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MG 1 VOL 2124 number 212a

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
CHRONICLE BUILDING

HALIFAX, N.S.

and moored, head and tail, by wire hawsers and ordinary cables. two hands from the Weatherspoon volunteered to go on board the Picton. Ormiston says they were promised money and that Captain Harrison told him it was "a salvage job." The men were John Benoit, Cook and Robert Edwards, deck-hand. Neither of these men ever got a cent. It was about twelve o'clock when these three men got on board. the Picton had no steam up, and consequently could not get her anchor up. After severing the hawsers, with a dull axe, the anchor chain was paid out and the Weatherspoon tugged her until she was out of danger then a second anchor was let go. The Picton was thus riding by two anchors. The Weatherspoon kept a strain on the line to assist in getting the Picton into the stream, she also towed off the Midland Castle and Mackey in the stream, The crew did not get ashore till [sic] dark.

Told the story of a Newfoundlander, a deck-hand on board the Stella Maris. He was in the act of heaving a line from her stern on board the Mont Blanc, when the explosion occurred. He was thrown into the water - his right arm was broken as well as his left thigh, the bone coming through at the hip.
He was picked up by someone in a row-boat and brought ashore. When they were trying to cut his clothes off him, he took out his jack knife and assisted.