The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-31
THRILLING STORY
 OF STORM VICTIMS
Apache Passengers Have Narrow Escape-Ma-
 rOOned on Island

Charleston, s. C., August 30.-Plunging towards apparent certain destruction on tho beach of Hunting Island, in the midst of the hurricane that swept the Carolina coast on Sunday night and Mon day, the Clyde liner Apache, with 125 passengers aboard was saved in the nick of time by sudden change in the wind and came into Charleston harbor this morning badly raclsed by wind and sea, but not seriously damaged. For tense five minutes the passengers of the Apache stood on the lower deck with life pre- servers around their bodies waiting for the vessel to strike and determined to make as stout fight as they could for their lives
 Driven along by wind the speed of which was estimated by Captain William Staples of the liner at 100 miles an hour the big steamer found herself helpless about 1:30 on Monday afternoon. She was bound south from New York and had been blown past the mouth of the harbor to point off Hunting island. The gale swept her in shore and its force proved irresistible. Full speed ahead in- to the teeth of the storm could not drive the liner forward and when two anchors were put overheard the chains snapped
 
 hurricane the ship was being literally hurled towards the Hunting island break CTS and the passengers with life pre- servers on, had well nigh given up hope when suddenly the wind shifted and the vessel was saved.
 Captain Staples told a vivid story.
 From a terrible wind which threat ened momentarily our destruction. we had entered as calm a sea as ever na- ture made.
 But, the calm lasted only a few min .utes Twenty minutes later the wind struck us with greater force than ever and the barometer began falling. The wind was from the southeast and l believe 1t must have been blowing at the rate of at least 100 miles on hour. At Hunting island we ran a close race with death To go toward land meant destruction but the wind was too strong and we had no option but to be blown landward Suddenly, about ? D. m. the wind shifted from the southeast to the south, which gave us chance to head eastward and get off into deep water"
 F. j. Doherty, wireless operator of the Apache, stated that the wind blew the vessel distance of about 75 miles. we came near Hunting island o'clock Monday afternoon, where some of the crew sighted what may have been the Lexington of the Merchants and Miners line, which went ashort at that point The passengers on the Apache had on life preservers. They seemed to understand that death was staring them in the face. bat they remained calm Just at the time when the end seemed to be at hand the wind shifted.
 Passengers of the Apache today drew up resolutions expressing their thanks to Captain Staples and his officers and crew. and appointed a committee to present to the captain, officers and crew a loving cup.
 A number of passengers on the yes sel sustained severe bruises during the storm. The damage to the Apache con- sists of the loss of her anchors and the soaking of every part of the ship, including all her apartments, in sea wa ter
 F Augusta, Ga., August 29.--A story of terrible torture suffered on the Isle of Palms by 75 people was told by one of the refugees which reached Charles ton yesterday evening on tug, ac- cording to a newspaper man who ar rived here today. No lives were lost, although much property was destroyed on the island.
 Huddled together in the lobby of a hotel, the only part of the building into which the gale driven rain did not penetrate, the 75 guests spent night of terror The onrushing waters came on up over the floor of pavilion only few feet away.
 A negro sent to watch the waters and warn the people should the flood come nearer the hotel never came back. It Is not known whether or not he was drowned. A house in which dozen negro servants dwelt was blown down, but all escaped and climbed trees, where they spent the night.
 When the wind was blowing at 90 miles an hour, forcing open the door of the hotel, it required the energies of ten men to close it again.
 Women wept and prayed and a man took a pistol from his pocket and held it in his hand, ready to kill himself rather than to be drowned.
 Dawn gave some relief to the terror stricken. No one came to the succor of the people on the island except two young men, who partly walked and partly swan from Mount Pleas ant
 It is believed the other people stranded on the island will be rescued today.