The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-10
qYDEGEANERBJRNED
Passengers and Grew Escape
in Boats and on Rats.
BLAZED UP OFF BARNECAT.
Fire Discovered Shortly Before 10
O'clock at Night.

Pnsscnger Reports It Was Preceded
by Two ExpIosiOns-Disciplin or
the Crew Perfect and Passengers
Not Panic Stricken--Life Crew and
Tug 60 to the Assistance of the
Shipwrecked - The Captain the
Last Man to Leave the ship-steam-
err Finally Sinks.
Atlantic city, N. J., July 9,-The Barne-
gat, N. j., life saving station reports THAI
at $50 o'clock that the Clyde steamer
Delaware from New York for Charleston
and Jacksonville. was abandoned off Bar
negat at 1920 last night, the steamer at
the time being on fire.
The passengers and crew left the burns
ing vessel in boats and on life RATS.
There were seventy persons In all and
they were rescued by the members of the
Cedar Creek life saving station, with tha
aid of the crew of the fishing smack s.
p. Miller.
New York, July 9.--Advlces from Barne~
gat say that the life saving crews on near
ing the Delaware found that the passen-
gers had been driven from the steamer by
flame and heat and were floating on the
surface of calm sea in small boats and
on life RATS.
The Cedar Creek life boat was the. first
to arrive Some of the RATS were found
to be dangerously overloaded; and they
were Hghtened in haste until the life boat
was full. The fishing smack $. p. Miller
came up soon afterward and took aboard
theN rest Of the endangered persons.
At this time one boat had disappeared
In the darkness and some fear was felt
for her safety The Miller cruIsed about
in search for her without success for
many hours, but she was found when
daylight came.
At dawn the Luckenbach Towing Conn
pany's tug Ocean King steamed up. drawn
to the spot by the appearance Of disas-
ter The passengers and some of the crew
were transferred TO her and she continued
on her voyage to this city.
The captain and twelve of the crew
were taken ashore In the surf boats. and
boarded train for New York to report
to the head office.
John H. 1Iable Of Hackensack N. J.s
who was on the Delaware, said
udu IGAitGu dl dDOdA 1sfv " SAOlh OAA
Friday night and had barely disrobed
when sailor began hammering at the
state room shouting, All up The MEM
bers OF the crew commenced cutting holes
In the saloon flooring with axes and
hatchets and from every hole thus cut
great flames burst forth and began con-
suming the cabin furniture. 1t was APP
parent at glance that the vessel was
doomed.
Preparations were quickly made for
taking to the boats. The transfer was
made safely, showing the complete disci-
pline Under which Capt. Ingram had his
crew, No boat capsized, neither man nor
woman got wet and the transfer was con-
Quoted in manner most praiseworthy to
the officers and crew of the ship"
Thomas H.. Wholess of Austin. Tex, a
correspondent of the Galveston News, said
there were three loud explosions and two
minor ones on the ship.
NH. Whoess said: 1T was moonlight
right; there was very little wind and the
surface of the water was by no means
rough. These conditions enabled the ships
officers and crew to effect the transfer OF
the passengers to the boat with almost
military precision.
The captain was the last man to leave
the ship. He lowered himself over ths
side by rope into raft.
Boat No 2, in which I had left the
Ship was rowed up to this raft, line
thrown out and we lowed the raft clear
Of the ship, out of danger and away from
the fierce flames and terrible heat.
"The passengers escaped, many only
partially dressed. Passengers and crew
alike lost their baggage and effects The
passengers and crew were saved by means
Of our life boats and two RATS, all OF
which were provisioned and watered.
"The women behaved splendidly, and,
indeed, there was no excitement among
the passengers or crew."
The Delaware was formerly a frelghter,
but recently, when the government secured
some of the Clyde Lines passenger ships,
the Delaware had to be used for passen-
ger service She was wooden ship, built
IN Philadelphia in 1880, and was valued at
$125,0O0. The vessel was insured, though
for what amount could not be ascertained.
The superintendent of the life saving
station at Point Pleasant reported this
afternoon that the Delaware had sunk
about three and one-half miles off that
place.