The farmer and mechanic., 1913-01-07
WAS RAMMED AND SUNK
Fortunate Ores Taken From Rig
glng of Sunken Ship After
Battle With Gale
CLOTHES TORN TO SHREDS
tBy the Associated Press. y

Wy the ASSOtidleO 1TeSS.
Newport News. Va, Jan 4-Eisht
survivors OF the steamer Julia Luck
enbauch. rammed and sunk in Chesa
peake bay early yesterday by the
British tramp 1ndrakuala arrived
here today and told how twenty OF
their number had gone down without
a chance for life. Half crazed by his
terrible fight for life and by the re
membrance OF the awful tragedy
through which he hid passed. First
Officer Hunt at first said that twenty
two persons had gone down with the
snip, but subsequently it was learned
that there were only twenty eight
persons in all on board. including the
crippled wife of Captain Gilbert The
fortunate eight, after six-hour bat
tie with terrible gale. were taken
from the rigging OF their sunken ship
by the Danish steamer pennsylyaniA
aand brought here.
! The Luckenbach, from Port Tampa
| to Baltimore, was about to anchor or
the Tangier gas buoy. at the mouth
| OF the Potomac. early yesterday.
when the Indrakuala caught her and
cut her practically in two. She went
down Immediately and only the 1ren
on deck had a chance for life.
The lndrakuala. badly damaged and
in danger OF sinking. drew of and
! oeached to save herself. Captain Gil
| bert, OF the Luckenbach, and his wife
| were among the lost.
The survivors had scarcely reached
the topmost parts Of the rigging of
the submerged hulk when the sweep
ing gale of yesterday passed over the
bay and for six hours they fought for
life, while some of their number. ex-
hausted, dropped off one by one 10
death.
With a wind blowing at cyclonic
velocity and waves beating against
them, the hardest ones held fast until
| clothes
they were On the verge OF exhaustion.
Chief Engineer knudson was one OF
those in the rigging. He endured the
3 gale until his hands were bleeding
} from gripping the ropes. He became
: exhausted, let go and went down be-
fore assistance came.
e The Danish Stea mer Pennsylvania,
I which came to their assistance. could
' not reach them at first because Of the
e heavy sea. After many unsuccessful
| attempts. life lines were run to the
a struggling men and in two hours they
e were taken off, one at time. When
n taken on board the Pennsylvania
n some were unconscious and had 20 bu
o given first aid treatment.
4 According to the survivors. Captain
n Gilbert and the first and second Off
:; GERS were standing on the oridg.
y when the collision occurred. There
q was no chance to give alarm TO those
= below. Captain Gilbert made 4 des
,r perate effort to reach his wife and
n when last seen vas swimming aft tht
sinking vessel.
- Il don't know how I escaped. said
: Chief Officer Hunt. After the ShiI
- went down, l found myself dangling
in the rigging and there l stayed. No
:, a life boat was to be had, so quickl,
=, did the Luckenbach go down.
- never suffered such torture IN my life
~ My clothes were torn to ShredS by tn
= high winds and the seas beat me al
: =. most into insensibility. Too much
.. cannot be said in praise Of the darini
"a bravery displayed by the officers an.
oI crew of the Pennsylvania. who res
cued U.S..
The Luckenbach now lies in abou
n SO feet of water
ee Anong the survivors are:
" +. II. Hunt Baltimore, chief officer
S. William Brunn, New York. secon
az officer: George Little. New York. frs
&c assistant engineer; George Doyle
Philadelphia, third assistant enginee.
One seaman hurried up 20 tn
Luckenbachs funnel stays, rs sh
went down. Finally he reached TIA
rig of the stack and was safe fer
n moment Then as the ship lurche
her funnel broke loose and the seama
was lost.