The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-11
SAVED FROM The SEA.
GREW OF FOUNDERED RO<T
RESCUED BY NEAR MIRACLE.
Signal Light OF Boat Sighted by Cap.
tain OF Rescue Ship, Who Soon
Picks mp Men From Charicmagne
Tower, Jr.

Newport News. w. Va, March T.
Bringing Capt. III. c. simmons and 16
members OF the crew Of the Ameri-
can steamer Charlemague Tower, Jr.,
which went down Off the north coast
yesterday morning. the whaleback
steamer Bayport reported hero late
this afternoon. Wreck survivors were
landed at Sewelrs Point. where they
boarded n 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
a binding snowstorm. five miles south
OF where the Charlemagne Tower,
Jr.. foundered. Their rescue was ef-
fected by the barest chance, q signal
light attracting the attention OF Capt.
Beranger OF the Bayport just as the
steamer was In the act of passing TIE
small boat. Snow was falling heav-
lily and II was fast growing dark.
Capt. Beranser, though on the
bridge, barely could see the light as
II hared up. The Bayport put about
and discovered the half frozen and
snow covered men huddled in q 90
foot boat. A stiff wind prevailed at
the time and the men were water
soaked and numb from the cold. In
order to make room for the over
crowded cargo. some Of the men were
forced To lie In the bottom OF the
boat and these were in worse condi-
tion than the others. four of them be-
ing restored with difficulty after be-
ing taken aboard the Bayport. The
men-Quartermastcr John Dowling,
Steward Cecil Green. Fireman A. M.
Holmes-were finally restored and
Hendricksen and Messman Ralph
landed with the others this afternoon.
The full list OF those picked up by
the Bayport follows: Capt. III. C. SIM
mons. Chico Engineer III. A.. WILDER,
Second Mate III. Neaves. Third Mate
&. II. Whitney, First Assistant Engi-
neer A. Albin. Second Assistant En-
gineer w. Dollar. Quartermasters
John Bowling and c. Doheson, Sea-
men M. Docohson and w. Walla. Oil
ers Luis Edward and Bert AL
bin. Steward Cecil Green. Messman
Ralph Holmes and F'iremen Nj. Hen
dricksen and w. w. Ebb.
Capt. Simmons did not know of the
rescue OF First officer Thompson. one
fireman and two seanen until his ar
rival In port as when last seen the
men were struggling In the surf, their
small boat having been swamped.
The larger boat put toward the
open sea fearing n similar fate. Un-
able to make headway In the rough
sea. which poured water into their
little craft almost as fast as IL could
be bailcd out. the men decided to
drift and depend on being picked up.
IL was o'clock ard showing hard
when they saw the lights of the Bay
port and set Oft a torch. Had this
not been seen and 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 ttat
two hours later the ship was filled to
her upper beams. Ho and his mon
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
the 2o-foot boat picked up by the
Bayport.
The Charlemagne Tower, Jr.. was
owned by tho Southern Steamship
company and. with the exception of
one trip TO Wilmington. had been out
OF commission for sIx ycars "a a., .aid