The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-02-15
KEARSARGE WRECKED.
STRANDED ON RANGODOR REEF IN
THE CARIBBEAN SEA.
Ehs Crew Saved and the Boat May Be Taken
OFF Unless Beaten to Pieces by
Heavy seas-Dstsils Of Acct.
dent Not Received.

WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-The United
States steamship Kearsarge is a wreck
lon Roncador reef. She struck there
Feb. 2. Lieutenant Brainard manag-
fed in some way to reach Colon today
NNnd cable message from him this
-horning announced to the navy de-
] partment the fact that the Kearsage
was wrecked and that her officers and
l crew were all saved. The Kearsarge
sailed from Port.au Prince, Hayti, on
Jan. 80, for Buefields, Nicaragua, to
protect American interests there in
view of invasion of military forces of
Honduras. She was wrecked three
ldays out. Roncador rect is Il little
lover 200 miles from Mosquito coast OF
:, Central America. Between the coast
and the reef lies the Old Providence
\ island, only 70 or 50 miles to leeward
of the reef
h 1t is believed at the navy depart
Il ment that the officers and the crew
Twill be able to reach Old Providence
fisland without difficulty in case they
\ were in danger Of their lives on the
Areef, and it is believed they will be
:. fe on the reef, except in the event OF
ough weather. 1t is the impression
y also al the department that that the
! Kearsage has not gone TO pieces ana
I may not for some time uLless rough
( weather comes up, although the tides
and currents about the rect are some
what swift and dangerous.
t., inH. wiz &c
of the wreck the navy department
sent cable dispatch to Lieutenant
Brainard at Colon, ordering him to
charter a steamer and proceed at once
to the relief of the shipwrecl<ed crew.
The Roncador reef is we'll known to
mariners in these waters as 81 danger
GUS impediment to navigation. Efforts
have recently been made to secure the
erection of light house on this point.
Some time ago when Warner Miller
and other officers of the Nicaraguan
Canal company were on their way to
Nicaragua they were wrecked on this
same point.
Admiral Stanton was on the Kear-
sarge. When the New York and De-
&roit were dispatched to Rio it was
g. de the flagship of the North At
Mantle squadron and Admiral Station,
(after the secretary Of che navy had re-
ceived his report of the salute Of Mello
lin Rio bay, was ordered to proceed to
Port .au. Prince and transfer the flag
Ito the Kearsarge and assume command
, bf the station.
J The officers of the Kearsarge were
tlRear Admiral Oscar f. Stanton, COM
lmanding officer; A. Heyerman, LII u
!. gtenants Charles A. Forsee, Charles ID.
lLyman, Burgis T. Walling, Lieuten-
aBsnts (iunior grade) John P. Hood and
~ .ederick B. Brainard ensigns, Robert
TG. Gates and Thomas P. Magruder;
naval cadets, Leon S, Thompson,
Thomas L. Stitt, Thomas s. Borden,
BENJAMIN b. Mccormick, Walter
I Bali and David A. Mallop;
( bast assistant surgeon, George b.
Eiumsden; assistant surgeon, Merritt
Nv. Harnum; paymaster, James A.
Ring; chief engineer, Burdett; first
lieutenant of marines, Clarence A. In.
gate. The crew was composed OF 2OO
Sailors and marines.
! She left Brooklyn navy yards on
: Doc. 81. The chief of bureau of navi-
10 ZION had reply from Lieutenant
, brainard at Colon about noon saying
that the city of Para was available to
90 after the crew. He was Instructed
to either charter a steamer or secure
one of the regular mail steamers to
! New York, or if one of the latter was
to start Immediately on her regular
trim to have her touch at Roncador
and take up the men. He was given
hiscretion to do what is necessary 10
the greatest speed in getting relief to
Ithe men.