The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-01-15

a high wind and rough sea. He took
off in three. lifeboat loads - persons.
including all the passengers, the purser
and several deck officers and part of
the crew.
The Westport stood by until els
o clock last evening, when the John L.
Cam came up. The latter took off 81
men as the Westport was leaving for
Yarmouth. The captain and IL men
of the crew decided to remain on the
ship until morning and the government
steamer Lansdowne remained by with
them The Westport arrived at Var
mouth at O'Clock and the John l..
Cam followed her in.
The gas buoy on Trinity ledge was |
reported by Capt. MeKinnon as being |
in position, but badly iced, which might |
make it of little use in a snowstorm. |
The los persons on the Cobequid in |
eluded L first-cabin passengers and
an equal number in the second class |
Passengers Lowered into Life Boats. |
One by one the passengers, including
women and children, We're lowered to
lifeboats until only Capt. Hawson and
IL men remained on the deck. Prepar-
ations had been made at Yarmouth to
care for the shipwrecked ones and they
were given every comfort that the city
afforded.
Trinity rock, on which the Cobequid
was transfiXed at D Il. m. Tuesday, is
a pinnacle of granite rising abruptly
from the sea half way between Var
mouth and Brier island, where the
steamer was at first thought 10 have
struck. The Trinity is awash at low
water. The famous Lurcher shoal,
which is Indicated by a hghtship, lies
! 10 miles outside Trinity rock, while the
course up the bay of Fundy takes YES
sells still farther off shore.
The bay was swept by typical
western blizzard as the Cobequid,
bound from the tropics, began TO feel
| her way toward st. John. The last
of the ebb tide was running and the
wind was strong from the west-eondi-
tion which tended to drive the steamer
closer to the eastern shore than her
skipper anticipated.
Crash Came in Morning Darkness.
The crash came just before daybreak
| and q few minutes later the wireless
IS. o. 5. was flashing over the angry
waters. The Cobequid $ operator was
unable to give her location for no one
on board knew it definitely. Four
hours later flood tide and gale had
driven the steamer still farther on the
rock, breaking her back and flooding
the engine room. This put out fires and
interrupted the wireless apparatus. The
passengers were greatly alarmed but
the courage OF Capt. Hawson and his
abiding faith in his ship reassured them
time and again. The steamer made
water rapidly and the cargo began to
tear away Throughout the day and
night that followed the officers scanned
the sea for passing craft and the oPer-
ator worked heroically to restore his
wireless outfit.
Meantime steamers that had picked
up the first cry for help We're searching
for the distressed craft. 4 heavy va
por caused hv the action Of the intense
cold on the water handicapped the
searchers, and it was fisherman on
Port Maitland shore who first made out
the Cohequid as the vapor rose late
yesterday afternoon and revealed the
liner on the dreaded Trinity.
A Day and Night of Terror
Darkness was gathering fast when
|
from the coastal steamers knew the
rock and the surrounding shoals as we'll
as they did their own front yards
ashore and they went at the work be
fore them with perfect confidence. Less
than five hours later those who had
faced death for two days were being
warmed and fed at the hotels in Var
mouth. So far as could be learned last
{ night none of the party was perma
: nentlv the worse for their adventure
1t was day and night of terror OF
: the steamer. Life belts had been serv
: ed ont to all on board and when the
> seas began to break over the ship al
: hands were ordered below where the!
5 huddled in the cabins. 1t was feare,
: that the hull would part. Daylight ant
t the knowledge that their appeal TO
, help had been heard gave renewed hope
i but the position or the ship becam
more dangerous hourly. Up to noon
: the gale showed no signs of subsiding
/, The bridge, chart house. companionway
f and everything movable on deck, in
: elrding all hut four hfeboats wer
!. washed away.
The Cobequid will be Il total wreck
!, The survivors related today storie
:, of their narrowing experiences durin
= the 36 hours that they were awaitin
aid. They were huddled together i
m the captain s cabin and the ladies
o. room. living on biscuit and corn mea
II and coffee. Capt. Hawson made tn
pr coffee for them while standing in ie
8. water waist deep.