Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1887 — OCEAN DISASTERS. [ARTICLE]

OCEAN DISASTERS.

The Ship Elizabeth Founders in a Storm Off the Coast of Virginia. Hot One of Her Grew of Twenty-five Men Left to Tel the Story of the Wreck. iNorfo’k (Va.) dispatch.] One of the most disastrous shipwrecks which ever occurred ou the Virginia coast happened Saturday morning, near ihe Little Island Life-saving Station, fourteen miles south of Cape Henry. Not less than twenty, und possibly more, lives were lost, among them five life-saving men, who, in the diseba-ge of their duly, were drowned. The morning was bitterly cold, and a blinding snowstorm prevailed, with (he wind blowing a gale from the northeast. During & lull in the storm, tho life-saving patrol from Little Island Life-saving Station sig ted a large ship stranded ou the bar about GOO yards from the shore. W i.en he saw the ve-sel he was going to meet t e patrol from Dam Neck station, aud exchange checks showing that both patrolm n had been to the end of their heat. The Dam Neck patrol was only a few yards distant when the vessel was sighted, aud both tired rockets to notify the crew of the stranded ship that she lad been seen. They hurried bacit to their rjspective stations and gave the alarm. In a little while the crews with life bouts ai d apparatus were abreast of the wreck, and the boom of a mortar announced that a line had been shot out to tho ill-fated vessel. This was unsuccess-" ful, and a second was fired with like result. After firing six unsuccessful shots, the lifesaving men determined to brave the furious sea and the death which seemed certain to await their venture. The word of command being given by Captain Belanza, of LifeSaving Station No. 4, known as Little Island, six of the most expert boatmen manned each boat. At Lis command the men gave way with a will and in a moment both brats were br< asting the furious waves. They reached the ship in safety, and four of the ship’s crew were taken in a life-boat and ten in a ship’s boat, which was launched for tho purpose. The boats were headed ior shore and not a word was spoken, for each man realized the awful peril which surrounded them. With a steady pull the two boats were making good headway for shore wi en a wave of great power struck both boats, capsizing them instantly and pitching therr twentytwo occupants into tho boiling sea. Then began a desperate struggle for life, and with many or the men it was a prolonged one. The horriti- d life-savers on tho beach were poweiless to assist their drowning comrades or the unfortunate strangers. The drowning men were carried southward by tho seas, and some of them were washed ashore. As they came within reach they wore picked up, an 1 endeavors were mado to revive them, and in two instances with success, although one of the two is badly injured. The vessel is the German ship Elizabeth, Captain Halberstadt, from Hamburg to Baltimore, and not one of her < rew survives her wreck.