The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-29

Schooner Louise ~. Randall from Early
hornInE-At . O'Clock at Night the Tug
Merritt Arrived, but Whether She Sue
eesded In Making . Rescue Could Not Be
Rough and the VvindC old
BELLPoRT. l. l.. Nov. pa four masted.
topsail schooner went aground early this
morning In a fierce southeast Rnle. She lay on
the outer bar OF Smiths Point. which lie near
this place.
Smiths Point extends into Beiport Bay.
Beyond It is the long. narrow strip OF sand
known as Great South Beach. and the bar on
which the vessel struck is an eighth OF mile
out from the beach.
The surf was very heavy. and when the life
savers arrived they found It was impossible to
launch boat. Efforts to fire life line over
tho vessel also proved failures, on account OF
the great distance.
The schooner proved to DO tho Louise II.
Randall. coal laden. from Philadelphia for
Boston. At daylight the life savers discovered
that she had moved q little from where she
was first seen. and had sunk so that her deck
was several feet under water.
Much Of her rigging had been carried away.
but in what was loft OF it were dashed ten men.
woman. and boy.
How long they could 1.-Two there was the quos-
tlon. As soon us a messenger could come to
this place from the beach this morning word
was sent New York. and in tho afternoon the
news was received that the Merritt Wrecking
Compnny's tug ]. j. Merritt had started for the
wreck with orders TO steam at top speed
1t was calculated that she might arrive about
Z o'clock tonight. she had passed uuaran-
tine at 3:15 o'clock. Tho weather was mod
Grating. and out OF this grew the hope that all
in the rigging might survive until night.
At $3.50 tonight Barney King. formerly n
patrolman In liie-saving station 81. having
crossed from Great South Beach TO Smiths
Point. arrived at Bellport. He reported that
the life savers had not succeeded in getting a
lilo line aboard the schooner.
At the tlmo he left. the ten men. the woman.
and the boy were still dashed to the rigging.
The schooner was holding together. but her
matches had been torn OF by tho waves and
washed ashore.
The vessel lay head on toward the beach on
the outer bar about an eighth of q mile Off
shore. Life saving apparatus from three sta
tions to the east and three stations to the west
were present
Each crew made an effort to reach the wreck
with life lines fired from their mortars and
each was unsuccessful Ono proiectile reached
the schooner. but the line parted.
When King left the beach. about o'clock.
the lifo savers on shore had practically aban-
doned hope Of communication with the wreck
for the night. Still there was a chance that
the surf would so down under the influence Of
the westerly wind SO that they might launch
the surf boat
The combers had subsidized somewhat since
the vessel had come ashore, but tho surf was
still too high for any one to think OF venturinG
out in boat. The life savers wore hopeful
that the Merritt would appear soon.
Meantime It had been learned from New York
that tho Randall had n crow OF nine men, and
that the Captain. William NJ. Randall had his
wife and boy aboard with him.
Tho persons on board were all dashed to tho
shrouds OF the foremast and OF tho third mast,
excepting two men. who were on the cross
trees. The vessel was not lying firmly on the
bottom. aud tho shocks OF the waves caused
the masts to sway to and fro.
The schooners bontR had all washed ashore.
The amount and character OF the wreckage
that came ashore indicates that the deck had
been at least partly torn out by tho waves.
Some OF the wrenkage consisted OF parts OF
pianos and of bedroom suits
This forenoon Mrs. Samuel Newry tho wife
OF Patrolman Newry, found a package OF LETT
ters that had come ashore. Those were dried
and read. They were addressed to Capt. Will
liam VI. Randall They were dated at various
ports.
Tho name Of his wife is Louise II. Randall.
the same as that OF the vessel. 1t was also in
ferred from the letters that his wife was aboard
the vessel.
There was a rumor to-day that early In the
morning two men dropped from the ship and
clung to floating spar. They were sub
merged by big wave and then the spar re-
appeared, but the men were not seen again.
One hundred spectators were on the beach
this afternoon. They had gone across the bay
in boats. In spite Of the rough weather
The Blue Point liie-saving crew fired two
rockets OF an improved kind this afternoon.
but they. like all the projectiles with life lines
attached. failed.
Tonight the wind is from the northwest and
is biting cold. 1t is not believed that the men
and the woman la the rigging could live
through the night
II O'Clock r. M-News has Just reached here
that the tug Merritt arrived at the wreck at o
o'clock. What she was doing could not be
seen in the dark.
1t was thought possible she might launch
boat or venture near enough 10 tho submerged
hull TO throw line to the crew in the rigging.
At all events. IL is felt sure she will do every
thing In her power.
It is believed that at least some OF the crew
will be found strong enough to catch line
and make It fast.
BOsToN. Nov. 2S-The schooner Louise ii.
Randall Is a four-masted vessel Of 1.402 tons
register. built in 1892 By John NJ. Brooks OF
East Boston
Her PRINCIPAL owner Is Gardiner D. Rey-
nolds Of NeWport Il. l.. from which port the
vessel halls. The Randall has been engaged
in the coal-carrying business and her capacity
is about $500 tons
She left Philadelphia Nov, % for Boston.
The vessel is supposed to be nearly covered
by insurance in Boston. Newport and New
York companies. Her cargo OF coal is insured
in Boston.