Schooner Jane C. Harris ~ 25 February 1900

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 3, 1900:

Stranded about 2 miles N. of station while trying to enter Oregon Inles for a harbor during a heavy NW. gale. Station crew launched surf boat, but could ot pull to windward owing to the force of the gale and strong tide. The beach apparatus was then taken abreast the wreck and set up, and the first shot laid the line on board, but the crew did not have strength enough to haul off the whip line against the strong current. As a last resort, the surfmen took a large sailboat which lay inside the inlet and, taking the drogue from the surfboat, started out to the wreck. Upon reaching it, the sailboat was anchored 100 yards to windward and dropped down with a drogue line until a heaving stick could be thrown on board; then the sailboat was hauled in near enough for the imperiled crew of three men to jump on board. The sailboat was now lying in a very dangerous position and no time could be lost in hoisting the anchor, so the anchor line was cut and the boat headed for the inlet. A landing was effected safely and the shipwrecked crew were succored at the station for three days. The crew from Pea Island Life-Saving Station rendered valuable assistance to the Oregon Inlet crew in making this rescue. The schooner was a total loss.

OREGON INLET LIFE-SAVING STATION, February 28, 1900

SIR: We desire to compliment Captain M.W. Etheridge and his crew, and also the crew of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station for their heroid efforts in rescuing us from the wreck of the schooner Jane C. Harris, under the most difficult circumstances, while we were trying to make harbor in Oregon Inlet on last Sunday morning during a northwest gale and very cold, freezing weather. We were very kindly treated at the station after being taken off the wreck about nightfall by the life-savers, who worked under the most trying conditions, and we thank them all for their noble work, which saved us from an untimely death. G. De WAAL, Master ; H. PARSONS, Mate ; GEO. T. BISHOP, Steward