Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-20

ing to one of the old lantern posts. They
were in danger of being washed OF by
the heavy seas which were constantly
breaking over the breakwater. at times
throwing the water seventy feet high.
1t lacked some three or four hours
were increasing. This meant an ever
increasing peril for the men on the
breakwater. Supt. Knowles directed
e ePee In the sho iifeboat and
to save the men at all hazards MS
own account of the proceedings ade-
quately tells the story:
The life-saving crew on reaching
the boathouse teiephoned me that If
they launched the boat to go to the
wreck they never would return.
realized this was SO. unless they had
assistance. But I told them to go. and
men, and gave instructions how IL
might be done.
"Realizing from many years expert
ence what the boys would encounter in
should they return they would be more
dead than alive-as would also be
those they were to rescue teie
station to notify the authorities at
Newport naval station to dispatch a
boat of some kind to look after safety
of the life-saving crew. 1 knew from
all reasonableness they could not pos
sibly return by their own efforts. L
was informed that a boat would be
sent"
Dons His Storm Clothes.
supt. Knowles then prepared to go
to the scene of the disaster. He got
into a complete suit of storm clothes.
He had made up a basket of supplies.
consisting of whisky. wine. marine
glasses, mittens and other things. DR..
r. r. Robinson of Wakefield, r. l.,
headquarters of the superintendent.
was induced to accompany him. They
made the trip in the physicians auto.
They arrived at Sand Hill cove, near
the breakwater, little before 10
o'clock on the morning of December
T. At that time the surfboat's crew
had cast anchor and was stacking the
boat down before the gale in order to
get close enough to the breakwater to
throw line. Several times Super
intendent Knowles observed the two
wrecked men abandon the lantern post
to descend to the breakwater, each
the heavy seas breaking high over the
wall. These seas often submerged
them on the lantern post, and burying
the surfboat so completely that neither
boat nor occupants could be seen from
shore.
Finally. at a favorable time" con-
tinues the report, after more than an
hours effort on the part of the life
savers, the imperiled men descended
TO the breakwater. secured the lines
tnroWn to them. fastened them about
their bodies and were quickly hauled
from the top of the wall into the water
and then taken on board the surfboat
Ihere they were given a position, and
received an equal share of the dis
comforts and wetting. whenever a sea
oelched over the wall upon them
At this time about II am, the wind
seemed to back to the northward. and
increased in force. making the position
OF the boat more dangerous as il
swung closer to the wall. which was
now completely submerged. The mat
Ter OF forcing the boat ahead was an
lmposs1oilfty: so they hung on in this
posltion until about 1:15 pm. when
the torpedo boat Morris arrived and
entered the breakwater.--
Vessel superbly Handled.
NO time was lost in it's efforts to
secure the boat and men After sew
eral attempts. with superb handling
of the Morris. a line was passed from
her bow to the surfboat She then
hacked slowly. while the boats
anchors were being hauled in. and
towed her well out into the center of
the harbor. This was about . pm
Later on those in the surfboat were
seen to go on board the Morris, which
later came to an anchor directly off
the boathouse. In the meantime all
had gone below to be thawed out and
relieved of their sufferings from long
exposure in their thoroughly soaked
clothing
The life savers were landed the next
morning. They reported for duty.
AS whole" comments Supt.
Knowles. in closing, the rescue of the