The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-10
Raj ASHORE IN A FOG
STEAMER PURITAN FAST AGROUND
ON GREAT GULL ISLAND.
Her Passengers safely L~anded-The
Irrayvadf stuck on a New Jersey
Bar-Loss of n Lake Steamer

and the southwest end OF Fishers island. and
twelve miles south OF New London. The
Puritan was going at her ordinary rate of
speed and took the ground with a rush. The
great iron plates OF the Puritan's bottom
were stove for a considerable distance. but
no water penetrated the inner shell OF he
vessel. The first news OF the accident was
brought to this city by the steamer City of
Worcester, OF the Norwich line, which ar
rived soon after A o'clock. Her captain re-
ported hearing a steamer whistling for as
sistance in the direction of Great Gull
island. and. making his way cautiously, he
discovered that the disabled boat was the
Puritan. east-bound, lying hard and fast
aground, though in a comparatively easy
position. AT s o'clock this morning the first
mate OF the Puritan was rowed to the
wharf here by a crew Of eight MEN in the
long boat. From him IL was learned that
his boat went ashore a few minutes after 2
O'Clock, and at almost the top of the tide,
in a dense fog which prevailed. He stated,
although a sharp watch was kept for the
whistle on Great Gull island, il was not
heard. Captain Miner. of the City of Wor-
cester, confirms this statement, saying that
his lookouts were unable TO hear any whis-
tie as they approached the island from the
west, but after passing It the whistle could
be plainly heard. This failure to. hear it is
proof of an assertion often made by marin
ers, that under certain conditions the whis-
tie cannot be heard, and, therefore, is prac-
tically useless as a means of warming in
fog.
The boat had 1Jo passengers. There was
no panic. TIL officers of the vessel soon
pacified the fears OF the passengers and
when the mate and crew had left the boat
all settled down quietly to await the res
cring tugs. TIL passengers were landed
here at 4 o'clock this afternoon and they
proceeded to their. destinations by train.
The steamer is still stuck hard on Great
Guil island and Is being lightered in hope
that she will be foated at the next high
tide at $3.50 o'clock Sunday morning. one
passenger, a lady who was i'll. remained on
board the Puritan, to be brought over on
a later tug boat. The steamer lies in an
easy position, with about two feet forward
out OF the water on the north side. The
weather at this time is mild. but If a north
west storm should spring up 1t would give
the vessel a tough experience and would
greatly endanger her. She is now in about
fourteen feet of water aft under no APP
parent strain. Wrecker Scott thinks her
position TO be fair for being foated at high
tide when lightered. There are others, how
ever, who think the wreckers will have a
lot Of trouble with her before she is pulled
The Puritan undoubtedly went ashore be-
cause Of the inability OF those on board to
hear the fog horn. There are well-known
atmospheric conditions prevailing in that
vicinity that make the sounu uncertain.
Captain Smith. Of the steamer Manhansett.
and Superintendent Gardiner, when APP
preaching the Puritan this afternoon. took
particular notice OF this. and they failed
TO hear her whistle during the two minutes
previous TO making the steamer; also when
leaving, taking q north-northeast course, it
was at least five minutes before the Man
hansett got into the air belt in which the
a. AA.s1l - Ao- nj -.
Department is aware of these conditions,
and has been making experiments to deter
mine the cause and introduce a remedy. In
this locality shipmasters have two shores
to look out for. It is necessary 10 avoid
getting too close. and In avoiding this shore
in foggy weather there is danger in running
ashore to the southwark. In this way the
accident probably occurred TO the Puritan.
Captain Davis getting too far southwark
and off his course in the fog.
Wrecker Scott has two tugs and several
lighters alongside the steamer, and there
have been offers of assistance from all the
men in the wrecking business along the
coast and from other steamboat companies.
Loss Of the Missoula.
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich, Nov. q
The long-overdue steamer Missoula foun-
dered on Lake Superior last Saturday night
after drifting about in a disabled condition
for two days. The crew took TO the life
boats and saved themselves, finally land
ing on the north shore of the lake. Captain
Williams and four men reached here late
last night in a small sailboat. A tug left
here this morning TO bring the rest of the
crew to this port. Captain Williams abso-
lutely refused to be interviewed and had
instructed his men to say nothing to any
one. The men, however, were inclined 20
be somewhat communicative. and tod the
following story of the disaster: The
steamers shaft broke Friday morning
when many miles above Whitefish point.
and as there was considerable wind and sea
the steamer fell into the trough Of the
waves and rolled about helplessly. The
wind was southwest and increased TO a
gale, driving her before it. The seams were
opened and the steamer began leaking.
Although the steam pumps were worked to
the full capacity. the leaks gained. and at
Q o'c.ock Saturday night all hands took
teen miles northeast of Caribou island.
All night long the shipwrecked men drifted
on Lake Superior in the freezing cold. and
IL was not until Sunday afternoon that
they reached the shore. They sighted land
in the vicinity OF Gargantua harbor. sew
enty-fve miles north of this port. and were
cared for by the people OF the place. Early
I'm the week the crew started again on their
way to Sault Ste. Marie. and succeeded so
well that they reached Lizard island, many
miles on their way. There. however, nearly
all the crew remained. and the captain.
chief engineer, second mate, wheeISman
and q Waterman manned one OF the boats,
and. hosting a small sail. managed to
reach port last night"
Steamer Irrnwadi ON n Bar.
LONG BRANCH. y. j., Nov. 9.-Shortly
before 3 o'clock this afternoon the steamer
Irrawadi. of Glasgow, from South America
to New York. with fifteen passengers. a
crew of ffty-five men and a cargo of two
thousand tons of asphalt. came ashore or
the bar between Third and Fourth avenues
ana now lies in an easy position in fifteen
feet Of water. Word has been sent to
New York for one of the company's tugs
and ii is believed that the steamer will be
hoated late this afternoon without any ma
terial damage. At the time the vessel came
ashore there was a dense fog prevailing.
As soon as the vessel came upon the beach
the life-saving crew of station No. 8 was
summoned, and came prepared TO take the
passengers off. but all but one of them
preferred to remain on board. having been
assured by the captain, Frank Biers. tina,
there was no danger. The Irrawadi left
Trinidad last Friday and encountered foggy
weather a greater part OF the time. She
belongs TO the Trinidad Steamship Com
pany. and in addition to the asphalt she has
on board five hundred tons of produce and
cocoa.
The ~lfe-saving crew brought ashore c. f.
/ ~ ~ ~ ~ til a--A-T