The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-05
FIVE PEOPLE DROWNED
STEAMER CROATAN BURNED AND
SUNK IN THE ATLANTIC.
Passengers and Crew Forced to Jump
OverbOnrd-Twenty Picked Up
and Taken to Boston.

VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass, Nov A.
Captain Hale and number of the crew
and passengers of the Clyde line steamer
Croatan, from New York for Wilmington,
N. G., and Georgetown, S. c.. arrived here
this afternoon, reporting that the steamer
was burned and sank off Cape Charles Nov.
l. Five persons were a5rowned. The names
of the lost are: Second Assistant Engineer
Mccarthy, of Nova Scotia Steward James
Curtis, of Jersey City; Frank -, oiler;
Mrs. James Curtis, wife of steward Jennie
Willard, colored, of Wilmington, passengers.
The disaster occurred on Nov. /, about
eighteen miles north of Cape Charles and
about 2O6 miles from New York, from which
port the steamer sailed on Oct 81, with a
general cargo and eight passengers. At
o'clock in the afternoon the burned hulk
OF the big freighter sank beneath the
waves. OF the twenty-seven persons who
were on board twenty-five have survived.
These passengers 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 story of the disaster is told by Capt.
Hale and other officers of the unfortunate
vessel as follows: The Croatan was but
(WSALly lOulS LIOAA4 4NCW yin, Oll lASL way
to Wilmington, and going at good rate of
speed, with smooth sea and calm wealth
or when, at p. m, fireman came hur-
riedly on deck and reported that the ship
was on fire. A general alarm was immedi-
ately 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 of the flames. In fact
in less minutes after the fire
reported the ship was completely enveloped
in flames from stem to- stern. Shortly after
the fire was discovered 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
mass of flames 1t was at this time that
Superintendent Hale, seeing that to remain
on the vessel meant sure death, gave or
ders for all hands to jump overheard and
save themselves as best they could The
gallant captain was the last man to leave
the ship, remaining on deck with his first
officer until they were completely envel-
oped in flames and the vessel had COM
menced 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 escape were much more certain
than if they remained on board the burning
ship. Some of the passengers had their
faces scorched and many had their cloth
ing on fire when they leaped into the sea-
The captain and first officer succeeded in
securing a yawl boat, which had been dam
aged in lowering, and. by hard work, res
cued eight persons from the water.
The burning ship was sighted by the four
masted schooner Alice Clark, of Portland,
Captain 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
twelve persons many of whom had been
an hour or more in the water, and had be-
come nearly exhausted. They were taken
on board the Clark and given every possi-
BILE attention. No explosives were known to
be among the ships cargo, and the origin
of the fire is a mystery to her officers and
crew.