Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-12
7 TO Is ARE LOST
Continued from page |

ing II nUic III the DDttou1 oi tnt Ntseti'
died mt Hog Island at 10 o'clock last
night, after physicians bad worked over
him with pulmotor for six hours.
The steamer Thomas Clyde, with big
load of passengers on board, was hity
yards from the Eagle % when il went over
lifeboats were Immediately lowered. A
big tanker coming up the Delaware was
only twenty-five yards from the Eagle
boat when il capsized, but made no
attempt to turn or help in the rescue. the
survivors say. Two small fishing boats.
which had weathercd the ten-minute squali
put out to help. The steamship lnde-
pendence Hail. which was out on its trial
trip from Hog Island, hove to and assisted
in the rescue work.
Emergency calls to the navy yard
brought Subchaser-14 and the tug Muir
dock to the rescue and the |. ,. >. Owl
rushed from Cape May
The Eagle 25 went over in thirty-tye.
feet of water about 1000 yards north of
Pea Patch Island at point where the
river is nearly three miles wide at the bend
two miles south of New Castle and approx
mately l,500 yards from the light
which iuto out into the stream.
The rescued sailors were happy IN spite
Of their experience and anxious 10 tell
their stories. More than forty of the
men and some of the officers who were
picked up bv the Thomas Clyde were
brought to the navy yard at Philadelphia
at dusk by a naval tag. Their names
were taken on the dock and then all hands
were ordered to quarters for hot coffee
and rest
II was a ragged collection of men.
wearing only undershlrts, and most oi
these torn where they had been grabbed
bv shipmates during their struggle IN
in the water and blue denim trousers.
The officers look ed haggard and worn
Wonderful stories were told of their
hcroism and their attempts to save men
who were struggling for their lives.
Commander Pierce swan IN full uniform
In an attempt TO rescue three OF his men.
MORALE or MEN SPLENDID.
When the Eagle 25 capsized the morale
Of the men was fine. There was little
confusion and no disorder. Those who
were on deck were swept into the rlver
and those who were able "a swim splashed
their way back to the overturned vessel
and hung on until help came.
The efforts to rescue J. Brand, fire
man on the capsizcd Eagle. furnished one
of the most thrilling episodes in the catas-
trophe. 1t was accomplished by Hog
Island workers from the frelghter indie
pendencc Hall, which was on IFS tr1al
trip to St John AT the time.
When the independence Hall sighted
the overturned Eagle the Clyde men
already had taken OF all the sailors cling
ing to the sides and bottom and struggling
in the water Captain l.. II Porter.
marine superintendent Of Hog Island.
learned that one man was supposed 70
he still under the boat.
motorlaunch was dropped over the
side Of the frcightcr with a crew Of ten
men. armed with slcdgeS and cold cmsels,
III charge Of Chief Engineer Husband,
Although the wind was still high and the
bottom Of the Eagle afforded slippery,
perllous perch at best, the Hog Island
men clambcrcd up and started 70 work
cutting hole into the boat
After they had been at tins for some
time they heard a tapping from within,
which guided them 10 the right place.
| With the inadequate tools at their COM
mand il required nearly two hours to
make a hole through the bottom OF the
vessel
I.ong before that time the tapping had
ceased A man was lowered INTO the
Eagle and found Brand, unconscious
He vas taken aboard the Independence
Hall and / O. B0llinger, 2 tlrst AID man,
did ali in his power 70 revive hlm, but
Brand was still unconscious when ttog
Island was reached. There an ambulance
was waiting with q pulmotor. brand
died 81 10 O clock last night
The steamer Thomas Clyde was carry
ing a large group Of physicians, members
Of the Philadelphia Clinical Society, on
their annual outing Many witnessed the
drowning Of Robert Reilly as an attempt
vas made to rescue him. The physicians
also saw the tanker from Key West pass
The disaster without stopping 10 help.
II was expected that several survivors
would be aboard he Independence Hall,
hut onlv Brand was taken ashore on that
vessel.
SEARCH FOR MORE BODIES
Commander Pierce was ordered TO stay
at the wreck last night and took personal
charge of the attempt 70 rescue other men,
believed To be imprisoned IN the air cham-
bers az the vessel Three men who were
ii the FIRE room made an attempt 10
roach the safety chamber One was
Chief Electrician Meyers. DAVIS made
the air lock safely. according 20 one Of the
crew who saw the door slam as he was
making ms wav through a vcntliator
to safety. Brand, wfo died was gmprls-
ooed in an air pocket IN the engine room
and was able 10 breathe almost up 70 the
time he was lifted through me hole
cbiselled in The bottom Of the snip
Members Of the crew ali SAID last
night that the ship capslzed 50 quickly
they didn have time 20 think
Robert Geraway, OF Marlborough,
Mass. fireman. described II n regular
aob stvle 1t happened 50 quick
didn't know what in h struck us
Geraway was in the engine room when
/ 'the vessel capslzed, and swan out through
Ventilator. T r Monahan 27l2 North
/ hudson street was Philadelphia man who
F.. ESCAPED. Paul Davis, Of Springfield
/ Mass came 10 the surface IN the wake Of
/ Gcraway
/ Dan Manglse one Of the electricians
was taking the regular hourly reading of
+ the generators
! Gee" be said later, - felt like liner
/ hit U.s. Something threw me up against
/ Fhe battery box, and started 10 take 3
look out the hatch. and the tub was 40
/ degrees over Everybody vas getting
olt Myers and Davis were making for
! the air lock / tried to get out of the
4 hatch and fell IN the feed water tank and
grabbed the pump, and the last thing
I / know | Was shooting out a venillat0r.
Then came to on the Clyde Gimme d
cigarette, will you2
That was the end Of his story
DIVE UNDER WATER 10 SAFETY
With oil the matches under water some
4 ,F 4bo mon 6nya foWn IN safety s,raro