The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-05-18
-FOUR ALIVE AND Il
DEAD, z WEEKS
IN OPEN BOAT
Survivors OF The Columbian Res
cued by Revenue Cutter
FORCED TO EAT THEIR BOOTS
Men in State Of Collapse When Pick.
Up Forty Miles South Of
Sable Island

Boston. May ls.-Four survivors Of
a boat load of - who escaped in the
third boat OF the freight steamer Co
lumbar burned at sea on May were
picked up yes.edlay by the United
sites revenue cutter. Seneca 40
miles south OF Sable Island. accord
ing to a dispatch received here from
the cutter last night. When their
short allowance OF biscuit and water
had failed. they maintained life by
chewing boo. leather and few stray
crumbs OF hard tack. Rain water
served them when their water cask
went dry. The first two days afte-
drifting away from the flaming Co
lumbar they saw three steamers.
too far away to be signaled.
The dispatch from Capt. Johnston
OF the Seneca follows
sable Island. SIS Seneca.
Ten a. m. 40 miles south Sable
Island. rescued llfeboat with Omcer
Robert Teire, Sailors Oscar Kendall,
Pete Eelanger Fireman Michael
I.udwigsen, survivors OF Is. OilcT
George Hull died the 10th, Peter
Triel today. Others between namely,
Engineer Margetts; hrcmen, Ander-
son. Antonio. Richmer, Gustafson.
Jakob, boy. Dychmen, Cook. Schrim-
berge'. Sailor Christensen. All died
- ,..,.,.,ro .ca htp.rar Ehorf oil
lowance biscuit and water. Eating
biscuit crumbs and boo: leather
when rescued. Saw three steamers
first two days. none since. Much
rain. Fine today. All under doctor,
doing well. Johnston
Hope TO- the missing third boat
had been abandoned after dozen
transatlantic liners searched for five
days within a wide radius OF the spot
where the Columbian burst into
flames. That was in the vicinity Of
latitude 41.19 north, longitude 1895
west. To sea faring men, II seemed
impossible that a small boat could
pass through the series OF gales that
has since swept those water and the
news that the Seneca had picked up
survivors was received almost with
incredibly at Halifax.
Although the survivors were too
weak from their suffering to tell the
story completely. the revenue cut
ter's officers gathered that some OF
the 16 who had hastily piled into the
third boat had been so badly burned
that they died within the first few
days. II was decided TO tighten the
boat by casting the bodies overheard
at once. Some who had tumbled
from their hunks at the first explos-
ion and had rushed on deck half
clothed succumbed to the cold. 9th
ers, weakened by starvation and
thirst, gradually sank into lethargy
that was scarcely to be distinguish
ed from death.
Somehow the survivors managed
to keep the boat head-on TO the seas
when the weather became rough. but
for the past few days little or no eff
forts could be made to guide the
craft Day by day the number
dwindled until the five who were left
sank Imply to the bottom of the
boat and awaited the end.
When the lookout of the Seneca,
scanning the horizon for bergs on the
ice patrol, sighted the small boat
through his glasses. not a sign of life
was seen. The Seneca put on all
speed and, running down to the life
boat, gent her gig alongside. The
omGciated survivors were quickly
transferred to the deck of the cutter
and brandy forced between the par,
ched lips. AS all the men were in
apparent need OF hospital attention
the Seneca was pushed under forced
draft 20 Halifax. the nearest port.
Thirteen OF the survivors of the
Columbian were picked up by the
Franconia so hou.s after they had
been driven to the boats by a series
of explosions of unknown origin. 1t
was feared that all the others had
persisted, for a long search by the
Franconia failed to disclose any
trace of the other boats. Thirty
four hours after the rescue of the
first boat, word came that the steam
er Manhattan had picked up Capt.
Mcdonald and IS of his men.
All the survivors were suffering
terribly from the burns and expos
ure. Chief Steward Matthews, who
had been tossed unconscious into the
boa. picked up by the Franconia,