The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-26
u. s. Steamer Huron Lost
on the North Caro-.
lima Coast.
One Hundred Lives
Lost.
Most of the Officers Drowned.

ance. Admiral Trenchard sent the U. S.
steamer Swartara and the tug Fortune to rem
der assistance. Later information says she
has gone to pieces under an unusually heavy
sea- Many bodies were washed ashore Thirty
were saved. No names of the victims or sur
vivors are known.
The Huron left Fort Monroe yesterday on a
cruise to the West Indies. The storm signals
were lying threeidays, and it is thought strange
that the warning should have been disregarded.
There was furious storm raging all last night
along the coast, the wind having blown about
20 miles per hour Those who knew the Huron
say she was first-class job. She was built at
Chester, Pa, and was first christeped the
alliance" but was afterward named ''Hu-
ron. She was third-rate- screw, 541 tons.
and when she went ashore she had a crew of
1l9 men and Is officers. She carried four guns
and was schooner rugged.
The theory OF those well acquainted with the
coast is as follows: The Huron got caught in
the height of the gale, and and while trying to
hold on bead to the wind her machinery gave
way. her sails were useless. and she drifted
ashore. 1t appears that there was no assistance
rendered the crew from the shore, the life saw
ing station not having been manned.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24-The signal observer
at Kitty Hawk reports as follows: ''Among
those saved were T.. f. Warburton of Pa.
Cadet Engineer Lucien Young of Kentucky,
Ensign G. Deniz of Ohio Assistant Engineer
George /. Ryan, Joseph Murphy, ships cook,
master Patrick Kaufman. The other names
are withheld. Assistance is wanted imme-
diately. The men were only half clothed.
Only four officers and thirty men were saved.
She captain persisted Captain Palmer's name
was not mentioned The Huron is completely
under water and is a total loss
In conversations among naval officers ideas
are advanced as not improbable as to what
rendered the steamer Huron so helpless as to
drift upon dangerous shoals. No one just now
can satisfy himself with any theory, though
several believe her engines must have broken
down, thus leaving the ship absolutely helpless
on the wave of the raging storm that she en-.
cOuntered on the commencement of her trim
down the coast. But for this it Is impossible
to conclude any opinion as to what brought hel
into such terrible danger. With her engine
thorough in strength and in absolute perfect
working order, she would, it is thought here
have had no trouble in steering her way down
the coast.
The Huron, it is intimated, went to sea
while the danger signals were displayed al
Norfolk al d Cape Hatteras and that they had
been up some time before she started out 1t
is remembered by the naval officers that even
during the war, when the entire Southern
coast and the most dangerous portions aft were
| guarded by blockading vessels, that very many
| OF tfem, and vessels not built with the same
| strength and firmness of the Huron rode Out
| some of the heaviest gales recorded along the
| Atlantic coast. Ii the Hufon's engines broke
Gown she would of sheer necessity have
dropped her anchor, and thus it is thought
among some naval officers, she certainly did
| do, but the cable being unable to stand the
| strain, must have parted, with the awful re-
suit that the telegraph from Kitty Hawk pub
| fishes.
These theories are presented only for the
| purpose OF indicating the vi.ws that force
themselves upon the minds of several who
without fragment of solid ground for their
reasons, nevertheless considered them in the
absence OF any Information as to causes and
incidents. and were impelled to such beliefs.
The late OF the unfortunate captain, officers
and crew of the Huron is SADLY discussed
throughout the city. The officers were nearly
every one of them we'll known here and were
all regarded IN every particular as capable and
energetic Davigators and seamen.
When she started from Fortress Monroe yes.
terday morning she was en- route for the West
Indies, connected with telegraphy, longitude
and general cruising.
Secretary Thompson has taken measures for
crvs"Ps essistA1ee to DO ssiv0u tuoso oarUd.-uc
just sent steamer to the scene of the wreck
BY the way of the canal from Norwolk, and the
POwhattan and Swatara, both men-of-war. also
lett for the same point on the errapd of relief
and in hopes that somebody may be picked up.
fhe Secretary also telegraphed to the signal OBJ
server at Kitty Hawk to use every possible ex.
ertion to relieve the saved, to employ messen-
gers and send them up to Norfolk and get peo-
pie to take care OF them. The Department ex-
poets to get very full Information tomorrow of
the wreck by steamers that have left Fort Mon
roe and Norfolk in obedience to instructions is
suctions this afternoon. 1t is not considered in
any way unreasonable to suppose that
there may be saved in addition to those known
to have reached the shore at the time Ensign
Young and his boats crew landed on the beach.
Rigid lookouts will be kept, and hope is not
dead in the hearts of many friends of the Ship
wrecked that prompt despatch of stout ships
may result in the discovery alive of some who
are thought to be dead.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-The Secretary of
the Navy and the Chief Clerk of the Depart
ment we're both on duty to-day, awaiting tele-
Excepting brief telegram received by the
wire belonging to the Signal office, the depart
ment is not advised of anything further than
the knowledge of last night. Secretary
thompson has been applied to from many
quarters By the friends of the Huron's officers
and crew for information, and in all instances
replied, giving whatever news was 10 bis pos-
session and any announcement that was proper
and possible with the light that guided him.
Hope is not dead within the hearts of many
VINO are constrained to think that others in
addltion to the names mentioned among the
saved are ashore lower down on the desoate
barren beach, and that some days may yet
elapse before all that escaped may he gathered
up The Huron had a good complement of
snip boats, and 1t is not improbable that
TIE observer at the scene of the wreck re-
ports as follows:
Drowned (whose budies have been recovered
White men-Thomas Mcfarland. Alexander
Cameron, Barrett Batche, VIM. Green, James
Houcn; Geo. Willier (colored) and Matthias
Officers evolutionary, master; Deniz,
assistant engineer.
Men-Peter Duffy, JOS Robinson, Frederick
Hoffman, Dan Deudy, Dominick O'Donald,
Harry Nelson, Thomas Price (colored,) John
Colliog, John E. Holland, Thos Corley, Joseph
Hynes, VIM McHugh, Joseph Murphy, Frank
Wallace, Denis Deary, Mike Trainer, Edward
Trainer Antonio Williams, Samuel Clark,
Mike Kennedy, VIM Brooks. Harry Every,
Dan Bergan, Michael Durkin, Frank May,
Robert Sampson, Patrick Cone, VIM. House.
man.
:, The cause was thick weather and fresh gale
directly on shore. The fore and aft sails were
set. The reefed foresail and mainsail were
carried away. The jlb staysail was bent and
the fore y storm staysail was struck between
and 30 a. m. The boats washed from the
boats davts were lowered fifst, with the cutter,
which swamped about ten minutes later
Lieut.: Palmer was drowned about the time the
captain was. The living saved themselves by
swimming ashore. There was no aid from the
shore except when near the beach. The
men-of-war Powhattan and Swatara and the
brig Fortune are anchored abreast of the
wreck.
Flag communication was opened with them
through the steamer d. & j. Baker. No assist
snce can be rendered from the steamer. as the
surf is still very heavy. The survivors will 90
to Norfolk this evening.
The signal observer at the scene of the
wrecked Huron reports at 5.25 D. m.: The surf
boat OF the wrecking steamer B. & j. Baker,
in attempting to land, was swamped with niue
men on board. James S. jackson, Stephen
Bell. Dennis Mccoy, Willis Walker, and Capt.
d. y GuthrIe, paymaSter of the life-sayipg
service, were lost Their bodies have not been
recovered.
J. NJ. Wight, X. W. S. French. E. w.
LOOMS, and J j. Burke were all lost from the
Huron. Bodies not yet recovered, Edward
Olson of the Huron is among the lost.
BOSTON, Nov. 25-Iutense interest is felt
here at the news of the loss of the Huron. her
commander, Geo. P Ryan, being a native of
this city and very highly esteemed by lasge
circle of friends. He left mis- wife and four
children here but ten days since, expecting to
be absent only few months.
KITTY HAWK, Nov. $3.50 p. m.)-The sea
is running high and no assistance can be had
from the Swatara and steamer b. & j. Baker,
anchored Oft opposite the scene of the disaster
The Huron has broken up to-day and only a
fragment lies submerged within 200 yards from
the shore. Eight bodies only were washed
ashore Four bodies can be seen dashed to the
bowsprit, named Almon Davis, Charles Corsou,
Thomas Armstrong and Charles Porter. No
bodies Of the officers can be found.
GALE ON THE RRIHTSH COAST