Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-13

Alexandra.
TIE parties aboard the two launches
had been attending an oyster roast at
a bungalow near Collingwood, five miles
south of Alexandra. The storm had prac-
tically subsidized on the river at o'clock.
and all hands boarded the boats. with
the Edna Earle dashed to the Augusta.
The two craft pulled out into the river.
and as they did so a terrific gale de-
veloped. which threw the occupants into
a panic. The two boats were blown
across the river, landing on the rocks
and mud. Intellectual Efforts were made
to communicate with Alexandria, but it
was impossible to locate a telephone in
the neighborhood.
Stories Of Suffering.
Great apprehension was felt by the rel
atives of those aboard the boats when
they had not reached Alexandria last
night, and several small launches set out
in search of the missing craft. The
search was resumed this morning with
additional craft. Many OF the friends OF
the occupants believed that all hands had
met Watery grave when they had not
returned to Alexandria at 10 o'clock this
morning.
lorenzo Wexford, one Of the party.
whose home is in Alexandria, told q
thrilling story Of how the parties aboard
the little boats spent the night. Mr..
Wolford walked several miles at dawn
this morning to Fort Washington to To-
cate a telephone to notify the friends
and re ativeS of the members OF the par
ties that they were safe. and was dis
mayed when he found that the telephone
wires were down.
Later in the morning provisions were
secured from farmhouse several miles
distant.
Mr.. wolford stated that practically
none Of those aboard got any sleep dur
ing the night. They were hoping against
hope all the night long that aid would
come. and when they had not been found
at 10 o'clock this morning those aboard
became very much distressed.
Efforts to recover the launches are now
being made, although 1t Is not thought
Boarded Launch at Alexandria.
Mrs. Matte Georgius said that she and
launch at Alexandria yesterday morning
with several persons from that city
There were thirteen in the party. They
had spent the day down the river, she
said. at a bungalow. and had boarded
the launch, preparing to return to Alex
andria last evening. when the storm de-
veloped
I'VE were just.above River View"
Mrs Georgius said. when the storm
struck US. 1t blew the launch across
the river into a small creek. OF course,
all of US were frightened. The launch
struck the store and stuck there. We
stayed on the boat all night. It was good
and warm and we suffered no inconVeni-
ence.
This morning. however. 1t got very
cold.'' she said. but after We had OBJ
tanned some .scuits and hot coffee from
a farmhouse we felt better"
She said that boat went down the
river from Alexandria this morning and
lowed their launch across the river. The
members Of the party went ashore and
returned to Washington on the electric
cars.
Miss Regina Georgius stated that the
person navigating the boat saw The
place of safety where the launch would
be sheltered from the wind. 1t struck
the craft. however. before he could do so.
AS soon as they returned home they
telephoned to friends and relatives assur-
ing them Of their safety.
Police Boats Kept Busy.
In the harbor. from the forks Of the
channel to the foot, of 14th street SOUTH
west. the harbor police boat Vigilant
and the power boat Maj. Sylvester were
height of the gale rescuing vessels that
incidental to the storm.
About o'clock, soon after the gale
began. the hulk of the old steamer River
Queen, which was lying at the wharf
foot of X street southwest. being
wrecked broke loose from her mornings
and started drifting down the harbor.
She brought up at the Norfolk line
wharf, and there the Vigilant found her
and took her back to her berth.
The launch MARGARET H.. pe.onging to
Il. j. Hardin. broke loose from her moor
ings abreast of the 10th street wharf and
drifted down the harbor. She lost a flag
poe, ice chest and was damaged about
the cabin. The launch J. Il. j.. belonging
to James h. Jones. parted her mornings.
and, drifting down the harbor to the
monitor Ozark. damaged her woodwork
and broke a number of windows.
The launch St. Charles, Capt. William
Garner, owner. ard the Iona. belonging
to Pau. Portner and his brother. also sus-
tanned damage by vessels drifting a gains,
them. The launch Idlewilde. belonging to
Capt. Wiley, was quite seriously uam
aged.
Breaking loose from her moorings in
the harboR she was carried by the gale
against the monitor Ozark. breaking one
Of the small boats of the District Nava
Battalion's vessel, and having her cab II
partially torn away. Much trouble va
had in freeing the launch from the OLA L..
but she was finally worked loose and the
Vigilant carried her into safe anchor
age.
The launch Francina. belonging TO F.
X Rawlings, went adrift from the house
boat Gresilda, but was recove- ed TN
damaged by the police boat.
Capt. Bob Cumbe and OF Georgetown
had the power launches We Too and |. \
H. injured in the gale while in Geo ge-
town harbor. Several launches also ment
adrift at Georgetown and sustained co !
siderable damage before they We're picked
up.
Dozen Launches Ashore.
The tugboat and vessel masters ar
irving here this morning report dozen
or more launches ashore between this
city and Marshall Hall. The vessels
are all lying we'll in shore and are
all aground. To get their names the
tugboat men say was impossible
owing to the distance they are from
the main channel. Capt Gregory
owner and master of the steel hui
launch Gregory. arrived here ahou
noon today after a trying experience
/ over night on the river