George F. Phillips

Yesterday I shared an article about Capt. Zora Gaskins. It was dated February 18, 1910. Almost one month later this article appeared with the good news:

"Friday, March 17, 1910

"CAPT. Z.B. GASKINS ARRIVED IN NEW YORK - New York, March 14.

"Capt. Z.B. Gaskins and his crew of 5 men of the wrecked schooner George F. Phillips, arrived today from Hamburg, Germany on the Steamer Amerika and told the story of a struggle with the waves in which they all but lost their lives.

"The Phillips left Baltimore on January 23rd for Wilmington, N.C. with a cargo of phosphate rock. Nothing was heard of the schooner for several weeks and it was believed she had gone down with all on board. The first word that the men had been saved came from the Spanish steamer Aizkarai Mendi, which was passing.

"Captain Gaskins said today that the schooner on clearing the capes of the Chesapeake was headed by west winds when the weather became so rough that the vessel labored heavily. After 2 days of severe weather the schooner sprung a leak. The pumps were worked with little avail, the water in the well increasing to such an extent that the captain saw that his vessel was doomed. A flare was burned and it was seen by the Aizkarai Mendi. The steamer reached the schooner barely in time to save the men who left everything behind.

"The Mendi, which was bound from Brunswick, Ga. for Hamburg took the rescued men on to Hamburg landing them there February 26. The United States consul at Hamburg sent them here on the Amerika.

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is about Old Christmas in Rodanthe. You can read it here: https://www.villagecraftsmen.com/old-christmas-rodanthe/.