The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-28

Michigan under very unusual condi-
ions. h boat was carrying "A long
train flled with passengers between
l'udington. Mich. and Milwaukee, a
Instance OF n little more than 100 miles.
The lake was without a ripple and the
ferryboat had arrived within twenty
nine miles of the Wisconsin sid when
1t struck a rock.
Sczplnck had Just informed Mil
waukee by wireless that they were APP
preaching port when the captain
rushed into the wireless booth and di-
rected him to send out the s O S cal.
The signal of danger was instantly
picked up by several boats in the vi
cinity. including a sister ferryboat.
No. II.
The %ferryboat mad received a mortal
blow and filled rapidly. The passen-
gers in the comfortable railroad
coaches could scarcely realize their
danger. Never was a shipwreck an
nounced under such peculiar circum-
stances. The officers rushed through
the cars summoning all hands to re-
port on decks. When the passengers
stepped from the coaches they found
the decks already awash.
throughout the excitement SczpanCk
remained In the wireless booth send
ing out the call for help over and over
again in the hope that some nearby
ship might he found. Later it was re-
called by many of the passengers that
he passed through the train stopping
at every seat to assure the passengers
that help was being rushed to them.
When he had done all in his power to
assist the passengers and help them
into the boats S~czpanck returned to
the wireless room.
The boats were lowered and sent
away in good order. There remained
on he %ferryboat only four men, three
officers n the Marconi man. The
sister ship hurrying under forced
draught arrived soon after. The life
boats with all on board were safe. but
the %ferryboat with the four men who
remained aboard had disappeared.
The wreck in which George Eccles
lost his life on August 20. 1911, made
a similar demand upon ,he courage of
the wireless man. The ship. the Ohio,
was on her regular trip between
Washington and Valdez. Alaska.
carrying 200 passengers. While pass
ing a particularly bleak and lonely
shore she struck a reef and sank in
thirty minutes. II was known from
the first that the ship would be lost,
and rantic efforts were made to get
the passengers into the life boats.
Eccles stood by his wireless apparatus
sending out the call for help, but with
little hope of success.
The call was picked up by the shore
station at ketchikan, Alaska, which
in turn relayed the message along the
coast. Although the Alaskan station
was high up among the snow covered
mountains and could not lend direct
assistance, the passengers were en-
couraged by the news that they were
in touch with the land. The half our
which was left to the Ohio was nearly
past when the Alaskan station in
formed Eccles that it had picked up
two vessels near by, the Humboldt
and the Rupert City, which were then
headed for the Ohio.
The sea ran high and the Ohio
threatened to slip from the rocks into
the sea al any moment. Eccles re-
NAMED at his post, sending messages
10 the ships now approaching, giving
them the exact position. twenty
minutes after the ship struck the ris-
ing waters put out the fires, stopping
the dynamos and %silencing the w!re-
less apparatus. Eccles left the wire
less room only when the wireless had
become absolutely useless ana the
decks We're awash. The last Of the