New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-03
Lifeboats Capsized Three
Times onPerilous Trips
TO the Northern Pacific
1874 Still Aboard:
Coast Guard Hurt
Indiana Lieutenant W AIDES
Ashore Ahead of Men;
Red Cross Feeds Troops
StaG Correspondence

BAYSHORE. n. Y. Jan. 2.-Hour af-
ter hour to-day in a dismal, chilling
rain, the men of the three United
States Coast Guard stations on Fire
Island fought their way in frail-
through two hundred yards of dirty
foaming waves between the beach and
the stranded L. s. s Northern Pacific
When darkness postponed this heroic
game. 134 soldiers and seventeen
nurses were safely ashore. Red lights
faring through the black night mist
from the beach sand revealed, how
ever that many men lined the deck
rails and evei.x porthole framed sol
dier's face The official count shows
2s74 persons still aboard the craft.
Naval officers and native fishermen
seem agreed that only great skill can
save the vessel. but all are firm in
he belief that the precious cargo will
be taken off safely. An offsea wind
was freshenng ominously when night
fall came. Every wave pounded the
Northern Pacific like mighty ham
ner.
Lifeboat Capsized Three Times
Tine after, time during the after
noon the lifesavers. only half clad,
rowed their surf boat out under the
towering. 1nottled hulk Of the trans
port. Three times in that period the
lfeboat was capszed and was hauled
upon the beach by other coast guards
men straining on stout line made
fast to the dripping stern Of the tiny
boat. The men sent tumbling into the
breaking surf were caught by hardy
men who waded in after them, trusting
their own lives 70 strong limbs and
ropes tied about their waists.
One coasl guard thus hauled out lay
limp On the beach in spite OF prompt
first aid BY army doctors and nurses
and finally was taken to the navy hos
pital on the grounds Of the naval air
station at Bayshore seven miles away.
This man was Joseph Carter, and
MS condition was said tonight to be
serious, due to exposure and hard
blow on the head where he was struck
hy the gunwale of the surf boat as it
vas Topped over by the combined
stress of big wave and rope fouled
under The tossing keel.
Many Other Ships Nearby
Dawn, or what an army order fixed
dawn" found motor launches car
RING Coloae1 ". s. Valentine, repre-
senting Major General McManus, the
aebarkation officer at the Port of New
York, and Lieutenant Colonel Peirce,
IN charge Of the medical officers here,
cnugging across Great South Bay from
Bay Shore to Fire Island Crossing the
narrow strip OF sand that is Fire
Island and through the scattered
group OF half ruined frame cottages
mat Is Lonelyville, they came in view
OF me Northern Pacific, her starboard
side oroadside to the beach. with her
no" sun pointing due northwest at
Fire Island Light, two miles awav
Forming Jagged line half mile of
the beach were close to twen4v- eve
other vessels, navy tugs, deatrovers
the hospital ship .Solacc, the n.
Mallory and the L. S. cruiser Co.
lumbia.
Through the early morning hours
the officers directed preparations for
the care of the rescued. Barge load
after barge load Of blankets, fuel, food
and wire stretchcrs for the removal
Of the strctcher cases in the sick ba,
Of the Northern Pacific were brought
across from Bay Shore and placed in
the summer cottages, in which fires
were being built and beds prepared,
Red Cross Women Prepare Food
SIN the beach Red Cross women from
Babylon we're unpaeking sandwiches
ard big cans Of steaming coffee, under
ne eyes Of Mrs. A. G. Olney, assist
ant director Of military relief Of the
atlantic Division Of the Red Cross,
and Miss Edith Churchill, assistant
2 ss'o Director Of medical relief Both
re stationed at Hoboken.
y was not until after s;30 O'Clock.