The evening world., 1894-06-05
DR|F1EDOVER 1000 MILES.
The Famous Dofelict Schooner WOlStOn
Sighted Again, Directly East
Of Cape HatteraS
RIGHT In THE STEAMSHIP LANE.
Since She Was Abandoned, on Fire, In
October, 1891, She Has Floated All
Over tho Atlantic Ocean.

Somewhere Off the American coast,
about the latitude of Savannah, the
schooner Fannie E. Wolston. the most
famous derelict in the North Atlantic.
is drifting to and fro. waiting for
dark night to punch holes in some stout
ship. In the records of the Hydro
graphic Office there have been few
wrecks SO remarkable as this Down
East trader. After being on fire sew
eral days, she vas abandoned Oct 10.
1891, northeast Of Cape Hatteras. In
stead of burning to the waters edge
and going to pieces. she took up Jour-
neying on her own account and started
out to scour the seas.
For twenty-one days the Wolston was
not sighted. Nov. 8. 1891, when her
crew was filled with the idea that
she had been buried in the ocean grave
yard on Hatteras, she was seen 600
miles to the eastward of the point where
she was abandoned. Then she drifted
to the southeast, and was next sighted
April 8. 1892, more than a thousand
miles east Of the coast and directly
In the track Of southern steamships
bound to Europe. A month and ten
days later shs was again sighted drift
ing to the eastward. but at this point
she began to zig-zag all over the seas.
First she started off on a course north
east by north and drifted a hundred
miles or 80. until June 13. when she
bore away to the south southwest.
After going more than two hundred
miles in this direction. she drifted again
| north. zig-zagged once or twice. doubled
on her course and then went corkscrew-
ing along the west-bound track of
Gibraltar steamships. On Sept. "a she
was sighted about 17OO miles off the
coast, in the latitude Of Savannah, and
from that point drifted due north nearly
$50 miles. Then. starteing of to the
wanderings over the mid-ocean track.
In February. 1888, she turned towards
nome, and came nearly on bee line
coast. During that time she was re-
early part q this year she was sighted
Gulf Stream at this point and then be-
time all the warships Of the United
mere OF she last to Scts sOa @ fSe
The Kearsarge failed. as did the .Vesu-
vius' which was sent on a special mis-
Now the Wolston has been sighted
again. This time It was by the steam
ship Christian johnson, on May 23 The
schooner was then about $3.50 miles east
by north Of Charleston, s. c.. and was
plumb In the steamships track. Since
the time she started from Hatteras to
the eastward she has drifted nearly 1000
miles. and when seen was still In condi-
tlon to drift as far again. Her masts
We're gone, her decks were awash, and the
only prominent part Of her hull was a
small section Of her fo'castle deck. that
reared, ,grass-laden and weather-worn.
above the seas. One solitary anchor
hung over her starboard bow, but aside
from this everything had been carried
away. Her decks looked as II she had
been rammed by q passing ship; 1t is
certain, II she had. that the said ship
What car be done with the Fannie z.
Wolston is matter that is troubling all
hands in the Hydrographic ONCE, and II
Is probable that one final attempt will be
made by war vessel to find and remove
forever the most dangerous derelict that
has ever knocked up and down the
American coast.