The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-02
Wounded Soldiers Being Re-
moved From Northern Pacific.
Some Taken to Shore and 9th
ers to Rescue Vessels.
FIRST AWAY AT NOON TODAY
The Transport Mallory Gets
Some of the 1900 Men.
Several LifebOats Filled With
Troops to Fire Island.

Fire Island, N. Y, Jan. with
calmer sea making the work of rescue
less hazardous. 500 wounded men from
the stranded transport North Pacific
were landed safely this afternoon Dy
means of a trolley boat.
Some of the 2.545 troops aboard the
ill fated ship wrere transferred to re-
lief vessels standing by.
The trolley boat, fastened by pulley
wheels to double cables extending
from the Northern Pacific to the
beach, made frequent trips. bringing
twelve to fifteen men to safety each
time
A lifeboat loaded with troops from
the transport Northern Pacific was
capsized by the heavy surf. throwing
fifteen soldiers and life savers into
the water. All were saved.
New York, Jan. Removal before
nightfall of the entire company of
2,480 homecoming American troops
from the transport Northern Pacific.
stranded off Fire Island, was expected
by officials at the office of Vice Ad-
miral Gleaves of the cruiser and trans
port service in Hoboken, who stated
this afternoon that transferral OF the
men to army and navy craft was pro-
ceeding rapidly in a moderating sea.
Some to the MallOry.
New York, Jan. 2.-Wounded SOL
diers were being transferred this after
noon from the transport ship Northern
transport Mallory.
The sea subsidized sufficiently to per-
nit the starting Of this operation. ac-
cording to a wireless message received
at the Port of Embarkation, Hoboken,
n. J.
The Mallory was scheduled to dock
in Hoboken this afternoon.
To Ships and Shore.
Announcement that both the wound
ed and well soldiers aboard the strand
ed transport Northern Pacific were
being transferred both to rescuing YES
sells and the shore in small boats was
made at 1890 o'clock today by Briga-
dier General McManus of the Port Of
Embarkation at Hoboken. =
Coast Guards Landed Some.
Fire Island. Jan. 2.-Three officers
and one soldier. all wounded, were
landed just before noon today from
the transport Northern Pacific. strand
ed off here. They came ashore in q
oast guard boat.
Four more nfeboats filled with SOL
diers arrived from the Northern
Pacific soon after, while four other
boats, all belonging to the transport,
the ship for the outlying rescue YES
sells.
As soon as they were landed the SOL
diers were taken Immediately across
the narrow island to the flotilla Of
small boats awaiting to carry them
across Great South Bay to Bay Shore.
seven miles away.
Meantime the life boats and the
coast guard boat returned for more
troops The three wounded officers
declared that the stranded troops were
in the best of spirits. and making
merry over their predicament.
While the troops were being loaded
into the life boats bobbing along
side her great bulk the Northern
Pacific band was playing lively airs.
The First -Four.
In the first boat were Private Albert
Litchner, Buffalo, n. Y, Company G,
18th infantry; Lieutenants Joe A.
Logan. Milton, Pa. 111th infantry;
Robert ]. Thorp, Washington. Ind,
and Robert H. Wilson, Brooklyn, N.
Y. Litchner was the first to step
ashore.
Capt. Joseph Tutt1e of the coast
guard, brought these men ashore in
small boat. after a perilious trip
| thru the surf to the transport.
"A1l the boys are happy and feeling
fine" declared Litchner.
This was. the first word brought
directly from the vessel since the coast
guards boarded her Wednesday.
There was no panic or excitement
when the transport struck, he said.
I'VE were all asleep. When the
shock came. the boys thought they had
reached the DOCK
A Fine New Year.
The men crawled out of their berths
and were much interested when they
learned the ship was aground. Litch-
ner said. Then they spent New Year
efforts to rescue them. They were
gloomy at being delayed at the very
gates of home.
Were all happy aboard" said Lo-
gan. The band is playing. the men
, are dancing and we're having a gen.
eral good time"
The four men who first came ashore
(Confinned on Page Two.i