Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-18
THRILLING RESCUE MADE
FROM STRANDED HECTOR
FraiI Boats Pass to and Fro
On Mighty Seas to Two
ReSCuing Vessels


CHARLESTON. 5. C. July 15.-All
or the hundred and forty-two men on
heard the United States naval collier
hector. when she struck or Cape Ro-
maine. were rescued The lighthouse
buoy tender Cypress rescued twenty
one OF the men and the tug Wellington
rescued one hundred and twenty-one
Both vessels had great difficulty in get
ting the imperflled men, The Cypress
reached her wharf here at $3.50 o'clock
this mOrnins, soon after the Welllng-
ton The Cypress at once proceeded TO
the navy yard.
No statement could DO procured from
Captain Newell. OF the hcctOr. as OH
GERS refused &c allow a reporter TO see
them -Four men on the Hector were
injured. Oiier singleton had his right
leg fractured. Coal Passer McDermott
has multiple burns. Chief Engineer T.
c. Mercer has also multiple burns
ships Carpenter Christine has frac-
tured leg and gangrsne- These men are
in local hospital
Officers and men OF the Hector prais-
ed Captain Nielsen warmly for his
splendid seamanship during the rescur-
ing OF the III men. The transfer was
fraught with grave danger. Time after
time the boat carrying men between the
Hector and the Wellington narrowly
missed being crushed. as enormous
waves carried II swiftly and merciless-
y toward the side OF the big tug.
TAKEN LOAD BY LOAD.
As the last man in the boat was
safely aboard the Hector, line would
be thrown back TO man on the Hector,
the boat being pulled back TO the brok-
en- collier. Another boat load would
make the perilOIs trip. while the tug
strained 10 keep as near the collier as
Possible without collision
Many times il looked as II the merci-
less waves. whipped by heavy winds.
were about 10 engulf the Efeboat. buJ
each time. almost by a miracle. the
men fervently declare. the craft right
ed itself Willing arms on the Well
lington strained 70 pull the rescued men
aboard and in some instances the roll
OF the tug caused men TO strike the
dock with force enough TO Jar them
severely.
Meanwhile, during the six hours Of
the transfer, Misses Annie and johann
IA Nielsen. young daughters OF the
captain, were striving TO help the res
cUed men. giving first aid in more than
4 score OF cases and doing work that
required nerve, courage and physical
strength These young women were
kerOines and their gameness in helping
in spite OF the dangerous lurching,
rolling and pitching OF the tug earned
the whOle-hearted admiration OF the
men they were succoring.
Captain Nielsen and his crew found Il
extremely difficult at times to mansu-
yer the storm-ridden tug into q position
whereby danger TO the rescued men was
1T a minimum They never faltered
during the long hours and their fine
spirit was only eQualled by the brave
department OF the rescuing crew OF the
Cypress four hours later.
-Four small boats were battered into
hopeless wrecks during the early stages
OF the transfer. They were broken
before men had stepped into them.
DARKNESS CALLS HALT.
AS darkness fell upon the dramatic
scene the tug Wellington was forced TO
cease the transfer because the Light
was insufficient and had the work con-
" have ensued. Captain Nielsen left
the Hector with great reluctance at
o'clock last night, standing In Charles
ton harbor with one hundred an twen-
ty-one rescued seamen and marines.
-Four hours after the Wellington left.
the Cypress reached the stricken collier
and az once Captain John Johnson call
ed volunteers 20 man a cargo boat De-
spite the turbulence OF the sea, more
IMAM NNANr o. many NOAAnAccEEu as were
needed.
Second Oficer Larsen was named BY
Captain johnson TO take charge Of the
crew OF four. After the cargo boat had
crashed violently into a launche and
had been almost swept away by a huge
wave, IL was successfully launched and
the battle against wind and wave TO
reach the Hector was fought.
The cargo boat was either standing
on its stern, or on its bow or sliding
down steep waves as IL went slowly. lit
orally fighting inch by inch. until II
fetched up against the bow OF the brOk-
en- collier Then eight mer stepped
board, while the crew strained every
pound OF strength TO hold their place.
While men on the Hector watched anx-
iously, the cargo boat moved slowly, but
surely. alongside the Cypress and as the
great waves washed up the bow, the
rescued men were jerked on TO the ten
der.
Back again through the violent seas
went the same crew One by one thir-
teen men stepped aboard. while the craft
ierlIed and yawned and pitched. Cap
tain Newell was the last man 70 quit
the broken collier and his face revealed
the terrific strain he was under.
Aboard the tender the rescued men
were placed in stOrerOOms and every
effort strained 20 bring comfort to these
men who had lost their all in the fury
OF a tropical tempest; men who were
clad only IN underwear, men who were
exhausted by the fearful strain they
had undergone.