The Portland daily press., 1898-11-05

Vim eyard Haven, Mass. November A.
A disaster at sea, fortunately with small
loss of life-five persons in all-was made
known today by the landing here of
twenty-five persons who escaped from the
burning steamer Croatan of the Clyde
ton. N. c., and Georgetown, S. G. The
disaster occurred on November 1st about
eighteen miles north of Cape Charles and
about 206 miles from New York from
which port the steamer sailed October 81
with a general cargo and eight passengers.
burned hulk of the big freighter sank be.
meath the waves but of the twenty-seven
persons who were on board her twenty
two have survived very tragic expert
ence. These were landed at this port this
afternoon by the schooner Alice E. Clark
of Portland, Me-. which had been in the
vicinity of the Croatan at the time she
was burning. The Croatan's list is as
follows:
Drowned:
Second Assistant Engineer jeremiah
MCCARTHY of Nova Scotia; leaves widow
in New York.
Steward James Curtis of Jersey City.
Mrs James Curtis, wife of the steward.
Frank -, an oiler Qast name un-
known.)
Jennie Willard (colorsd), Wilmington,
N. 9.
bo Gantnin q M Halo
First officer B. G. Conklin, Second
Officer f. W. Corning, Chief Engineer
G. Kennedy, First Assistant Engineer
Charles E. Bounce, Oiler W. Fl. Kelley,
Cook r. L. Lee. Waiter Richard Jordan,
Sailors George Spanger,. Stephen Duncan,
James Burriss, John Hanson, Harry
Hanson; three Spanish firsmen, names
unknown ;vpassengers, R. W. White, wife
and brother of Wilmington, N. c., N.
Upperman of Hamburg, Germany, Eve
lima Steadman (colored) and Jennie
Hamilton (colored) of Wilmington, N. G.
The story of the disaster is graphically
told by Captain Hale and the other off :
GERS of the unfortunate vessel as follows:
The Croatan was but twenty hours out
from Nsw York on her way to Whining
ton and Georgetown, going at good rate
OF speed, with u smooth sea and calm
weather, when at p. M. a fireman came
hurriedly on deck and reported that the
ship was on fire. A general alarm was
Immediately given and an effort made 20
lower the boats, but the flames spread
with su,h rapidity that all efforts to reach
them were unavailing because Of the
flames. In fact, in less than ten minutes
after the fire was reported, the ship was
completely enveloped in flames from stem
to stern. Shortly after the fire was dis
covered, an explosion took place in the
cargo which blew off the after matches. A
second expl osion followed a few minutes
later, and the ship was then mass OF
flames. It was ut this time that Captain
Hale, seeing that to remain on the vessel
meant sure death, gave orders LOT all
hands to Jump overheard and save them-
selves as best they could. The gallant
captain was the last to leave the ship, re-
manning on deck with his first officer un-
til thev were completely enveloped In
flames and the vessel mad commenced to
sink.
There seemed to be no panic on board,
and men and women, after lashing on
their life preservers, calmly leaped into
the water knowing that their chances OF
they remained on board the burning ship.
Some of the passengers had their faces
soorohed, and many had their clothing on
fire when they leapsd into the sea. The
captain and first officer succeeded in
securing yawl boat, which had been
damaged in lowering and by hard work
rescued eight persons from the water.
The burning ship was sighted by the
four masted schooner Alice e. Clark of
Portland, Captain Clark, Norfolk for
Portland, which lay becalmed six miles
off and her captain sent boat crew TO
aid In the work of rescue. They succeeded
in saving twelve persons from watery
grave, many of whom had been an houf
or more in the water, and had become
nearly exhausted. They were taken on
board the Clark and given every possinle
attention. Captain Hale, his otnceIs,
crew and passengers, all speak IN the
highest praise of the treatment they re-
ceived at the hands of Captain CLARK, MS
wife and crew on board the CLARK,
Captain Clark not only gave tee snip
wrecked men aud women food ana clo6n
| ing, but supplied them with money 70
| taEe them to their homes. Tne rescued
nersans are bai1.g cared for here at the
Saamen's Bethel and at the homes OF
citizens and will proceed to New York to-
No explosives were known to be among