JANUARY 1914

ALL WERE SAVED FROM WRECKED SHIP

S. S. COBEQUID A TOTAL WRECK ON TRINITY LEDGES, ST. MARY'S BAY

PASSENGERS AND CREW TAKEN OFF BY STEAMERS WESTPORT AND JOHN L. CANN AFTER TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE - - - WIRELESS APPARATUS PUT OUT OF COMMISSION WHEN SHIP STRUCK AND STERN LATER BROKE OFF - - - FIRST OFFICER TAKING SOUNDINGS WHEN VESSEL CRASHED ON DANGEROUS ROCKS IN WILD STORM.

A special dispatch to the Courier Tuesday morning announced that a wireless had been received at Partridge Island from the S. S. Cobequid from West Indies via Bermuda for Halifax via St. John, stating that the vessel was on a ledge near Brier Island, that her engine room was fast filling with water and that assistance was urgently needed to take off the passengers and crew. The wireless messages then ceased. The Courier at once got in communication by telephone with the signal agent and others at Westport. Steamer John L. Cann cruised around Brier Island and fishermen patrolled the shores, but no tidings of the wreck could be learned. Some thought she was on Murr Ledges near Grand Manan, others on Northwest Ledge near Brier Island.

Government steamer Lansdowne and tug Helena left St. John for Brier Island; government steamer Lady Laurier, fitted with wireless, left Halifax; all in search of the wreck.

Digby's Western Union Telegraph office was kept open all Tuesday night, but nothing was heard or seen from the wreck until Wednsday morning when a small quantity of wreckage came ashore on Yarmouth Bar.

During all these hours there was a high sea running in the bay with wind from north east to north west, thick vapor and temperature frequently below and sometimes a trifle above zero.

Master mariners familiar with the coast, when interviewed appeared to agree that the Cobequid with her 102 souls on board had struck a ledge, backed off and foundered in the bay with all on board.

It was Dr. T. H. McDonald, at Meteghan, who telephoned to Digby that Dr. Walsh, of Port Maitland, could see a wreck on Trinity Ledge when the vapor cleared Wednesday afternoon. Word was at once sent to Brier Island and the steamers Lansdowne, Westport and John L. Cann, proceeded at once to the scene of the disaster. The Marine and Fisheries department also sent a wireless to the steamer Lady Laurier, which was in the Bay of Fundy, to proceed to Trinity Ledge. These hidden rocks which have more than once caused loss of life and property are situated at the mouth of St. Mary's Bay, six miles from Port Maitland and six miles from Black Point, the nearest land.

It was now anxious moments to learn if their were life on board the Cobequid. Dr. Walsh reported that after sunset he could see lights on the wreck and that they were sending up rockets. He further reported additional vessels' lights. We then knew that assistance had arrived. The next good news was a message from Yarmouth at 8:35, which announced that the steamer Westport had arrived at that port with 72 people, including 7 ladies, the purser, second and third officers, marine superintendent, chief and second and third engineers. We learned later that the John L. Cann had arrived with 18 more and that Capt. Howson and 11 of his crew were still on the stranded ship. Thus the 102 souls were all accounted for.

Purser R. Houghton and 42 colored Barbadians, who consisted of sailors, stokers and firemen, passed through Digby yesterday via D. A. R. express for Halifax.

Interviewed by the Courier Mr. Houghton said that they had gone through a terrible experience. He said the ship struck Trinity Ledge about 6:00 Tuesday morning and that they put in a terrible day and night until rescued.

In less than 10 minutes after the Cobequid struck on Trinity Ledges, the engine room was full of water and fires quenched, and from that on there were no fires or lights on the steamer. The interruption of the wireless communication was due to a break in the aerials. Although an attempt was made to replace one of them, they became so iced up that it was found impossible to operate the service. That all are safe seems a miracle. It was a narrow escape from death in a storm tossed sea.

NARROW ESCAPE

There was one very narrow escape from drowning when the John L. Cann was taking on these 22 men, that was when the fourth engineer was knocked overboard from the life boat and went under. However he came to the surface again and the captain sung out, "grab him boys". He swam to the boat and was hauled in and soon transferred to the John L. Cann. All the life boats from the Cobequid were smashed in the transfer from them to the rescue ships, and were therefore, allowed to go adrift as being useless. Capt. Adelbert MacKinnon said he went back to the Lansdowne twice to make sure that Capt. Dalton understood his message to remain all night.

FAR OFF HER COURSE

As to the reasons the ship was so far off her course none of the officers would make a statement. It was gathered, however, that she had stopped frequently while going up the bay, to take soundings or to find her position. A strong current and heavy wind drove her off her course. She must have passed up inside the Lurcher altho that lightship was not seen. The captain was on the bridge and the mate had gone aft to sound, when breakers were seen ahead. The captain at once seized the wheel and threw it hard down in an attempt to get clear, but too late. The vessel is now lying encased in ice to her mast heads.

The mate had just gone aft to cast the lead when breakers were sighted ahead, and just as he threw the lead, she struck. All that remains of the ship is but a broken hulk.

That her 102 souls which she had aboard are safe tonight seems to one who hears the story, but a miracle, when some idea is gained of the terrific seas and winds that have been running off that coast during the past 36 hours.

STORY OF THE WRECK

Halifax, N. S., January 14 - Few of the great fishing disasters of Nova Scotia will remain as memorable as that which had its culmination at 8:00 tonight, when the little steamer Westport, under command of Capt. MacKinnon entered Yarmouth harbor with the first of the rescued passengers and crew numbering 72 from the stranded Royal Mail Steamer Packet Liner Cobequid bound from Demerara via Bermuda to Saint John, and piled on the treacherous rocks of Trinity Ledges, on the Nova Scotia coast 20 miles west of Yarmouth, early Tuesday morning.

Closely following the first rescue ship came the tug John L. Cann with 24 of the ship's company, and remaining aboard ship, upholding the tradition of his race, was Capt. Howson with 11 of his crew, including the chief wireless operator.

Standing by the ship during the night and for the purpose of taking off at daybreak those who were remaining on board, was the Canadian government steamer Lansdowne, and the Lady Laurier was expected to arrive at the scene of the wreck tomorrow morning.

With the arrival of the Cobequid's passengers and crew, at Yarmouth ended one of the most remarkable chapters in the shipping industry of the North Atlantic.

For nearly 48 hours, in the midst of a howling blizzard enshrouded in vapor and snow squalls, 102 men and women huddled in a stranded ship 6 miles from land, with waves breaking over them, with the frosts of mid-winter encasing the ship's decks and rails with an unbreakable sheeting of ice, and with each comber, - as it smashed against the sides of the ship bringing the horror of their situation home to them fresh between the squalls.

COULD SEE LIGHTS ON SHORE

Out of the port holes from the steamer they could see the lights of comfortable happy homes on the coast, where brave men were more than willing to rescue the shipwrecked people, if only means could be devised to bring them on the land.

Two days and one night, the rescuers worked in a blind search for the ship, for at the critical moment, the wireless failed, and the stranded ship from 8:30 on Tuesday morning until the storm abated enough to enable people upon the shore to see the ship impaled upon the rocks, gave no sign of life; it was when rescuers and watchers had practically given up the last slender hope, that the good news flashed from Yarmouth of the rescue of the entire ship's company.

FOUND HER ON LEDGES

Despite the great odds against them, the boats sent to the aid of the stranded ship pressed on in their search. Just before noon Wednesday the storm abated, the squalls ceased and through the vapor on the Yarmouth coast could be seen the hull of a ship, piled up on Trinity Ledges, about 6 miles off the shore in the vicinity of Port Maitland.

Word to this effect was immediately wired to the agent of the Marine and Fisheries at Halifax. At the same time, the ship was described as being in a very serious condition with the waves breaking over her and that she was very much encased in ice. There was no sign of life on board the liner, and the general belief of all was that the entire ship's company was lost, either having perished in life boats, been washed off the ship, or frozen to death.

From the Marine and Fisheries office, at Halifax, orders were sent for all the rescuing boats to proceed to the actual scene of the wreck. The C. G. S. Lansdowne, then in Westport, Brier Island, left at 4:00 and the tug John L. Cann had preceded her.

From Yarmouth the steamer Westport sailed. At 4:20 p.m. this afternoon Capt. MacKinnon of the Westport sighted the Cobequid lying on the southwest part of Trinity Ledges, left to the mercy of the sea. At that time there was a high wind and rough sea, but despite these conditions the plucky skipper determined that no efforts would be spared to make a rescue of at least some of the passengers and crew from their perilous position.