Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-02-27
ESCAPED 4 FIERY DEATH
Captain Sinks His Schooner
on a Shoal.
HAD RUN AGAINST TIDE AND WIND

scuttIed the Vessel on Watch Hill Flats
After a Four Hours Fight With the
Elements To Reach a Known Spot-The
Struggle Witnessed from Shore, But No
Help Could be Given.
New LONDON, Conn, Feb. 27-The
skipper of the handsome 160-ton schooner
Menunctatuck of Dennisport, Mass, at
risk of his life and that of his crew beat
his vessel two miles to the windward
with head tide while she was on fire.
When shoal water was reached, where
she could be readily raised, he scuttled
and sunk her, thus saving her.
The Menunctatuck scudded bravely be-
fore the stiff northwest gale past Watch
Hill Lighthouse yesterday at $3.50 a. IN.
Half an hour later the life-sav:ng crew
at the light were surprised to see IL cloud
of black smoke envelop the entire top of
the vessel. The smoke increased until it
obscurel the vessel completely.
\ moment later the schooner emerged
from the cloud of smoke She had tackled,
and WIS working to the windward, head
in;I TO the southwest Her crew could be
seen hard at work, with buckets, sheets
Of water-sOaked canvass and brooms,
lighting the fire. The vessel worked into
uhe wind as we'll as her crew could force
her and fight fire at the same time. As
she moved along she left a train of sparks
and smoke in her wake. The life saving
men made an effort to board the vessel to
rem Ter assistance, but were unable to do
so, as the schooner was kept we'll out to
sea,
The schooner was about two miles east
of Watch Hill when the blaze was first
discovered. She was loaded with blue
stone from New York for Fall River, and
skipper, Capt. Albert Ellis, had just
reached down into the cabin for match
to liEEl HE pipe when he discovered
flames shooting out from under the cabin
floor There was no time to undertake to
discover their origin or to save the ships
papers and contents of the cabin. The
captain decided at once that he must turn
his vessel about and beat her in by
Watch Hill to a shoal he knew and there
sink Der in order TO put out the fire. If
he cOnld sink her where the water was
shallow she could be raised, and hence
the vessel, in which the whole of his saw
ings were invested, might not prove a
total loss
The race with head winds and adverse
tides and the hot fight with the fire
lasted just four hours.
The sailors fought the fire in frenzy
born of fear If the vessel was lost there
chances i'll Il small boat in the heavy sea
running would be none of the best. The
flames gained such Roadway that there
progress could not be stayed, and there
finally shot out of the companionway, q
cracking red column, driving Captain
Ellis. from the wheel and the men to the
bow.
The fire was again corked into the
cabin, however, and did not burst out
again until the .:len were chopping holes
in the vessels bottom to let her sink or
the Watch Hill flats.
AS the vessel settled in the water fire
burst out of various parts of her cabin
| and darted up the mainsail, swallowing
| it at one mOuthful.
! But the vessel was soon comparatively
| safe, with only ten feet of water covering
! her.
The captain and the crew ran into the
| rigging, from which they were taken
| soon afterward by the life savers
Wrecker Scott brought the crew of the
scuttled schooner here on the tug Alert
| last night.
He will make an effort to raise the yes
| sci to-day, and will succeed if heavy
weather does not set in.
The Menunctatuck was built in New
London in 1880