The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-01-17
CREW OF COBEQU|D SAVED.
CREW OF LINER SNATCHED
FROM DEATH By RES
CCERS.
Reaso'Ired by Captains Bravey and
Finally Saved by Vessels Which
Come i'm Answer to IL Wireless Call
Notable Episode Of The Atlantic.


from what seemed almost certain
death, passengers and crew of the
Royal Mail packet Cobequid are snug
tonight in Yarmouth harbor.
Wireless appeals for assistance
which she had first made So hours oe-
fore were answered late today as
the doomed steamer was being racked
to pieces on Trinity Rock, six miles
off Port Maitland. The rescue will
go down in shipping annals as one OF
the most notable ever accomplished
on the Atlantic coast.
The Cobequid had begun to break
up under the cannonading OF the ter
rifle seas that had been mercilessly
beating her from the time the ves-
sci struck early yesterday. Quantities
OF cargo covered the water as the life
boats ranged alongside. The coastal
steamers Westport and John L. Cam
were first to get their small boats into
the water and they were followed soon
by boats of the government steamer
Lansdowne and the steamer Kappa
hammock. AS the work of rescue pro-
gressed the seas subsided and no mis-
hap marred the triumph over the
waves.
Capt McKinnon Of the Westport
found the liner on Trinity ledge at
4.2O o'clock this afternoon. At the
time there was q high wind and rough
sea. He took off. in three life boat
loads 72 persons, including all passen-
gers, the purser, several deck ofil-
GERS and part Of the crew.
The Westport stood by until 6.35
o'clock, when the John i. Cam came
up. The latter took off "a men as the
Westport was leaving for Yarmouth.
rhe 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 Yarmouth
at o'clock and the John L. Cann
followed her in.
The Cobequids stern was not
! broken, as first reported, according
to the account given by Capt. Nc
Kinnon. In fact the afterpart was
highest out of the water. The Cobe-
quid was badly iced up.
The 10S persons aboard the Cobe-
quid included IL first cabin passen-
gers and an equal number in the
second class. Mrs. w. C. Scollar and
her children were the frs. to 60 over
the side. Then followed Miss Mar
guerite and Miss Dorothy James,
daughters Of the late r. H. James.
mayor of st. Georges, Bermuda, and
two sisters Of charity.
Preparations had been made here
to care for the shipwrecked and
they were given every comfort the
city afforded.
Trinity Rock, on which the Cobe-
Quid was transtixed at 4 o'clock yes
terday morning, is a pinnacle OF
granite rising abruptly from the sea
! half way between this port and Brier
Island, where the steamer was at
! first thought TO have struck. The ia
nous Lurcher shoal, which is indi-
| Gated by a lightship. lies 10 miles out
side Trinity rock while the course
to the Bay Of Funday takes vessels
still further off shore.
The coast was swept by blizzard
when the Cobequid began to feel her
way toward st. John. The last Of the
ebb tide was running and the wind
was strong from the west-condtions
which tended to drive the steamer
closer to the eastern shore than her
skipper anticipated.
The crash came just before dawn
and few minutes later the wireless
sos" was flashing out. The Cobe-
qusd's operator was unable to give her
location for no one on board knew IT,
Four hours later flood tide and gales
had driven the steamer still farther
on the rocks, and flooded the engine
room. This put out the fires and in
terrupted the wireless apparatus.
The passengers were greatly alarm
ed but the courage of Capt lawson
treasured them time and again. The
steamer made water rapidly ana
cargo began 10 tear away. through
Oui the day and the night that fol-
lowed The officers scanned the sea for
craft and the operator worked heroic
all. to restore his wireless outfit.
In the meantime steamers that had
picked up the first cry for help were
searching for the distressed craft \
heavy vapOr on the water handicap
ned the SrarchcrS and il WAS a fish