Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-09-10
STRANDED In THE FOG.
STEAMER BEACHED WHILE FOL-
LOWING A YACHT RACE.
Loss of Life Prevented by the Emcient
Work of the Officers and Life
Saving Crew.


Loss of Life Prevented by the Efhcient
Work of the Officers and Life
Saving Crew.
LONG BRANCH. Sept. 9.-The large
excursion steamer Empire State, with
her 648 excursionists on board, went
ashore in the dense fog at 6.25 O'Clock
last evening" at point one and half
miles south of Sandy Hook. All of
the passengers and crew were saved
through the efficient work of the
steamers officers and the men of Life.
Saving Station No. l.
The Empire State was one of the fleet
of steamers, yachts and craft of every
kind that started down the harbor this
morning to witnet the second struggle
between the May flower and the Galatea.
Her spacious decks were black with
pleasure seekers.
After the bell buoy had been rounded
and the run homo had begun the fog
settled down SO thickly that the passen-
| gers on the Empire State soon lost sight
of :he racers altogether, bat the steamer
plowed along through the impenetrable
white mist.
At short intervals the steamer.
whistle was blown to warn other craft
of her approach. AS the fog settled
down more thickly the Captain deemed
| 1t wise to run the steamer at halt speed
but few, II any, of the passengers knew
the significance Of the bell that tinklet
It's message to the engineer.
AMID THE BREAKERS.
Suddenly, above tho noise of tn,
steamers churning wheels, there wa
lanother sound, and the lookout, wei
! forward on the prov, could not mistak,
its omincus meaning. "Breakerl
aheadp' he shouted. Almost instant y
1.-THE man at the wheel threw the vessel I
PROV around and the little bell tinklet
another message to the engineer far be
low. The Empire State lurched ant
paused, the engine stopped a momen
and then the great wheels began Il
churn In the other direction. But 1t wa
too late. There was q sharp shock ant
the passengers were suddenly thrown
forward upon the decks. Then followe
.another ominous sound, the grating G
, the keel upon the beach.
READY HELPERS AT HAND
The instant the steamer struck h1
, whistle uttered long shrek of distress
and the dismal signal was repeated 9
, short intervals tor twenty minutes
Several tugs cruising in the vicinit
, came up in answer to the signals, an
! approached near enough to run out line
q to the stranded vessel. An effort wa
q m ade to pull her off, but that was in
, ,possihle. Meantime the brave men {
!. the Life-Savlng Service were not idl'
|, The Empire State had struck just mic
= way between Stations No. l and No.
al, Dnff Cf
tion No. was among the first to hes
= the signals OF distress. He and his me
soon had their life boats out upon Il
! beach and mounted on the truck
Eager hands drew them to the poll
- where the steamer had grounded an
i, then the crew manned their oars an
y u rowed TO the rescue.
70 Though Captain Blanchard snd h
tofficers had by this time partially su
ceeled in restoring confidence thel
u was an eager rush made for the life bo
Il as it approached, and the first load ma
y rowly escaped swamping the little boa
Some OF the passengers had alread
been transferred to the tugboats, 81
after all those upon the steamer hi
been safely landed through the su
these were in turn carried ashore wit
- font mishap OF the 648 on board n
!; q one was lost, though several did not I
o. o. cape with dry clothing, owing to th'
:. own eagerness to reach land. Had
=. surf been as heavy as ii was few hor
y earlier serious loss of life would ha
~ been almost inevitable Captain Pi
~ ~ terson and his men worked an no
40 and a half before the passenge
40 40 were all safe ashore, and they were 6
70 most exhausted when their task W
finished.
THE STRANDED STEAMER.
t. The steamer lies tonight broades
ii on and hard aground about forty fl
lg present, and it is thought she can
r. tloa cd without having sustained serlo
L. damage The Merriott Wrecking Coz
'k paLy have sent crew TO the spot a
an effort will be made to float t
steamer tomorrow morning at hi
n tide. Tho Empire State is an old Scu
b. Steamer and was once sunk In Bost
es Harbor. She has met with several
cidents before that of today and
survived them.
as The shipwrecked axcursionists "
. return to New York by train frt
s Sandy Hook on the New Jersey O.
trsl railroad, and will reach the C
about 8 q. m. to morrow.
1t. DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup is fast taxi
d. the place OF sill the od-fashioned cou
"a. remedies. 1t never fails to relieve I
od most violent cold and for throat disea
,r- it is invaluable. Price 25 cents.