The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-11-08
TERRIBLE DISASTER AT SEA.
The Clyde Line Steamer CroatRn Burns to
the Waters Edge on Cape Charles
Five People Lose Their Lives.

Five People Lose Their Lives.
VINYARD HAVEN, Mass, Nov. ga
| disaster at sea, fortunately with
small loss of life, five persons in all,
was made known Friday by the land
ing here of % persons who escaped
from the burning steamer CrOatan, OF
the Clyde line, bound from New York
for Wilmington, n. c., and George
town, S. G.. The disaster occurred on
November 1, about IS miles north Of
Cape Charles and about 205 miles from
New York, from which port the steamer
Jailed on October 81, with general
cargo and eight passengers.
At o'clock in the afternoon the
beneath the waves. OF the 81 persons
who were ON board, % have survived.
These passengers were landed at this
port Friday 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
Croatans list of drowned is as fol
lows:
Second Assistant Engineer Jeremiah
Mccarthy, of Nova Scotia, leaves a
widow in New York.
Steward James Curtis, of Jersey City.
Mrs. James Curtis, wife of the stew
ard.
Frank -, an oiler, CAST name I'M
knOwn).
Jennie Willard, colored, Wilmington,
n. e.
The story of the disaster is told by
Capt. Hale and other officers of the I'M
fortunate vessel as follows:
THE CrOaton was but 20 hours from
New York on her way to Wilmington
and going at good rate of speed, with
| o 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 Immediate
ly given and an effort was made to low
er the boats, but the fire spread with
such rapidity that all efforts to
reach them were unavailing because
than ten minutes after the fire was re-
ported the ship was completely envel-
Oped IN flames from stem to stern.
Shortly after the fire was discovered
an explosion took place in the cargo,
which blew off the after-hatches.
a second explosion followed few
minutes later and the ship was
then a mass of flames 1t was
at this time that Superintendent Hale,
seeing that to remain on the
vessel meant sure death, gave orders
for al hands to jump overheard and
save themselves as best they could.
The gallant captain was the last man
to leave the ship, remaining en- deck
with his first officer, until they we're
completely enveloped in flames md
the vessel had commenced to sink.
There seemed to be no panic on board
and men and women, after flashing on
their life preservers, calmly leaped
into the water, knowing that their
chances of escape were much more GER
tain than if they remained on board
the burning ship. Some of the pas
sengerS had their faces scorched and
many had their clothing on fire wien
they leaped into the sea. The captain
and first officer succeeded IL 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 Clark, of
Portland, Capt. Clark, from 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 - persons,
many of whom had been an hour or
more in the water and had become
nearly exhausted. They were taken
on board the Clark and given every
possible attention.
Capt. Hale, his officers, crew and pas
sengers all speak in the highest praise
of the treatment they received at the
hands of Capt. Clark, his wife and the
crew on board the Clark
Capt. Clark not only gave the ship.
wrecked men and women food and
clothing, but supplied them with
money to take them to their homes
INr rnTnTHETO or C.rYYDo-