Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1902 — HARD BATTLE WITH A GALE [ARTICLE]

HARD BATTLE WITH A GALE

Chatham, Mass., Life-Savers Rescue the Endicott and Her Crew. EXCITING FIGHT FOR LIFE. Bailors on the Coal Schooner Suffer Intensely During a Day and a Half - in a Northwest Blissard Off Cape Cod. Chatham, Mass., dispatch: The crew of the Chatham Life-saving Station returned at noon after a day and a hah of exposure in assisting the crpw oi the schooner Emma D. Endicott, Cap tain Rogers, bound from New York foi Portland with a cargo of coal. Cap tain Rogers said he left New York Sunday night, and everything was all well until Tuesday night, when he struck the northwest blizzard ten miles north of Cape Cod. The boom was loosened and let down onto the long boat so that the mizzen mast also worked loose from its socket and threatened to carry away all the masts by the board. The vessel was being headed about and worked back off Chatham. The sailors suffered greatly from the intense cold. They were kept constantly at the pumps as the vessel was leaking. When the life-savers reached the Endicott one pump had given out and the vessel was almost sinking. Kaaoae Was Perilous. Captain Eldridge of the life-saving crew said on bis return: “Nobody ashore can form any idea of the condition of the elements when we rounded under the stern of the schooner and attempted to board her.

The seas were running so wildly that it became necessary to jump for her rail one at a time and be pulled aboard, almost as if we were rescued rather than rescuers. The vessel was in a deplorable condition. The injured, frozen and worn-out men presented such a pitiable appearance that we forgot all about our own tussle with the storm. When we arrived on board the pump became choked and useless, but we soon gained on the water with the other two. because the vessel did not strain so badly wbeu we anchored. “I signaled the tug Lackawanna to come alongside, which she did, but the captain said it was impossible for him to do anything toward saving property in such a gale. He would take off the men from any distressed vessel and do anything in his power to save life, but in such a raging hurricane it was useless to attempt to tow in vessels. He had lost his own anchor and chain, and had all he could do to take care of himself and his barges. He said he would lay by us and be ready to respond to any signal to save lives.

Many Call* for Help. “The tug Dudley Pray came alongside and her captain said substantially the same thing- Those tugs were kept busy too, for within another hour there were In the vicinity four other vessels with signals flying for assisr tance. "We remained on the schooner all night, and when the wfhd moderated this morning offered to help get her under way. In her dilapidated condition, however, the crew refused to start in her unless we would go with them to Boston or Portland. They begged to remain, and I finally con-

eluded to start with them, but with the understanding that they should take assistance from the first towboat whose services could be secured. "The tug Buccaneer came from Boston, and after assisting the disabled Lackawanna until noon, came to us and agreed to tow the Endicott to Portland for S3OO, after first towing us under the .beach. Captain Rogers and his crew were much gratified, as the vessel was really in no condition to go to sea. and I hesitated before deciding to venture the lives of my crew around the cape in her.”