The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-04-24
RESCUE in
MID-ATLANTIC
Five Men Of the Majestic
Risk Lives.
SAVE ELEVEN CASTAWAYS
Oil Tank Vessel Abandoned--crew in a
Bad Way When White Star Liner
Happened Along in the Early
Morning.


New York, April "a Five men who risk
ed their lives in mid atlantic to rescue part
cf The crew OF the Norwegian oil tank
steamer Helios arrived here yesterday
These men, who rowed boat In a savage
sea at dawn Of April 8, are among The
crew Of the White star liner Majestic
and they told Of the rescue modestly al
the big liner was making her way from
Quarantine to her pier.
The Majestic, with Capt. Hayes in
command, left this port on April j. She
WAS nearly half way across the Atlantic
when, at 6:40 O'clock on the morning
81 the 5th the captain made out the
Helios, from Philadelphia for Bordeaux
with 2,400 tons Of oils, ana captained
by Kjor Doe. AT the time small gate
was blowing and the sen rose high.
Combers broke over the deck of the Ma
iestic. and Capt Hsycs from his posi-.
ton on the bridge could see that the
Helios was in bad way. ais she was
wallowing about in the heavy sea, listing
badly to port, and the waves were
smashing over her. He drove his boat
within quarter Of a mile Of the Helios,
and kept chat distance between them
fearing to go nearer.
Through his glasses lie could see men
on the Helios busy at small boat. lie
saw them swing this boat over tie port
quarter and watched part Of the crew
I'LL it. The others remained on the
Steamship watching that small boat
mount wave after wave AS the men then
pulled for the big liner The Helios
dipped into the sea now and then as if
each dip was to be her last, the men
remaining on her clnging desperately 10
the rail and rigging. The men in the
boat crossed the bow OF the Majestic
and dropped on her lee, and willing hands
hauled them on board twelve In all. The
excitement meanwhile had become 80
great that every passenger who could
ret to the deck went above and watched
the rescue
The men remaining on the tank steam.
er made no effort to launch another boat,
so Capt Hayes called for volunteers To
man the Helios' small boat and row hack
to the practically sinking steamer to
bring OF the captain and the eleven re-
naming men Fourth Officer lack Walk
III ana four men of the crew cIamofed FOR
the chance. Quickly they fell into the
small boat and away they went The sea
was still furious aud the wind was blow
inc strong. Iii half all hour they reach.
Ell the distressed steamer and ten min
ufes later Ind the remaining men In
the boat and started back for the Ma
iestie.
They were more than d half hour get
ting around to the lee Of the liner, and
to tie passengers ii looked AS II the
little boat could not live in the big seas
but the men III the boat kept sturdiiy to
the task and finally reached the Majestic
and were hauled aboard amid the cheers
Of crew and passengers
Capt, Boo of the Helios said his boat
ran into storm on the second, and late
that day three oil tanks broke, flooding
the hunks with the OF and noXions and
poisonous gas. The crew tried to pump
this ont, but did not succeed They fear
cd to 30 below because of the gas and
dared not open the matches, because the
heavy sea might flood the hold and sink
The vessel. So they IahoTed ON until the
night OF tho fourth. when Capt, Doe told
them that in the morning they would
abandon the vessel and take to the small
boats. Just after dawn the Majestic
kove into sight.
The crew were landed at Plymouth.
All VI them were Norwegians but one
seaman, who was an American.
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