Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-10
RESCUED

tContinued from page one.)
Point at the entrance OF the harbor
today and at low tide was held fast
in fifteen feet of water with the
possibility that she might break Gp
If she did not get off on the hex
tide.
All of the passengers were res
cued. being debarGed safely in ten
dets despite rough water around the
stranded liner. A British destroyer
co-operated IN the work and aided tn
bringing the passengers TO safety.
The grounding Of the great ship
took place in miserable weather con
ditions with a cold rain and biting
wind adding TO the discomfort Of the
removal Of the passengers through
the harbOr TO the Cobb docks.
Hole in Engine Room
White Star officials this afternoon
said the Celtic was in no immediate
danger. There was a heavy ground
swell and a light southeasterly wind
blowing.
The liner stove q hole directly un-
der her engine room when she ran on
the rocks.
Rounding Southeastern Island in !
A1HwH NA& q AAA4G " &VAh a
Dor and Cobb, her first port since
she touched at Boston after leaving
New York on the first Of the month.
The pilot could not be taken aboard
because Of weather conditions and
the liner made for the harbor en-
trance which requires the utmost
skill 10 novigate even under normal
conditions. particularly for a n 900
ton ship like the Celtic.
Instead or clearing the entrance.
the liner moved at a very slow speed.
thus probablye averting disaster. ana
rammed a ledge known as Cow and
Calf Rocks almost diectly under the
famous Roches Point lighthouse.
Need Good Weather
Talking over the telephone to the
Associated Press, Johnstin. the
lighthouse keeper, gave a graphic
description of the disaster.
1T was a melancholy sight to sec
the great liner hard and fast on the
rocks as If she were held By n hun
dred anchors declared Johnston.
who knows every inch III the rugged
constline
"She ~ entirely On the rocks.
lying on a flat spur 300 yards from
Roches Point. Her head II due west
and she l. 80 firmly wedged that
there Is hardly a trace Of motion n
her hull.
The liner struck at high wates
and four hours afterward with the
tide recedlng. there was hardly more
n fifteen feet Of water around
her hull. Only for the fact that the
liner was going at slow speed there
would have been a terrible disaster.
Despite this she mas been lady dam
aged and II remains to be seen
whether she can be floated. | am
afraid II will be necessary 10 ietti-
son her cargo TO Tighten the shin "a
much As possible before this can be
achieved.
Fine weather j. essential To the
saving 81 the Celtic. III the sea Be-
comes bad ! don't think IL any ex-
aggeration 70 say that she will be-
come a total wreck. II all depends
on the weather.
As the tide reeeded. the Celtic was
lett high, helpless and almost dry in
10 feet Of water 800 yards from
RocheS Point and from the lighthouse
which shoots "A fixed beam from an
elevation OF feet above water with n
visibility of IS miles in ordinary
weather.
Roches Point is 4 life saving sta
ton and apparatus with Y party Of
life AYERS in charge was ready Tor
any
Only about 50 passengers were To
nave landed AZ Cobb. XII. W. Wilson
of Toronto was almost thrown out
NJ his berth nv the force of the inn
pact. There was no panic. nc said.
despite the pitch darSncss VI the
early morning and after the first
alarm everything was quiet and or
derby.
All the passengers were ordered 20
the decks and lie belts were dis
tributed. Twenty-eight boats were
prepared. but not lowered
Like many more. Wilson was only
partly dressed when he came ashore.