New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-16
TWELVE MEN LOST AT SEA.
A HURRICANE STRIKES THE SHIP CHAL.
LENGER.
HALF THE CREW BLOWN OVERHEARD WITH THE
RIGGING AND OTHERS INJUEED-CAPTAIN
THOMPSON AND THREE MEN
HANDLED THE BIG VESSEL.

HANDLED THE BIG VESSEL
The West Indies hurricane. which originated the
iatter mart of August and swept up the atlantic
coast doing mischief all craft In its patti heard
from again yescrday and this time 1t was one OF the
stanchest and swiftest American clipper ships ahoat
that was battered the ship Challenger, Captain Edwin
THOMPSON N Bath Me. The Challenger was crippled
hv the great hurricane. twelve OF her lost
and several injured. and when Captain Thompson
reaches port lie will have an exciting experience to
report The steamer La Normandic OF the French
General Transatlantic Line. brought the news here yes
t.rday Of tls disaster which had bcfallcn the Chal
leneer. on SUNDAY at 2 p m: La Normandie sighted
crippled ship, which had lost her mzzen mast. iorc
main top and top gallant masts and bowsprt She was
moving slowly under temporarily rugged sails, ana
sienaed the French steamer that she had 3 message
- deliver Third Officer Marchal put of to the Chsi
anscr with . expecting to find the Chaiiensei ~
need Of help A large. rudy faced genial man maize"
Msrchsl As he came alongside and said that ne WAS
Captain Thompson
no vou want assistance, ," asked Marchal.
NO thank you replied Captain Thompson. here
n letter for Arthur Sewa OF Bath. Me- the owner VI
the Challenger Please mail that for me- we arc "'
right and shall make port without yonr he'p.
Captain Thompson related briefly that hurricane
he'd struck the Challenger on September IL '~u
out the mizzenmast almost at the dech. anu nov
knocked the tops OF the other two maSts "he" lMen'
seamen were in the rigging The men were 'a''o"
overheard with the falling rigging ana swept ava. -"
the CREST of a wave. Several or the Cre" VII" "VN'
on deck AT the time injured by the 1a'hs spar"
TIL. hurricane came up suddenly when the snip "aS
under full SAIL and Captain Thompson sent inc me"
.,ot IN take I'm sail Eut the gale caught IN" snip
before the sails couh be furled and with a roar.
crash and shouts from the unfortunate meh' all was
-,
The rigging had to be cleared away ana tive wonnoco
men taken care of and the ship manned in the gaze.
Canta,n Tlompson had only three mon who couh
help him. the frs officer. seaman and his 'hiheSe
cook All Sing. 1t was not reported no" long 'no
storm continued. but Captain Thompson was aoe 10
man his dismasted ship and when spoken sne wac
less than 300 miles from Sato! i'o'"' "'o' '"' nun
In good condition
\ y Dearborn Of No. 90 Beaver.st.. is the agent
for the Challenger and as soon As he heard OF her
mishap he sent large tug ont for her. ana aIeo Hie
eraplred the udings to the Sewalls. at Batf lie Sau
yestedsy that he thought that the Challenger might
be in Erie Basin tomorrow.
The Challenger sailed from West Hrtlepooi on
u,y % ia ballast for this city with crew OF twenty
three men, and intended to so to Portland for repairs.
She was built in 1877 by Arthur ScwaH q Co.. anu
WAS ono OF the swfest American ships anoat' anu
Captan Thompson is one Of the best known sea cap
tains in the world lie has commanded the challenger
since she was launched. and with her made famous
record from San Francisco to Queenstown on one IMP
CAPTAIN Thompson Is known tho world over as cap
tain Edk among sea farng men. and mas foliowed VIC
sea since be lad. He has had great success a.
captain and his exploit of manning the disabled
Challenger with four men without ASSISTANCE VIII oe
no surprise to his friends.
On ono occasion he had to ship lot OF cutrtiroats
ut Liverpool. They mutineered in midocean. ana
Caufan thompson undertook tO discipline them They
attacked him With marlin spikes and Delaying pins and
lad the pncky Yankee a. great & AM %en
hard the noise Of the fight. seized her husbands re-
volver which wss living In the cabin rushed on d%n
and kept the r7ifians ut bay. Captain En- tieh
rounded them into submission. II j. said that TN,
was to be his last voyage lie has followed the sea
for about forty five wears. H..
Tie Challenger registers I 800 tons. is 2l:4 feet
long 3e7 wide and $50 deep. She cost over
sIOo 900 and Is now valued at about $4,000. She
is partly insured