New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
rs Helpless
On ; Bargcs
Driven to Sea
Three Navy Tugs Chase Mad
ly After Them Through
Blizzard and All Are
Brought Safely to Port

Three big navy tugs the Wyossing,
Aurora and Seabright hurricdly
slipped their moorings just before
noon yesterday and went charging out
10 sea through the storm, fun speed
ahead
The wireless ut the Brooklyn Navy
Yard had picked up call from the
Sandy Hook lightshp. Over miles of
wind-torn water came the sputter Of
the electric spark:
Five bargcs with men, women and
children aboard passed here driving
out to sea. Hurry
The tugs hurried, for a ninety mile
wind on which a blizzard was riding
was pushing five chalk laden barges
with five men, five women and fifteen
children further away from land and
hope of rescue each moment
All Safe in Port
Late last evening they returned, buff
feted and battered by the tremendous
seas. Only four of the barges came
back with them. The Atlantic had
overwhelmed the fifth, but the five
men, the five women and the fifteen
children were safe, thanks to the
courage and seamanship Of Lieutenant
Harry Denyse, who commanded the
rescuing tugs.
The wind that had been freshening
all night became a gale at dawn ycster-
day. Three Pennsylvania barges, one
New York Central and one Jersey Cen
tral, bad tuggcd at their anchors all
night long off Staplcton, Staten Island.
AT yesterday morning the wind tore
them loose and. aided by the waves and
tide, began to drive them out to sea.
BY the time the barge captains and
their families learned what had oc-
Cured the swirlng snow clouds had
cut them off from land. The blast of
the wind swept away the feeble voices
Of their horns and bells.
Land Fades Away
Down through the Narrows the
parges swept as though riding mill
race and then land dropped away en-
urely, and they were driving out on to
the Atlantic on thc shoulders of the
worst storm of the year.
There was nothing that they could
do except fly pitiful signals Of distress
that tho snow made invisible at hun
dred yards. The bargcs, heavily linden.
i"rched and wallowed through the
great waves, and bcgon to take in
water Twcnty-four hours n, mos,
would be their life in such weather.
And thcn something that the barge.
men and their wives and chi1dron
swear WAS not just chance drove ouo
OF tho FIVE close to the lIphtship that
stands sentinel In all weather nj the
barbor's gates.
Men Of the IighsshIp snw dn,t
clumsy shape 10 stagpcrjnps raa h.,f
buried in fonm, and cnught the words
thnt set the wireoss operator hammer.
Ing franticalIy on his key.
Thin Shout Ii Heard
When they reached the open sen. the
powerful tugs had rough weather of
IL, for the waves were growing Inreey
almost momentarily and the search for
the bargcs in The middle Of tho blind.
ing snowstorm called for much turning
and twisting aunrterlng the miles of
henvinR sen like hunting doge.
~ last, to the believing of thar
SIRENS, there came n thin shout In AN
aver, and -four of the barges Ioomed
out Of the seorm, Tplintercd and leak.
ing. but still riding The waves. 10
these the Wyosslng and Scabri4ht
paused lines and headed back for The
hsrbor. and the Aurorn wsnt on alone
@--4-A~Fff la....
Continued on pngc ci0ht