Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-13
HAD THRILLING COMBAT
WITH RAGING SEAS
Young Sailor at Seaford Describes
Almost Miraculous Escape OF .
Shipnate.

sv,sx.,., r,ornespondcuce Of Every Evening
Seaford. March l3.-An extraordinary
story of the sea was brought TO Seaford,
hv Harry ". Sauerhotf. son of MIR. and
Nr n ] Snuerhff. Of this town. Young
Sanerhoff ia An assistant engineer OF the
American steamer Bloomington which
sa;lesl from Norfolk, Va, last September
and has been trading in foreign waters
ever since. Saucrhoff arrived in New York
this week on the steamer Baltic and
came to his home here Thursday night.
Mr.. Sauerhoff said while the Blooming
ton.under Captain Senior, laden with phos-
phate, was on her way from Sfax, Tunis to
Plymouth, Eng, the vessel encountered
terrific storms. Four of her crew persisted
during the voyage, and the chief officer,
j. +. Weldon, had most remarkable
escape. For six hours he kept himself
afoat in the Mediterranean Sea during
the terrific storm after the vessel, which
he had attempted to save, had foundered.
II was on the Sd Of January last, Mr..
Sauerhoff said, in latitude 81 .O6, North,
longitude OBS east, that the Blomming-
ton sighted derelict vessel. She was
flying signals of distress, and fierce
storm was raging. Volunteers were called
for and boat was sent away, manned by
Weldon and the four men already named.
.AifsT "A Slttit Stukktt Will tttc tSo$, ait'
boat reached the side of the schooner
"a Spanish vesseD the Manuel Vampa,
of Barcelona.
There WIRE signs that she had been
h,,rriedly deserted by her crew, who had
left behind on the decks large quantity
of copper coins. They were scattered
along tho deck, also in rolls OF paper,
pans and vessels of every description.
Her cargo was worth $3.50 900. Seas were
breaking aboard and were making their
way down through the companionwHy,
After n thorough examination of Manuel
vampa, the chief officer, and his crew
returned to the Bloomington, where they
described the circumstances to the cap |
tain of the steamer.
Captain Senior decided to attempt 10 |
save the Spanish vessel. Volunteers were |
invited and once more MIR. Weldon, |
accompanied by the same four men. made |
another passage to the schooner. Tackle |
was rivged. and communication was subee- |
ouently established with the Bloomington, |
which commenced to tow the Manuel |
Nampa. II was found she was lacking to |
the extent Of about two inches an hour. |
Soon after she had started the weather |
increased in violence. and about O'Clock |
on the morning of the 4th the seams of |
the schooner opened, and she began TO |
leak at sn alarming rate-so much so |
that the mate and his men were compelled |
TO take immediate steps to save their |
lives. Chief Officer Weldon quickly made |
,ip his mind that the only chance of safety |
for his men and himself was To sever the
towrope that connected the schooner with /
the steamer, which he did with a razor.
Once the hawser was parted. the strain
on the Manuel Nampa was relieved to a
great extent To apprise the Bloomington
of what had happened. the mate had
recourse ia an electric flash-lamp
Suddenly. without warning, the little
schooner listed over, was driven in her
beam-ends, and then plunged beneath the
waves. Mr.. Weldon and his companions
were thrown into the sea. Four of them
drowned but Weldon, in striking out to
swim, fortunately grasped piece of a
Iatfen. four inches wide and about seven
feet long. This he placed between his legs
and while holding ON tc this wreckage, he
came in contact with short portion Of
what had been rope-ladder. Through
this he placed his" arms and hung on
grirnly to the plank. When the dawn
broke he was alone on the wild waste OF
waters. There was no sign OF the Bloom
ington. The storm was as furious as ever.
The Bloomington, when she falied TO
discover the h3nuel kainpt, ftttstctu
her course, and after steaming back a
distance of about ten miles in search of
her large quantity Of wreekage was
sighted. This Convinced Captain Senior
that disaster had happened, and for
three hours he searched the neighborhood,
looking for his lost men Suddenly an oar
WAS seen to rise from the surface, only to
all back in a moment into the water. The
hurried TO the scene, and
here discovered Weldon in 8 state
bordering on collapsc. He was rescued
after much difficulty and revived after
rettine on board. Engineer Sauerhoff
yilI remain home for o month visit with
MS parents. after which he will reioin his
,hipmates on the Bloomington