The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-01-28
THREE BARGEs SUNK.
And Twelve Persons Drowned-Long
Island sound the Scene of Terrible
Accident.

Accident.
New London, Conn.,, January 26.-The
worst disaster that has happened in
Long Island Sound in years occurred last
night, and became known this morning,
when the tug Sea King, Captain Ohm
stead, arrived in this harbor in thick
fog The Sea King left Hammond fats
Thursday evening, about o'clock, with
fair weather and light westerly wind.
She was bound to Providence and New
port with five barges, all but one of the
fleet consigned to Providence. The barg-
es were coal laden, and carried $500 tons.
The Sea King came through to the race
last night about 5 O'Clock, with light
westerly wind prevailing, and clear
weather, which continued up to nearly
II O'Clock, at which time the tow was
six miles east of Point Judith. Then the
o'clock had increased to a gale from the
east southeast. The sea was terrific,
running with tremendous force, and
making clean breach over the sturdy
tug.
1t was apparent that it was to be a
fierce struggle for this boat to set
through if the gale held OH, and If it in
creased in force it would be very doubt
full indeed, if the tug and tow would
survive. The waves broke over the tug,
flooding her cabin kitchen, and the air
was filed with binding snow, so that it
was impossible to see the length of the
craft.
Captain OImstead and Pilot William
Dodd, at the wheel of the Sea King,
| IaI ttrr< oh nd "a mill
away at the long tow behind her until 2
o'clock. The storm was AS fierce as ever
then. 1t was Immediately seen that the
tow had broken apart and the barges
were going adrift. While looking at the
laboring craft, the first two or three
harges foundered. The head barge of
the tow foundered about 6 O'Clock this
morning, and then the immense hawser
that held her was cut. L he tug lay by
in the vicinity until 7.30 O'Clock, to res
| cue any of the men who might survive
in the fierce sea. One man and a boy
were taken from the barge Nettie before
she went down. TO save another life
was i'm possible. for the tug could not
get nigh enough. nor did she at first dare
turn from heading into the sea. She did
turns finally, and took off the crew OF
the Nettie.
There were 10 lives lost by the disas-
ter, four of them women and eight men.
| AS soon as the Sea King took off the
Nettie's crew, and it was apparent that
no other lives could be saved, the tug
ran for this harbor to escape the fury of
the storm. She had labored heroically
to make Roadway against the wind and
sea, but could not do it.
The lost are: Captain Frank Hoffman,
Mrs. Hoffman, their daughter and a
deck hand of the barge Crocus, Captain
Hartsno, Mrs. Hartsho and deck hand of
| oo1a Yota in Dar oJYnf, n
deck hand of barge Albert M; Captain
of the barge hinge, his wife and deck
| hand.
The names where not mentioned could
not be ascertained on the Sea King
when she arrived here. The sea outside
was terrific today, and dense fog pre-
vailed. Captains Olmstead and Dodd
say that their experience was the worst
ever encountered, and that but few tugs
could have stood the drubbing the Sea
King got.
Tug Right Arm ran in with schooner
Alfred Brabook in tow, and the Scran-
ton, bound for Boston, also had to make
harbor here Captain Olmstead of the
Sea- King entered protest at the custom
house this forenoon.
A Providence despatch says the barges
were made out as being all right and in
tow at 4 O'Clock this morning, by Cap
tain Asa Church of Point Judit h sta
| tlOn. Inc disaster muSG nave come aIGef
and the barges may have gone down off
Green Hill by striking the ledge after
being cut adrift. Tonight, near DEVILS
Creek, on the Quoneeontang beach, the
body of man was found dashed to a
hatch. The clothing was ripped off by
the action of the sea, and only the shirt
remained. The garment closely covered
the head. The corpse was found by
Charles Taylor and Thomas Saunders,
who were aiding the life patrol. They
notified Medical Examiner j. O. Saunders.
of Carolina, and his word was awaited
before removal. The sailor had evident
| ly dashed himself to the hatch in hopes
of being rescued alive.
| The steamer Nashua arrived at Provi-
dence many hours late. Her gingerbread
work is gone, and she was quite badly
damaged. The Nashua passed Point
Judith at O'Clock, and nothing was
seen of any wrecks.
A four-master was riding at anchor off
Block Island, and the Nashua's cap
tain said every lurch looked as though it
| would be the last. Most of the persons
on the barges belonged in Providence.