The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-08-31
NARROW ESCAPE
FOR STEAMER

Charleston, Aug. 29.-Plunging to-
wards apparent, certain destruction CL
the beach of Hunting Island. in tEe
midst of the, hurricane that swept the
Carolina coast, on Sunday night and
Monday, the Clyde liner Apache, with
125 passengers aboard, was saved in
the nick of time by a sudden change
In the wind, and came into Charleston
harbor yesterday morning badly
lacked by wind and sea. but not seri-
ously damaged. For tense five min
utes the passengers of the Apache
stood on the lower deck with life pre-
servers around their bodies waiting
for the vessel to strike and determin-
ed to make as stout fight as they
could for their lives.
100 Miles an Hour,
Driving along with a wind, the
speed of which>was estimated by Capt.
William Staples, of the liner, at 100
miles an hour, the big steamer found
herself helpless~at about 80 O'Clock
Monday afternoon. Shes was bound
south from New York, and had been
blown past the mouth of the barber
to point off Hunting island. The
gale swept her in shore and its force
proved Irresistible. Full speed ahead
into the teeth of the storm could net
drive the liner forward and when two
anchors were put overheard, the
chains snapped like cords. Helpless
in the grasp of the hurricane, the ship
was being literally hurled towards the
Hunting island breakers and the pas
sengers with preservers on, had well
nigh given up hope when the wind
suddenly shifted and the. vessel was
saved.
Captains Story.
Captain Staples told a vivid story
Of the storm:
From terrible wind which
threatened momentarily our destruc-
ton, we had entered as calm a sea as
ever nature made. 4
"But the calm lasted only fe-
minutes Twenty minutes later the
wind struck us with greater force thar
ever and the barometer began falling
The wind was from the southeast an3
I believe it must have been blowing al
the rate of at least 100 miles an 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 ne option but t.
be blown landward Suddenly. about
p. m. the wind shifted fro the south
east to the south, which gave US 2
chance to head eastward and get Of
into deep water
Blown 75 Miles.
FL. DGherty, wireless operator o.
the Apache, stated that the wind blew
the ship a distance of about Is miles
I'VE came near Hunting island, ]
o'clock Monday afternoon, where some
Of the crew sighted what may have
been the Lexington. of the Merchant,
and Miners line, which went ashore q
hat point The passengers on the
Apache had on life preservers. The
seemed to understand that death was
staring them in the face but they re
NAMED calm Just at the time wheT
the end seemed to be at hand, the
wind shifted"
Passengers of the Apache TODAY
drew up resolutions expressing thei'
thanks toaCaptain Staples and ~hiF
officers and crew and appointed
committee to present the captain, Of
fcers and crew a loving cup
Several passengers on the yessel
sustained severe bruises during the
storm. The damage to the Apache
eonsfsts Of the loss of her anchors
and the soaking Of every part of the
ship, including all her apartments, IN
sea water.