The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-24
SEVENTEEN PERSONS
RESCUED FROM SEA
fContinued from Page u

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gerous work on the part Of the crews
was necessary. Axes were brought
into requisition and three of the lines
were cut. This lessening of the load
threw additional stress on the three
remaining ropes which parted in sue
cession with reports that could be
heard far above the noise Of the wind
and the flying ends narrowly missed
several of the crews engaged in the
work. In the attempt to take up
slack and readjust the tow the Blue
Book, second boat on the left side Of
the forward tow rammed the Gilbert
on which were gathered the refugees
The bow Of the Gilbert was sent high
into the air and swamped the Blue
Book. AS the latter vessel listed on
her side and began to sink, similar
action had to be taken, and the tow
now parted in a. most dangerous spot
just abreast of Penfie1d light. The
Lewis and the Guianan were in tow of
the Garrett and under Roadway were
In no immediate danger The re-
naming lows without guidance were
at the mercy Of the seas which were
said to be highest encountered in
many years. The lines on the five
boats continually parted until all
available had been used by men who
ran forward and aft on the narrow
decks in water waist deep. The
Dorothy, heavily loaded with pig iron
was to the windward and was heaving
high into the air. In one of the big
lurches she turned sideways and rose
so far by the starboard bow that she
al n
orally cutting her decks in half be-
fore she slipped back into the water.
On board the Olney 40 captain was
forward and his wife was in the cab
in aft, separated by a gap of water
estimated at about six feet. With the
boat rapidly laundering the captain
was obliged to wade and swim to the
stern and drag his wife to the Doro-
thy, Captain F. w. Bruck, which was
almost on It's beam ends from the
shifting load Of pig iron. With the
Olney cut leose and sinking and the
Dorothy in a precarious condition the
tug Garrett with her tow two
barges swung around with all hope
lost for the salvage OF boats and
much question in the minds of the
tow boat crew whether the lives of the
men, women and children on board
the drifting foti1la might be saved.
Captain Lyman bore down to lee
ward of the Blue Fish, ordering all
hands to stand by with ropes and fem
ders to get the passengers on board
the Louis. In the maneuver the Ly-
man and the Blue Fish came into col
Hsion head on and in the minutes
time before the shock Of impact could
be disturbed, ropes were thrown to the
surviving members of the crews who
made them fast about the waists of
the three women and one child and
while they were being pulled aboard
the Louis the men scrambled to a
like place Of safety.
With the Louis as the only survivor
Of the feet bearing II men, five wonn-
On and one girl, it was SO grave a
question Of saving even that boat that
the matches, which were continually
threatened by the high waves, had to
be spiked fast and held in place by
the bodies of the crew who lay fiat on
them while dashed with ropes to the
gunwales of the boat
Such weather conditions existed in
Bridgeport that the stake boat could
not accommodate them and the Louis
was towed to the Wall street dock for
safety.