New-York tribune., 1908-05-09
RICKMERS CREW SAVED
VRECKERS ASHORE, TOO.
Failing Sea 4llors Them to Launch
Ships Boats at DGybreak.

Falling wind and v-axee cheated the Long Island
sands o1 more victims Yesterday. for they allowed
all hands on board the four-masted German snip
Peter Rickners get ashore in safety After '"0
rhi-tv-three men in the and the thirty-nlne
rreckers board had passed more than twenty
four hours in great peril every one OF them so'
ashore. The Rickmers pounded severely during
the night the waves forcing her TO the westward
and closer in shore. smashing her stern so oadly
that she probably will not be foated again
The rescue was effected after twenty-fouT hours
OF trying experience. a dozen times the hfesaVers
tried 10 put out her frocn Short Beach and were
forced hack again In the daytime all her top
rassts overheard and at nightfan hope for the
men was almost abandoned AS the night wore
or the gale dropped. and the sea went down IN
spite of the flooding tide. Daybreak found bow
and stern smashed in and the decks swept clean
Of bridges and deckhouse. heavy fog SET IN ana
TIE ship could barely be made out from shore Inc
German flag still haIfmasted the jisser, and
Il pretty sure that no one had been Washed
overheard for no bodies had come ashore with the
Totsam
The Ricknlers lay about five hundred yards OF
the beach. headed little south of east. and &C
cordng the w-reckers. with tUenty-one rect OF
water in her hold. a northeast wind finally drove
away the fog so that preparations Of the wreckers
TO come ashore could be seen from the heach-
They had = heavy time TO get through the surf
without bilSing their boats, but nnally SUCCEEDED
without rnishap. The lifesaving crews then took
of the crew Of the Rnkmers. Captain Bachnan
and his being the last TO leave the ooal
0~1z-
the falling WreckaEe. and he was only snshtIy
laned. The men were all about exhausted and de-
cidedly hungry. Their quarters had been flooded
and altogether. they had been in as mucn dls-
comfort danger The Germans among the sailors
were particularly sad because they had not been
able TO bring their musical instruments ashore with
them
I want nobody TO 90 on board that ship said
CAPTAIN Bachman, until I have communicated
with nv owners" He seemed TO be in doubt as 10
eorrh he
Z: was not the wreckers. No cure. no pay, he
expressed Il.
f-an-ain Rschrnan and his second officer. George
Wilhelm. stayed at the Short Beach LifesaTlng
Station while First Officer Fink brought the men
up 20 New York. going to q Greenwich street
szfors' boarding house
The boatsHain said he did not think the snip
ro-al wreck He says that she still has ABOUT sew
enry-fve thousand cases of oil and parar1ne on
board
7 was on = yard when he sent Up the first
rocket said Charles Hasestronn. A B. Almost
Immediately there answering rocket from
the beach. from the coast patrol On wednesday
pre could have swun ashore. but yesterday no boat
could have lived in the surf Between and In
N. morning the r17asts all went by the board We
were al crowded into the forecaste. and were not
more uncomfortable than could be expected
According 10 the wreckers- Jack" Bonner. Of the
--reclying eanz from Norfolk, the hero Of the
cay "Wednesday When the line from the tug Mer-
ritt 10 the ship parted under the strain she swung
of great kedge holding her broadside TO me
waves leaving her in most perflous position lhe
decks were awash and were being swept by green
seas continuously. but Bonner climbed up there ana
cut away the big hawser. easing her good deal
and probably saving her from being entirely
broken Up
The revenue cutter Mohawk. with the Sandy Hook
lifesazers. towing the motor boat Rescue. started
for the wreck but had put back because Of the
heavy sea When she did reach the Rickmers crew
and wreckers ell ashore.