The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-28
20 LOST WHEN
NAVAL TUG SINKS
The Cherokee Goes Down OF
Delaware CapeS.
TEN MEN WERE RESCUED
Four Men on Life Raft Perish, While
Twelve on Another Are Picked Up
Unconscious and Two Die.

Philadelphia, Feb. 2S.-Twenty nine
men persisted when the seagoing ma
val tug Cherokee sank off Fenwick
Island Light, twenty-five miles below
the Delaware capes. Ten were saved.
The crew of the Cherokee ordinarily
is composed of forty men. but there
were only thirty-nine aboard. One
man had been given shore leave, and
had gone to his home in Connecticut.
The commander, one of those lost
was Junior Lieutenant Edward N.
Newell
The disaster occurred fifteen miles
off shore. Fenwick Island light lies
on the Maryland coast eight miles
above Ocean City. Md, and just below
the southern boundary of the state of
Delaware.
The bodies of eight dead have been
brought to the Philadelphia navy yard
on two rescue ships. both British.
The ten survivors also have been
brought here.
According to D. O. Davies. captain
Of one of the rescue ships, the pri-
mary cause of the tugs loss was the
breaking. of her steering gear, as she
battled against heavy seas, which had
been whipped into rage by fifty
mile gale.
When the steering gear broke, the
Cherokee was thrown broadside to the
waves. which finally battered in her
matches. 1t was only few minutes
after that when she sank.
The Cherokee is said to have been
on her way from an Atlantic port in
Norfolk, for repairs. She was former
" the Edgar F. Luckenbach, owned
by the Iuckenbach company, of New
York The tug was turned over to
the government last October.
As the Cherokee sank. two life RATS
were launched in the foaming fury Of
the waves. On one raft were strapped
twelve men. To the other. four men
chung for their lives.
When the first raft was picked up
by one of the two rescue ships. all OF
the twelve men were unconscious. The
rescuers administered first aid and re-
vived ten of the men. The two others
died.
The four men on the other raft put
UT a gallant fight against the rush OF
the seas, which time and again smoth'
cred the little craft with their seeth
ing wash.
But finally two of the men were
swept overheard. And when the sec
ond rescue ship came across the raft
the other two men were lifeless.
The first of the rescue vessels to ar
rive at the navy yard was tank
ship. with the survivors and two dead
No survivors were picked up by the
second rescue ship. which brought IN
six dead.
The wireless man of the Cherokee
demonstrated the pluck which has be
come a tradition of his calling, stick
ing to his instrument to the last One
of his first calls was picked up by the
naval reserves station at Cape May.
Word was Immediately relayed to
the naval coast patrol at Lewes. Del,
and a cutter was sent out In search
of the tug, which had given her posi-
ton as fifteen miles southeast of Fen
wick Island light. But the search of
the cutter was fruitless.
The Cape May wireless was in touch
with the nervy operator on the Chero-
kee for some time after the receipt
of the first call. which was steady
and clear. but did not state the cause
of the tugs plight. After the first
half hour, however the Cherakee's
wireless talk became indistinct and
the craft could not be reached.