The record-union., 1898-11-05
A Steamer Burns and Sinks Near
Cape Charles.
All But Five Of the Twenty Seven Persons
on Board Saved.
The Vessel Completely Enve1oped
in Flames Within Ten Minutes
After the Fire Was Reported
The Rescued Persons Taken to
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts.

VINEYARD HAVEN (Mass), Nov.
A disaster at sea- fortunately with
small loss of life, five persons in all.
was made known to-day by the land
ing here of twenty-five persons who
escaped from the burning steamer
Croatan of the Clyde Line, bound from
New York for Wilmington, n. c., and
Georgetown, S. c.
The disaster occurred on November
1st, about eighteen miles north of Cape
Charles. The steamer sailed from New
York on October 31st with a general
cargo and eight passengers. AT )
o'clock in the afternoon the burned
hull of the freighter sank beneath the
waves. OF the twenty-Seve persons
who We're on board, twenty-five have
survived. These were landed at this
port this afternoon by the schooner
Alice Z. Clark of Portland, Me-, which
had been in the vicinity of the Croatan
| at the time she was burned.
The Croatan's list of drowned is as
follows: Second Assistant Engineer
jeremiah Mccarthy of Nova Scotia,
| leaves a widow in New York: Steward
James Curtis, Jersey City; Mrs. James
Curtis, wife of the steward: Frank
-, an oiler 0ast name unknown);
u ClllIlC w IlctId N@OiClCdJS w lOAi'
n. c.
The story of the disaster is told by
Captain Hale and other officers as fol-
| lows:
The Croatan was but twenty hours
from New York on her way to Will
mington, with a smooth sea and calm
weather when shortly before p m.
| fireman came hurriedly on deck and
reported that the ship was on fire. A
| general alarm was given, and an eff
| fort was made to lower the boats. but
| the fire spread with such rapidity that
all efforts to reach them were 'unavail-
| ing In fact, in less ten minutes after
| the fire was reported the ship was
| completely enveloped in flames from
/ stem to stern.
| Shortly after the fire was discov-
! cred an explosion took place in the
cargo, which blew off the after matches.
! A second explosion followed a few
minutes later, and the ship was then
| a mass Of flames
1t was at this time that Captain
| Hale seeing that to remain on the yes
sci meant sure death, gave orders for
! all hands to jump overheard and save
| themselves as best they could. The
gallant Captain was the last man to
| his first officer until they were COM
| pletely enveloped in flames and the
vessel had commenced to sink.
| There seemed to be no panic on
| board and the men and women after
lashing on their life preservers, calmly
| leaped into the water, seeing that their
/ chances of escape were much more
certain than if they remained on board
| the burning ship. Some of the passen-
! gers had their faces scorched, and
many had their clothing on fire when
| they leaped into the water.
/ The Captain and first officer sue
ceeded in securing a 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,
] which lay about six miles off. and her
! Captain sent a boat and crew to aid
! in the work of rescue. They succeeded
/ in rescuing twelve persons, many or
whom had been an hour or more IN
the water and nearly exhausted. They
were taken on board the Clark, ana
given every attention.
The rescued persons are being cared
| for here at the Seamen's Bethel and
at the homes of citizens, and will pro-
] ceed to New York tomorrow.
| No explosives We're known to be
among the ships cargo, and the origin
of the fire is a mystery to her officers
| and crew.