New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-26
SEVENTEEN LIVES LOST
A SURVIVORS STORY OF THE WRECK OF
THE PANTHER
OF TWENTY MEN ON THE STEAMER AND HER
row ONLY THREE EsCAPED--A DES-
OF TWENTY
PERATE FIGHT FOR LIFE.

TOW ONLY THREE ESCAPED--A DES-
PERATE FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Philadelphia, Aug. 25.-Assistant Engineer Albert
Smith, Of the Reading Railroad Company's stP"" col
Her Tanther which with the barge Lykens V. - vas
lost of the Long Island coast yesterday morl ar
rived here to-day. OF the twenty PERSONS on the two
vessels only three were saved follows: Assistant
Engineer Albert Smith, Fireman Edwin Cummings
and Seaman Victor Egand, all Of Philadelphia, and
all employed the Panther. Mr SLith Is not posi-
tive to the name of the latter. Following is list
OF the dead on the Panther-Capaln George W. Her-
John b. Newlove, mate; otto NJ. Johnson, second
mate; Henry c. Moore, engineer; William Daley,
steward Elvy Jefrcys and Frank Wihalie, fremen ;
Frank Field, mess-boy; William Plotomey. coal passer.
and Arvid Johansen, Andrew Johnson Frederick
LARSEN and Karl Erickson, seamen- All resided IN
Philadelphia except Field and LARSEN, whose ad-
dresses unknown.
On the Lykens Valey-Captain Alfred F. Sylvester,
somcrvc, Mass. Robert Albe. engineer, Newark, y.
j.. Hiram Hlodget cook, North Brooksvle, Me-. and
feter Rideou,, deckhand, OF Newfoundland
Mr.. smith tells the following story OF the disaster
The steamer Panther bound for NewburypOrt
with the barge Lykens Valley, bound for New-I'cd
ford. both coal laden left Philadelphia August IL
All went well until about midnight Wednesday, when
about abreast OF ShinnecOck Light house. OF the Long
Island coast, we encountered severe northeast gale
with heavy seas. We made fairly good progress un-
til about sunrise when the wind sl from the north
east Increased and the seas also became more heavy
Soon after o'clock the captain told that he feared
the steamer and barge would go the beach. and
he hauled the steamer off point two. About this
time heavy struck the steamer the port side
and stove in her main house abreast OF the engine
and boiler room. The sea Immediately rushed in and
filed the engineoom to the depth OF about feet.
Each succeeding carried away n portion Of the
house, until finally about o'clock the entire after
part OF the main house overheard, small por-
ton OF the house forward OF the galley still stand
ing. shortly afterward the seas put out the fires
under the boilers and then left the engneroon and
came up on deck, climbing the top OF the forward
part of the main house, where 1 stood In company
with Captain PersOn.
The steamer at this time full Of water aft,
her waist being entirely submerged aft OF the main
house About twenty-five minutes after the pilot
house had been washed overheard the steamer filled
and sank stern first, her bow standing almost upright
in the water and her bottom being exposed to view.
After the main fouse had been washed overheard.
about 8 O'Clock the captain gave directions to cut
the towing hawser AID let the barge SO ndrift think.
Ing perhaps she might be able to save herself as we
pOwerless to do anything further for her. One
OF the crew. Evy Jefreys, was killed while helping
me to fix the house before the steamer went down.
William Daley, the steward, had his leg broken by
being struck with part OF the house.
" When the steamer went down / staIfting on
tue captain and we caped into the water. Keeping as
clear Of the wreck possible, but the suction
ried underneath fifteen or twenty feet. and when
came to the surface | succeeded In getting aboard n
piece Of the deckh0use In company with the captain
who remained with me for nearly one hour, when
heavy sea struck and both went down ana
saw him In the mean time the wind shifted
to the southwest. and after an Interval OF probably an
hour | drifod ashore almost unconscious.
The barge Lykens Valley drired ashore and struck
about mile from the beach I'm the neighbOrlOOd Of 10
o'clock, and soon aiterward went to pieces believe
her entire crew OF fonr men were drowned
George W. uers,n. tEs captain Of the Panther, was
forty nine years old. He lived at No. 13l East Le-
This was his first trip the Panther, but he had
been employed by the Reading Company since 1884
the Panther. which Is also engaged In carrying coal
10 New England ports. The Panther and Lykens
valley we're together valued at about 800 900. The
latter had 1850 tons of coal on board worth about
81, 900.