Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-02-18
slNC CREW
RESCUED AT SEA
Survivors Tell Of Long Battle
With Death.
POUNDED BY TERRIFIC SEAS

With Coal and Food Gone, Steamship
Wallowed HeIpIessIy Through Sue
cession of Storms Several Hundred
Miles Out In Atlantie-Separated
From Revenue Gutter In Fog.
No more thrilling tale of the sea and
ships has come TO New York in many
years than that brought in by the bat
tered Italian steamship Angelo Parodi.
mlraculously saved from going to the
port Of missing ships after her loss had
been reported at Norfolk by the reve-
nue. cutter ltasca. The derelict was
towed in by the Greek steamer Crios.
Coal gone. food gone to the last ships
biscuit the steamship wallowed help
lessly through succession OF storms
several hundred miles out In the Allan
tic from the Virginia capes.
Delays Ate Up Coal Supply.
The Angelo Parodi, OF 2,4SS tons
burden. left Baltimore in December.
bound for Maddelena. Italy. she filled
with cargo there and set out for Nor
folk the last week OF December. IRON
the minute she cleared Gibraltar she
was buffeted by series OF heavy
storms. with tremendous winds that
slowed down her speed. Captain Ben
venuto had 10 watch his coal supply
lwindle daily under the futile assaults
of his shin against the driving wind
and heavy seas.
On Jan. 10 the last scoopful of coal
was heaved onto the fires. and the
stokeroom crew began 10 20 through
the ship with axes. chopping out fuel
from wainscotings. cabin walls and
officers quarters. Tables, chairs ana
even strips Of flooring in the to'castle
went to feed the freboxes The ship
was reduced TO a steel skeleton With
all her bones picked, but still 800 miles
of angry water separated the Angelo
Parodi from the Capes.
Captain Benvenutos wireless call for
help was heard AT the wireless station
on Cape Henry, and the revenue cutter
Itasca Captain b. NJ. Chiswell com
manding. put out TO rescue the derellct.
For seven days the Italian ship drifted
at the mercy of wind and currents
while the ltasca searched for her
Having no Roadway. the steamship
had to take many OF the giant rollers
broadside Oh. The attempts To KEEP
her head on to the wind by sea an
Choir were only partially successful.
Food Near and Yet So Far.
Saturday. Jan. %, the smoke OF the
doughty little revenue cutter was car
ried down the storm rack to put Ire
i'm the hearts of the sailors. But whei
the Itasca labored up TO within hail
ing distance of the plunging Italian
ship the futility OF her efforts at res
cue began 10 be apparent. A tremeh
dous sea was driving. and no smal
boat would have so much as got away
from the side OF either eratt betor'
being swamped.
Food ~ the cry that Captain
Benvenuto megaphoned down the wind
10 the Itasca. I'VE are starving.
On the cutter every effort was made
TO shoot line over the Angelo FARO
diff not TO rig a breeches buoy. al
least strong enough To carry rugged
basket of food Failure marked eacf
attempt. While food lowered so close
the sailors divided the last of the ships
biscuits.
That was Monday. Jan. %. For tel
DAYS prior to that time they had beef
on quarter rations After Jan. Is moth
ing but hard bread and water ha'
staid them. Some OF the men were
so weak they could not crawl from
their hunks.
During heavy fog the helpless
steamship became separated from TIT
Itasca. Those aboard heard the whis
tie of the revenue cutter grow mor'
and more dim as Captain Chiswel
drew away from them in his blin'
searching With no steam in the dea'
boilers 10 send an answering call CAP
tain Benvenuto and his men had T.
sit helpless while the only promise o
succor became smothered in the fog.
Greek Ship to Rescue.
from MODudy, jan. - uhAi c"i y
the following morning the Angelo ia
rodi drifted alone. starvation master o.
the bridge. Then at 3 o'clock on Tues
day morning a lookout reported light
on the starboard bow.
Instantly the captain burned Costo
lights from the bridge. and a praye
went up when the red and green eye
I'm the distant dark told that the
strange ship had seen and was comm
TO aid. When daylight came the strai
ger was found to be the Crios. Cal
tain GOulandris.
The seas had lcssened during Oh
night. and 10y skillful maneuvering th
Greek skipper managed To get lin
aboard over this towline jnr
breeches buoy was rugged. and a lit
food-not much. for the clumsy maxi
shift would not stand the strain W.
....... tho Italian vaCGa1 Ina