Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-11-11
QeDisz ESTsG.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.


HeON g2sTEC.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.
tOest71;ion of the Steamer Royal Tar, IF ST. J0hnS, r.
b., md loss IF many tres
This fine steamer, Of 400 tons burthen, commanded
by Capt Reed which las beea plying the last summer
between ST. johns, n ad Portland, tool fire on her
oassaqe 20 Portland at n. NJ, the 2ot ut in Re
nobscot bay within two miles of the Fox Islands, and
was destroyed. The fire took under deck, and had got
such asccndencY before it discovered, tEat the IRE
engine which also under deck could not ue got ou
on account Of the intense heat which also prevented tue
men below from working the steam engine sufficiently
long 10 run her shore. The Revenue Gutter fom
Castne took off the surviving passengers sno crew II
stfoucht that as nany ss20 lives arc lost. The follow
ing is list of passengers and lost far ascertain
ed Cabin passengers A. forward passengers, 3D. crew,
Total lost as far as heard FROM % Cabin passengers
saved, %, deck passengers saved IA; crew saved Is
The following is froni;he Messrs. Toplif:
TorLlff s.NEws ROOM, BosTeH,
Oct ~; 9 o'clock, P. Nj.
Capt. Thomas IIowes Of the steamboat Bangor, has
politely furnished US with the following particulars OF the
loss of the above vessel obtained from of the pas
sengers.
The steamer Royal Tar, Thos: Reed MASTER of:Iund
from ST. Johrs, y. Z. fort Portland lett on Friday,
the 21st instant with abou: 30 10 100 passengers ncGG
ing the On the deck, were an elephant, two
cames several horses and number Of Gagged animals,
comprising travelling
On Tuesday the 23th, when crossing Ponobscot Bay,
ARD within about two miles of the entrance of Fox Is
land Tio:ougfare. il was found that the water on,
of the boiler. and as the wind was blowing very heavy
gale from H. Nv at the time, tic hos: anchored for
the Purpose OF sling the boilers and. in about hour
after abort P. III } she discovered 10 be on fire!
e engineer, with fifteen other persons, immte aely
,unpsa inio the largest boat and made for theea
TO the leeward, which they reached in safety, in
,hon four hours-Captaiil Reed promptly took posses
son of the only remaining boat and took position at
short distance 10 the wiawurd Three gentlemen, pas
sepoerg good swimmers, committed themselves 10 the
:. water and were taken up BY Captain Reed.
The cable slipped and sail made on the boat with
the hope of reaching the shore, but the flames spread SO
rapidly from aft to forward tist her nairmas was con
sunei in Few minutes, and her uer ropes BENG ourst
away she drfeG broad side to the Wind directly out TO
sea.
signal o. disress had been made, and 1t was tor.
tunatey discovered by tic Revenue Cutter stationed
Castine then about four or hve miles 10 wina"ao au
she p.omptiy bore up 10 her relief. Capt seeed put on
board of her the persons in his boat ahd TIER lTneo
a,ely commenced taking off those remaining on ooS'4
the Royal Tar. ~ c
sten n stern: small space forward wkicl had not yet
taken fire with the !cpsrrt hobs:ay, &c,
with the ur,ivorsIlose ontEe quarter geek were u''
ven overheard by the flames, and SUCH Gs survived were
Hanging to the .daVit tackles, chains aLo !oPe' 0
to the rudder. H.,
MANY were suspended Ivy ropes, secured on dec but
az the fire reached them, preclpated INTO the sea
and drowned The cutter unfortunately mug 40 o1S %
sufficient size RENEE. any assistance IN taking o. tile
sufferers and having SpnPowder on board, Lieut. Eyer
in command did not deem it prudent to approach very
near The wrcckso that the work ofresoue was unaTod
ABLY very tedious.
Cant Reed however firmly AID resolute!y persevered
with his boat though twac with difficulty that he
could obtain ar efficient boats to approach the
wreck fearing the elephant would go overheard anu ees
troy the boat. .
The Inst boG left the wreo; iteoefore. sunset With
one solitary frantic enac the last board whose sIs
ter and child had both persisted before her eyes The
loss of lives is estimated at from 26 TO 81 there he NJ
oti drop hnorU
ed ON Capt Reeds passenger llst-te precise nrmbs!
cannot be 6scerta'ned. =,
The pro;,pt,and praisawortlv decision of Capt l'ee
in securing the boat the only means by wnel the
life of an individual could have been saved. The ele
pisnt camels and horses jumped overheard, ana all Tile
animals in tie cares were burnt
None of the passengers o-.cre"s baggage was saved
MANY of the trunks, DC, were thrown o9esnoae Ii ''e
.hope that they might be: p:ckedup
The cutter landed the survivors apout'o, fa, at Inc
Isle OF Haul where they received the most hosFtaoe
,sreatment from the Inhabitants We learn That tacre
was large amount Of specie on board the Roya! iar
In addition to the above, the Boston Daily Advertiser
contains the following list OF the names and ages OF pas
;sengers and crew lost, far ascertained:.
Cabin s. Seller J. Price, A. Cui-
It's, |. Ryan-4.
land child 'rhos. Maiony &c, Dennis .BTan2G, John
land ELIZA Hogan, Nary Hogan 2G, Mary Dorrogh u
Sarah Smith, Ma,ty Smith g. and child Peggy Cochran
%, Mary Cation %, Nicholas phremba 81, Mary Hickey
"a, Fanny 0 Brien 40, an old lady and boy-l9
Grew lost-John Day and Chas. Ford seamen, Mary
Burt se~ardess- Total lost as far as heard from, 90
Edw. Waite Messrs. Owen McGlendry John Rice, S.
Poue-, Andrew Garrison, John Hammond, John Ans.
lev. James II 'Fowler Eenry Fuller Andrew Fuller c.
Fuller. Wheeler, Hodges, William Kip, J. harmon Nj
Lowry, Re,hetly, Stevens, John Leighton, Harrison
tCsoson. Geo Eaton Joshua Burgess, Vernon Gunisun
Geo Wriieughwayy Miss Mary Linton-27.
Deck passengers saved-Cwen ..9ohesty, Mary Mu
doom, Ivan and Mary Martin, fa:rick and hichac
sdoose Michael and John Dorian, Z. Hogan, Michae
Mahoney, Margaret Grow, Richard Hensals, John Tur
.ner, Miles Murp6y-l4; u
Crew sayed-1hos. Feed, master; VIM. Black, mate
Atkins pilot Marshall engineer; I. kehoe, I'd do; Mi
chael Kehoe fireman. Hugh Baney, Go; and two others
6remea; W m Connor and David, cooks; Eenry I-uf
Geo Nathway and Owen Atkins. sesmen; VIM. Brown
steward; Pat. Daily, WIN. Noggins, and John M,ElYey
boys, waitess-lS
Total saYed-59.
Isle of Haut, October &C, 1886
We, tie undersigned, being Part of the survivors
passengers on board The steamer Royal Tar, at Tie tine
She was destroyed by 6re the passage from John
20 Portlana hereby tender ou- grateful acknowledge
mens 10 Captain Thomas Reed, (maser of said steam.
boat) his extraordinary exerlons and perseverance,
in saving The lives of Ms passengers while IN such n-
minent danger, during the time said boat yqs On Are
the wind blowing gale. 1t was ditcult to CON
sey the passengers from the burning vessel IN small
boat 10 the Belfast cutter which came 10 our assistance