The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-02
SAVED BY MIRACLE,
CLYDE STEAMER WEATHERED
TERRIBLE STORM.
Captain Tells Story OF Fight with Sea
Which Ends When His Vessel
Ties Up at Wharf.

Charleston, Aug. 2s.-Plunging to-
wards apparent destruction on the
beach Of Hunting Island in the midst
Of the hurricane that swept the Caro-
lima coast on Sunday night and Mon
day. the Clyde liner Apache, with
l25 passengers aboard, was oppor-
tunely saved by a sudden change in
the wind and came into Charleston
harbor this morning badly wrecked
by wind and sea, but not seriously
| damaged. For a tense five minutes
| the passengers Of the Apache stood
on the lower deck with life preserveru
| around their bodies waiting for the
vessel to strike and determined 10
make a grim fight for their lives.
Driven along by a wind the speed
of which was estimated by Capt. Will
liam Staples Of the liner at 100 miles
an hour. the big steamer found her
self helpless about 1880 O'Clock on
| Monday afternoon. She was bound
south from New York and had been
blown past the mouth Of the harbor
to a point off Hunting Island. The
gale swept in shore and it's force was
irresistible. Full speed ahead into
the teeth Of the storm could not
drive the liner forward and when
two anchors were put overheard the
chains snapped like cords.
Helpless in the grasp Of the hurrl-
cane. the ship was being literally
hurled towards the Hunting Island
breakers. and the passengers, Will,
life preservers on. had we'll nigh
given up hope when suddenly the
wind shifted and the weasel was
saved.
Capt Staples told vivid story.
From terrible wind which
threatened momentarily our destruc.
ton. we had entered as calm q sea az
ever nature made. .....s,,..
But the calm lasted only q few
minutes. Twenty minutes later the
wind struck us with greater force
than ever and the barometer began
| falling. The wind was from the
southeast and I believe 1t must have
been blowing at the rate OF at least
100 miles an hour. At Hunting Is-
| land We ran q 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 land.
ward. Suddenly. about p. M, the
| wind shifted from the southeast tC
the south and gave us chance to
head eastward and get off into deep
| water.
I +. j. Doherty, wireless operator OF
the Apache. stated that the wind blew
| the vessel distance OF about "a
! miles. I'VE came near Hunting Is-
land. 1 o'clock Monday afternoon
where some Of the crew sighted wha,
may have been a ship in distress
The passengers Of the Apache he'd
on life preservers They seemed to
understand that death was staring
them in the face. but 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 Capt. Staples and his Off
GERS and crew and appointed a com
mittee to present TO the captain. ofi.
! GERS and crew loving cup.
! number OF passengers on the
vessel sustained severe bruises during
the storm. The damage to the Apache
consists OF the loss Of her anchors
and the soaking Of every part of the
ship, including all her apartments
| in sea water.