The sun., 1919-01-04

Only 200 Of the 2,459 soldiers aboard
the Northern Pacific when that am
bilious transport tried to climb Fire
Island and stopped in the sand on
Wednesday morning were left on the
vessel when darkness ended the second
day Of rescue work last night.
e These 200, except for few officers,
one of whom, Col. Merritt ii. Smith
of New York. swore he would be the
last man ashore are all SO seriously
wounded or so i'll that their transfer
must be effected with special skill and
tenderness. Army and navy men be-
lteved that If the weather is no worse
than It was yesterday the operation
could hc completed by noon to-day
Hope Of getting the remaining soldiers
off this morning was apparently spoiled
at 80 o'clock last night. when q driv-
ing snowstorm from the northeast set
in. Coast Guard men said that if the
storm continued no boat could get near
the transport to-day.
As the sn. W thickened. the lights Of
the rescue fleet at sea beyond the North
EN- Pacific were obscured from shore.
Even the great Fire Island light. visible
Sor nineteen miles on clear night. could
not be seen from watch stations mile
away.
secs ship In No Dange-.
Before the snowstorm started last
night, Capt J. d. Meade. coast guard
Office on the staff of Rear Admiral
ln I'D -af
District said the Northern Pacific was
in no danger. She was taking in little
water he said. and unless a severe mid
winter storm set in would stand the
pounding ot the seas until n wrecking
Company. whose tugs are standing by,
could free her,
He said this work would be started as
soon as the ship was cleared Of .passen-
GER Aside from what fuel oil ia left,
tle transport has only a light cargo,
mostly baggage and malls. Col. +. G..
Perrc. in charge of the medical opera
tons, said the ship would easily stand at
lea<, another weeks battering.
Tho rick men who are still aboard are
naturally nervous because of the con-
slant nolso OF the lashing seas and their
three days strain. 4 calm sea is needed
ior their transfer. however.
Some Of these men have their legs or
arms strapped in curative positions ard
any rough handling In their removal
would impede their recovery as well az
bo very painful.
Tho 500 members of the crew will stay
or their ship Indefinitely, The chances
% futtlng and saving her are looking up.
Tho soldiers were taken of yesterday
eight times faster than on Thursday.
This vas because the Government re-
vcrted to It's original programme OF run
rlng boats alongside and ferrying the
passengers to the fleet OF waiting ves-
st!s instead Of utilizing the much slower
and more agonizing breeches buoy and
h'eholt to span the surf between the
tarsrort and the Fire Island beach.
Lowered I'm SpIint stretchers.
Submarine chssers, power launches
and whaleboatS stole around the stern of
the stranded steamship and in the quieter
Na'ors Of the inshore side received the
soldiers, who were lowered in splint
s'rot"hcrs, or II they were able, piled
down rope ladders or the accommodation
coWpaulonway, Then they backed out
ITO the surf and scurried to the larger
craft dcstroyers. hospital ships and
Others that were spread like great
faI south Of the Northern Pacific half
mile from shore.
A. 10 o'clock last night eight ship
''ads Of men thus retrieved had been
landed ~ ITohoken and made comfort
sa." ln hospitals or debarkation stations,
ana the hospital ship Solace was on her
way 10 Staten Island to deliver a group
- wounded soldiers at the army nos
Ifnl there.
"carly every one of the boats that
sa'cHtured to the side of the transport
t'9k i'7 life In its hands. Great waves
sp!ashed over them and drenched SOL
ditrs and crew--all except the sick or
wounded, who were carried into the
cabins ~ the submarine chasers and
feHt dry and warm. No boat was
r'-'2cd there was no accident OF any
.H-1
i." Eobs and their officers put through
rs rn'lrCsoma' an undertaking as the
co"ii"t.ed es- Fousss rsSs