The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-02-08

the southWard along the sur1.
Twenty-Five Men Struggling
For Life
The scene at this time was APP
palling. Twenty-nine men were
struggling for life in the storm
dashed icy waters and the people
on shore unable to do aught for
their deliverance. Those with life
preservers on had no difficulty in
keeping afloat, and quite number
succeeded in gaining the bottom
of the drifting boat. A few man.
aged to reach the long-boat;
others were carried seward be-
yond the breakers and quickly
drowned. A like fate ere long befell
those who had chung to the ships
boat, as they one by one succumb-
ed to the intense cold and were
washed off.
With the temperature below the
freezing point the struggle for
life was an unequal one for the
strongest, and before many min
utes had elapsed more than half
the men had disappeared. A few
of the Germans, the two Belanga
brothers, and one of the other life
saving crew maintained their posi-
lions upon the drifting boat until
it was nearly half a mile from the
ship and well inside the heaviest
line of breakers when they also
began dropping off from exposure
and exhaustion, some to sink out
of sight, the others with what
little strength they had left feebly
striking out for the shore. Surf
man Tedford, one of the survivors,
says that he chung to the boat as
long as possible, when feeling that
he must soon perish, he loosened
his grip and swan for the beach.
1t will be wondered what the
party on shore were doing while
this was happening. 1t was not
much, it is true, but they appear
to have done their best under the
circum st n S. Unfortunately,
there was no other boat on hand;
but no such accident as this had
been anticipated. Barco and his
men were standing in readiness to
aid the surf-boat in landing it's
first load when they were horri-
fled at beholding the two boats
capsize.
In the excitement of the moment
three of the party were dispatched
in Belanga's cart to the Dam Neck
Mills Station for the boat of that
station. There could have been
little hope of bringing it so great
a distance in time to be of any
service. There was, however, the
bare possibility of doing so, and
that seems to have justified the
course taken. This left but six
men, five of them members of the
service, and Oglesby, the miller.
Under Barco's direction they fol-
lowed down the shore, anxiously
watching the people in the water,
but powerless to render aid. They
had thus gone nearly a mile to the
south before any of the unfor-
tunates were within reach. The
first was John T. Etheridge, of
the Little Island station. He was
probably the youngest man in
either of the boats. AS soon as he
came near enough some of the
party joined hands, and wading
out waist deep grasped him and
dragged him ashore.
This Man Fell Dead
Surfman Land was the. second
to approach, but before they could
reach him he was seen to relax his
efforts; his head fell forward upon
his breast, and when drawn from
the water he was quite dead. Surf
man Tedford was the next man
landed. He was unable to speak
although conscious and having
the use of his limbs. His life-belt
was removed, and with men rub
bling his limbs he was supported
in walking a short distance to
quicken circulation, until he gave
those assisting to understand by
signs that he could reach the sta
ton without further help. He got
to within few yards of the house
and there fell prone upon the snow
from exhaustion. Fortunately, his
wife, who lived near the station,
was on her way to the shore, hav-
ing just learned of the dreadful
accident. Her coming at that mo-
ment seems providential.
Seeing her husband fall, she
FASTENED to his assistance, and
with the helm of another woman,
carried him indoors to the station
fire, where he soon revived. After
leaving Tedfo@d. Keeper Barco
turned his attention to Etheridge.
Two of the party were endeavoring
to bring him to, but it seemed
hopeless case; he was unconscious
and appeared to be dying. The
medicine-chest was at hand, but