The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-06
The BOnnell Afire in Long
Island Sound.
No Trace of Her Captain or
Crew Has Yet Been Found.
Vessel Appears to Have Cargo of
Inflammable Material.

SOUTH NORwALK, Conn.,, Jan. g.
The three mssted schooner NJ. l.. Bon
nell, whose hailing port, destination ana
owners are unknown. was burnt ito the
waters edge on Long Island Sound last
night, near the Cocknoe island. The yes.
sci caught fire about o'clock last night
of Oak Neck, l.. l., and drifted In the
Sound all night until this morning. She
was discovered of Copp Island, one of
the Norwalk group of ISLANDS, about four
miles of shore. The steamers Medea,
Capt. Rowland and j. Howard,
Lowndes, of this city put out to the
burning wreck. The Lowndes reached
the wreck first and found the name of
the steamer to be that given above.
The vessel had been abandoned and
there is not the slightest trace Of the
captain or crew. The schooner In now
practically burned to the waters edge.
Her main and mizzen masts are gone
although some OF her sails are still set.
The cargo is evidently of the nature of an
acid and is stored In casks. AS the fire
reached the cargo in the hold these casks
exploded and added fuel to the flames,
Captain Lowndes succeeded In getting
line to the burning vessel and towed her
to the bar on the Cocknoe Island where
she is still burning. IT is impossible :to
board the vessel as the fire Is still burn
ing.
SOUTHPORT, Conn.,, Jan. 6.-At
o'clock this morning what appeared to
be a serious fire at sea was discovered by
the inhabitants of Southport. A bout one
burning fiercely and in about an hour II
was apparent that the rvessel would prob
ably be burned TO the waters edge. At
daylight the weather began to thicken
and the burning vessel soon drifted from
view to the westward. Owing to the
darkness and thick weather it was i'm
possible to tell the character Of the vss-
sci but by the volume of tiameit could be
seen that ii was either a three masted
schooner or Sound steamer. A tug has
put out toward the scene from some
point to the west of Southport.
SAUoATUCK, Conn.,, Jan. 6.-Shortly
after day break this morning early risers
were attracted by a bright fire which was
burning on the Sound of here. A little
later ii was discovered that there was a
serious fire and that large three masted
schooner was being consumed. Ihe ves-
sci when first seen was floating near the
Cauken Islands, which are about two
miles of shore from the mainland at Sau-
gatuck. at an early hour this morning
assistance in the shape of three tugs went
out to the burning ship. There Is appar-
emily no chance OF saving the vessel and
ii is thought here that the schooner's
cargo must have been of oil. At 1920 the
wreck was plainly visible from this har-
Dor.
NEW YORK, Jan. 6.-The three masted
schooner reported on fire near Southport
on the Sound this morning was seen by
the steamship Maine, Captain G.EH. Will
hanson, OF the Stonington line, which
arrived here this morning and the name
wes made out to he the s. NJ. BonnelI.
The schooner was seen about $40 this
morning lying southeast from Norfolk
island about four miles in a glare OF
flames. The Maine stopped her engines,
a boat was lowered and taken IN charge
by frst pilot IL. r. Barrett, who APP
preached the wreck as near as the heat
would permit. The doomed vessel was
enveloped in mass OF fire, which bad
started in the stern and had graduslly
worked it's way over the whole vessel.
All the transom hsd been broken away
leaving yawning space almost down to
the waters edge. The mizzen mast had
fallen and had caught in the rigging OF
the sper ahead. The other spars were ell
in flames and the sails that had not
been slroady burned we're hanging in
shreds. IRE bowsprlt was the only part
of the vessel that had not caught fire and
the jibs were lying loosely.
There was a ladder over tho side near
tho port bow, showing whore the crew
had hastily taken to the boat, probably
without saving anything. The name was
made out on the bow. There was high
wind blowing and the ire roared ano
snapped fiercoly shooting up the rigging
and spars and lighting the surrounding
darkness in IT'S glare and making tae
heat intense. The maiumast had almost
burned sway at the foot and was just
ready to tumble. MIR. Barrett said Ahe
was fine looking vessel and her destruc-
-tier- uas-a-diAinal- ht--He- -tneught
from appearances that the crew had
escaped sofely, but ne said that II the
wreck II left where IL Is II will be seri-
Gus danger to vessels and tho authorities
should at once ho notified to remove IL.
At the Office OF X. W. Cameron N Co.,
New York agent OF NJ. l.. Bonnell no
details Of the schooner bad teen received
aud they declined to give any informa-
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