The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-03-10
TAKEN FROM BOAT
IN BLINDING SNOW
Crew of Foundered Craft Saved
by Chance.
SIGNAL LIGHT SIGHTED.
observed by Captain of Rescue Ship,
Who Soon Picks Up Men From
Charlemagne Tower, Jr.

newport News, Va, March T.
Bringing Capt II. c. Simmons and 16
members OF the crew Of the Ameri-
can steamer Charlemagne Tower, Jr..
which went down of the north coast
yesterday morning the whalebacl1
steamer Bayport reported here late
TINS afternoon. Wreck survivors were
landed at Sewells Point, where thew
boarded a trolley for Norfolk. leav-
ing Norfolk tonight for New York.
with four men half dead from ex-
posure, the shipwrecked crew were
picked up near Barnegat Light YES
terday afternoon at o'clock during
binding snowstorm, five miles south
OF where the Charlemangne Tower
Jr., toundered. Their rescue was ef-
fected by the barest chance, a signal
light attracting the attention of Cant
Beragaer of the Bayport Just as the
steamer was in the act of passing the
small boat. Snow was falling heav-
lily and it was fast growing dark.
BARELY SA Wight.
Capt. Beranger, though on the
bridge barely could see the light as
1t fared up. The Bayport put about
and discovered the half frozen and
snow covered men huddled in a 90
foot boat A stiff wind prevailed at
the time and the men were watersoak-
ed and numb from the cold. In order
to make room for the overcrowded
cargo some of the men we're forced
to lie in the bottom OF the boat and
these were in worse condition than
the others, four Of them being restor-
ed with difficulty after being taken
aboard the Bayport. The men-Ouar-
termaster John Bowling Steward Gee
Green, Fireman A. NJ. Hendrickse
and Messman Ralph Holmes-were
finally restored and landed with the
others this afternoon.
The full list of those picked up by
the Bayport follows: Capt H. C. Sin
mons Chif Engineer II. A. Wilben
Second Mate II. Neaves Third Man
c. p. Whitney. First Assistant Eng
neer III. Albin, Second Assistant En-
gineer w. DObar, Quartermaster
John Bowling and c. Doheson, Soc
men II. Dochohson and w Walla, Oil
ers Luis Edward and Bert AL
bin, Steward Cecil Green, Messman
Ralph Holmes and Firemen II. Hen
drick see and w. w Ebb
THOUGHT THEM LOST.
Capt Simmons did not know OF the
rescue OF First Deer Thompson, one
fireman and two seamen until his ar
rival in port as when last seen the
men were struggling In the Surfe their
small boat having been swamped.
The larger boat put toward the
open sea fearing a similar fate IN
able to make headway in the rough
sea. which poured water into their
little craft almost as fast as il could
be baled out, the men decided to
drift and depend on being picged up
IL was O'Clock and showing hard
when they saw the lights OF the Bay
port and set off torch. Had this
not been seen and a response made
Capt. simmons and his men could
not have survived many more hours.
Explaining the laundering OF the
boat, Capt. Simmons said that her
bottom seams opened and all Friday
water poured in at such a rate that
two hours later the ship was filed to
her upper beams. He and his men
barely had time to get off in the only
small boats the steamer carried be-
fore she plunged to the bottom
First Mate Thompson and three
men took to the small boat and the
remainder Of the crew crowded into
We 2O-feet boat picked up by the
Bayport
The Charlemagne Tower Jr.. was
owned by the Southern Steamship
company and with the exception OF
one trip to Wilmington, had been out
OF commission for six years, 1t is said.