The coastland times., 1953-08-28

was thrown into the sea, the
long-boat remained attached by
its painter to the ship while the
surf-boat drifted away, bottom
up, to the southwark along the
surf.
Twenty Nine Men Struggling
For Life
The scene at this time was
appalling. Twenty-Five e mer
were struggling for life in the
storm-lashed icy waters and the
people on shore unable to dc
aught for their deliverance
Those with life-preservers on had
no difficulty in keeping afloat
and quite number succeeded ir
gaining the bottom of the drift
| ing boat. A few managed to reach
the long-boat; others were
carried seaward beyond the
breakers and quickly drowned,
A like fate ere long befell those
who had clung to the ships boat,
as they one by one succumbed
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
minutes 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 maintain
ed their positions upon the drift
ing boat until it was nearly half
mile from the ship and well
inside the heaviest line of break
ers when they also began drop
ping off from exposure and ex-
haustion, 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 surviv-
ors, says that he clung 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. It was not
much, it is true, but they appear
to have done their best under
the circumstances. 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
its first load when they were
Mortified at beholding the two
boats capsize.
In the excitement of the NOM
ent three of the party were dis
patched in Belanga's cart to the
Dam Neck Mills Station for the
boat of that station. There could
have been little hope of bring
ing 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 Og-
lesby, the miller. Under Barco's
direction they followed down the
shore, anxiously watching the
people in the water, but power
less to render aid. They had thus
gone nearly mile to the south
before any of the unfortunates
were within reach. The first was
John T. Ethridge, 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
Shrfman 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. Surfman Tedford'
was the next man landed. He was
unable to speak although con-
scious and having the use of his
limbs. His life-belt was removed,
and with men rubbing his limbs
he was supported in walking
short distance to quicken cir
N