Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-06-02
STORM STRIKES FISHERMEN.
Number of Lives LoSt-SeveraI
Boats CapSiZe and Sink.

Charleston, May 27.-The heay-
lest storm that veterans Of the fish
ing squadron state they have ever ex-
pericnccd at sea swept down unher-
aided out Of the northeast upon
scores of vessels Of the Charleston
mosquito fleet, fishing this morning
in a scattered Gordon extending for
some miles north and south Of ~.
Charleston light vessel. Big negro
scamcn in torn sou 'wcsters were this
afternoon mOmCntarily tumbling out
at their local landings and reporting
the loss in men ard boats as great.
Just what the blow accomplished in
the way Of destruction cannot be told
until all have come to port and the
have already come to shore state that
five or six boats have been sighted
bottom up between here and the
light vessel, and estimate the loss at
4 number greater than this The
loss in human life so far indicated
is in the neighborhood Of a dozen,
according TO the excited statements
OF the surviving colorcd fishermen.
The terrific battle that the men in
the little sail boats have had with
the elements to-day has not permit
ted time in which to identity wreck
age, but the following losses appear:
The "Sarah" Of Charleston, crew Of
four; boat lost with Peter Green,
captain, and James Gibbs, the "Fip-
by Snipe" Of Charleston. boat lost
with Jim Snipe, captain, and his son,
and Mount Pleasant craft, Allie
lluggins, captain Zone man SavedD
About the landings Of the mosque
to fleet, especially at the foot Of Mar
ket street, the excitement was ter
rifle. The men poured in with re-
ports Of the severity Of the fight with
wind and waves, soaked to the skin
and in many instances badly bruised.
Wives Of the men not accounted for
added to the general uproar that well
coined the arrival Of each new boat.
With many OF the arrivals, rescued
men came in and it is evident that
some courageous work had been per-
formed to-day by the surviving crews
between the city and her light yes
sci.
The story OF the storm as narrated
by Henry Lewis, captain and owner
of the "Tillie Holmes" and Ben My
ers, captain of the p. NJ. Ketcham, is
brief and to the point. The Holmes
was one of 20 vessels grouped more
closely about the light vessel than
the myriad Of their fellows. The
storm smote them as they rode at
anchor about a half mile this side
the llghtShip. The men estimate
that the wind blew at the rate of
from 60 to 20 miles an hour. This
estimate does not appear at all i'm
possible in view Of the fact that the
wind was close to so miles an hour
at Charleston during the forenoon.
The wind came unheralded, and the
little vessels fought their way in as
best they could, driving before the
storm, the larger helping the smaller
and weaker whenever possible. Many
OF the smaller vessels appear TO have
refused assistance, and confded in
their own strength, only to swamp
before making the destination.
The feat Of the little vessel "Ern-
cstine" of Charleston, Dick Young,
captain, seems to have excited the
admiration Of all the fishermen along
the water front. One of the small
est vessels Of the fleet, the Ernestine
brought in eight men, just twice.the
number that she carried out this
morning, according to a survivor of
the SniDe, who was among those to
reach port in her.
CHICHESTER 6 pHH A@