Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-01-27

pounded to pieces, and it is q dread
fact that the current always carries
every floating piece of a wreck out to
sea- The records kept at the lighthouse
show that only one man has ever come
ashore on a piece of wreckage from a
vessel stranded on the Diamond reefs.
The Schooner A. q. Goodman.
The schooner A B. Goodman was
working her way up the coast against
northwest gale, and to take advantage
of such shelter as the land afforded
she kept as close in on the beach as
possible. The tide was flowing up. and
it helped her along until she was fool
ishly headed into a channel across the
reef. There a cross current flung her
on the nearest Shoal at a point where
the opposing wind and currents at
times heaped the water on and above
her deck halfway to the crosstrees.
The crew escaped to the rigging. but
even when they had climbed to point
where the waves could not reach them
they had still no reason to hope for
rescue, for the schooner was stranded
at q spot from which no vessel or crew
had ever escaped.
The crew of the life saving station
on the beach saw the schooner strike.
They at once dragged their surfboat
from the station, but when they had
pointed it down the sand they paused.
As they looked at the waves crashing
over the deck of the stranded vessel
every man became convinced that
the surfboat would be torn to pieces
as soon as she was driven near the
wreck. But they did not stop in their
work of dragging their boat to the wa
ter through fear or because of any
doubt about what they were to do. On
the contrary. the manifest danger was
to them an additional incentive to go
forward But, believing that his boat
would be destroyed, Keeper Benjamin
Daley ordered Surfman Bassett to re-
main on the beach in order to give aid
to any one who might force a way
| through the surf. and then each of the
others made his last will and tesla
ment orally-each told Bassett what
the wife and little ones were to have
and do in case they, as well as the
boat, were lost.
This done. they launched their boat,
and in spite of peril they brought the
sailors safely away before the wreck
broke up, for it was not in men of that
mental equipment to fail.
When Daley was asked later why he
and his men had families depending on
them. he replied:
"Why, we knew it was our duty to
do what we could, so we did it,
The Princess Irene.
One of the most noteworthy near dis
asters in recent years was when the
Princess Irene, the big ocean going pas
senger carrying steamer, went aground
on sandbar at 7:3O o'clock in the
morning of April 6. 1911. on Fire is
land beach during a heavy fog. She
carried 235 cabin and 1.4S5 steerage
passengers. Captain Goddart and his
life saving crew of the Lone Hill sta
ton after repeated attempts succeeded
in reaching the vessel about 8 O'Clock.
She was only 300 feet off shore, but
the sea was tremendously rough. Cap
tain Goddart discovered that there was
no immediate danger threatening the
ship, but he stood by to render what
ever expert assistance needed.
About two days later the PrinZ Fred
erich Wilhelm, the sister ship of the
stranded steamer. arrived. and in less
than five hours the 1,720 passengers
were transferred from one liner to the
other without mishap.