and the sea assumed such proportions that the wrecking tugs s were forced to flee for their own safety leaving behind on the ship i39 of their own men who had been working on the cargo.
 | The abandoned wreckers together lwith the crew of the Rickers made l72 men in all on the ship. As the fstorm increased the waves began to bound the big vessel breaking over Iher constantly and driving her slow ly but steadily back on the bar. One by one her masts went by the board and the storm bowling through the tangled rigging and the great waves surging over the crumbling hulk threatened to sweep everything living on board into the sea. In the mean time the plight of the men had be- come known to the life savers. First the Oak Island crew used all their efforts in stretching life lines to the Rickmers, but before a single man | could be hauled ashore the lines | were snapped of. The wind increas- | ed In ofrce and the waves ran higher 4 and higher. Steadily the position of | the men on the wrecked ship became more desperate. The helpless watch aro n~ chnra avan 0au, thsxs hsr lxat- | house washed into the sea and re- newed tehir efforts to get other lines to the ship. They found themselves helpless and at last the life savers themselves sent an appeal for help to Jones Beach, Zach's Inlet, Short Beach and Point Lookout and a lit- tie later five life saving crews were on the beach. Surf boats were use- less in the heavy sea and the only hope was for the storm to subslde or to succeed in shooting lines over the ship.
 Early this morning the storm had subsided sufficiently to permit the wreckers on board the ship to launch their boats and they came ashore mr. aided. Then a line was sent tO the wreck and the crew of the ship were brought to the beach. They were taken to the life saving station and started at once for Freep0rt, l.. l.. where they will take q train for New York.
 In command of Captain Bachmann the Peter Rickmers sailed from New York April 90. bound to Rangoon. BuA nah. with a cargo of 10000 cases of crude petroleum. She cleared Sandy Hook during the day and started on her voyage eastward. During that night. however. she ran into a heavy storm. which drove her on the sand bar at Zsch's inlet. She was unable to work herself ofr the sand. and 1 wreckers were employed to float the ! ship. When 1t became apparent that be efforts were of no use almost half bf her cargo Of oil was lightered and i, Eome Of if thrown overheard. The res dents along the south shore of Long Island began to reap a harvest when Ihe case oII washed ashore.
 me Peter Rickmers was built at Port Glasgow. Scotland. in isso and ls ' ! vessel of 2.g5s tons gross register. ! he is designated as a four mastea < lnrk on the other side of the Atlantic. [ 1t Is clsssed as . ship here. she Is a a eel vessel and wss under charter Of ( e Standard On company. lnforn yeur rFIenos out ~F rnwm nf th~ rnr- a