The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-03
RESCU|NG 0F MEN 1. FROM GROUNDED VESSEL IS HALTED
Coast Guards Had Removed 17 Navy Nurses and 234 Men From Northern
 Pacific by Nightfall

New York. January :.-BattIing
 today against an angry sea, which s capsized three of their boats,
 coast guards from many stations.
 aided by crews from nearly 20
 naval craft. had by nightfaiI taken
 safely to shore IF navy nurses
 and 237 of the 24SO homeward-
 bound soldiers on the United States
 transport Northern Pacific. hard
 aground for two days on a sand
 bar near Fire Island light.
 When many barrels of oil spread on the waves had failed to make the water surrounding the vessel measura bly calner the rescue work was halted until morning. Remaining aboard the Northern Pa cific are most of the sick and wounded. Naval officers deemed 1t too hazardous to attempt to remove the "stretcher cases"
 VESSEL IN NO7DANGER
 The vessel Is in no danger. accord ing to wireless message from her commander, Captain Connolly. received tonight by the Associated Press.
 Northern Pacific resting easily: weather conditions favoring," read Cap- tain Connelly's message. 'Disembarked d 2S7 army passengers, some of these ambulance cases and also r navy nurses, using life guard boat and brooches buoy. Have requested services of more lifeboats for tomorrow. Ship in no danger. Expect to disembark many more troops tomorrow Salvage operators will make attempt to float ship high tide tomorrow"
 Another message received tonight by Vice Admiral Gleaves at embarka : tion headquarters in Hoboken stated that the Northern Pacific had enough boats of all classes to land passengers if the sea calms down, which the mes sa ge predicted would happen tomorrow. Lifesavers stopped work at 5:30 p. m
 TO RENEW RESCUE WORK
 At daybreak, however, it is planned to renew the work of rescue in earnest. Lfesaving crews from Sandy Hook and Rockaway are planning to leave at midnight in their power boats to be on hand at dawn. With the aid of the squadron of cruisers, destroyers. and naval tugs now guarding the stranded vessel it is planned to transfer the wounded to the hospital ship Solace and take them direct to Hoboken.
 Continuous rain, fog and heavy pounding by the waves have failed to lower the spirits of those aboard the transport, which is now listing hard to port. The ships band played live ly airs while the work of rescues was being carried on and tonight the men were clamoring for another entertain ment, such as was staged last evening aboard the ship, when Private Edward Schallansberger of Altoona, Pa. at tached to the Eighth trench mortar battery, was wildly applauded as ht led quartet in singing Rocked in th< Cradle of the Deep" As one soldier ex- pressed it. "It takes more than a few sad sea waves to shake the nerve o those who saw the real show over fr France"
 1 Debarkation was begun shortly afteI noon, when an attempt earlier in tho day to drag the Northern Pacific iron her bed of sand had failed. During tht debarkation process launch from thu 1 cruiser Columbia was dashed to piece: 1 against the stern of the transport an( /, the surf boat used to transfer men iron | the steamer to the shore was twice cap sized. Soldiers, sailors and coast guards Continued on Page Two)