New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-27
FIVE DRIFT TO SEA
TWENTY SAVED WITH
BREECHES BUOY.
STANDARD Oil Freighter Goes
ashore and Barge Breaks
44zray from Her.

Point Pleasant. y. T., Dec. 26.-The
Standard Oil freight coaster s. s. Thur
man, loaded with soft coal, went ashore
off Toms River at $40 o'clock this
morning. during a storm which played
havoc along the New Jersey coast. The
twenty-five men which manned the ship
were all saved by the tifesavers or the
Toms River and Chadwick stations
with the breeches buoy.
Five men who were aboard a barge
which the Thurman was towing were
cast helplessIy adrift in the raging seas
when the hawser broke, and nothing had
been heard from them when communi-
cation along the shore was broken of
later in the day. II is doubtful whether
the barge was able TO weather the storm.
The doubled forces Of patrols discov-
cred the burning Of the signals from the
steamer a little after 1 o'clock, and i'm
mediately their own lights gave the sig
nal TO the lifesaving crew There was
q terrific gale blowing. and the snow and
sleet were binding. 1t seemed like mad
ness for the men 10 attempt to launch
their boat. Time after time they es-
sayed 70 get the boat beyond the break
back by the wind and waves.
BRING OUT BREECHES BUOY.
Finally they gave up the attempt. and
brought out their gun and line and the
breeches buoy. Three or four times the
slender line and its weight were fired.
and at last II fell over the rigging Of
the stranded vessel. The half-perished
crew caught the line and hauled aboard
the heavy hawser. over which the
breeches are worked. and then began the
real work of rescue. The first man
ashore said the steamer was the Thur
man and laden with coal They had
lad a barge in tow, which was also coal
laden, and this had broken adrift It
was in the attempt 10 rescue the barge
and the hve men that comprised its
crew that the steamer went ashore.
The work OF rescue continued until
twenty men, including the captain and
O+her officers, had been saved. The off,
GERS and the last few men were nearly
dead with cold and exposure when taken
off They We're all sent TO the station,
wtere they We're made as comfortable as
possible. When the men left the steamer
they said that part OF her upper works
had been hammered in by the high
waves. and they did not see how it could
be possible that she would ever be
saved. They believed she would be A
total wreck 1t is hoped that the barge
may be picked UP by a passing vessel
before she is blown ashore.
BARGE BREAKS LOOSE.
The Thurman left Virginia on FRIDAY
bound for New England heavily loaded
with coal In tow was the barge with
similar cargo The ship proceeded nm
the coast and was off the New Jersey
shore when the storm was encountAra5
1t was shortly after daybreak. when
the fury OF the storm had spent itself bu+
had lashed the sea to dangerous height
when the hawser parted without warn
ing and the barge broke loose. The air
was thick with the driving storm and
the dim outline of the barge faded su-av
out 10 sea. The Thurman put about and
tried 10 stand by the barge. Before the
commands OF the captain had been exc
cuted the barge was out Of sight and
the steamer failed TO pick her up.
Then began a search lasting for two
hours, with the Thurman steaming IN
and down in the direction in which the
barge disappeared. While thus engaged
the steamer went ashore on d sandbar.