The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-05
CLYDE LINER BURNED AT SEA
THE BIC FREIGHTER CROATON
 VALUED AT $1OO,OOO.

SaVeN-Shlp Dut twenty AouFs rom
 New York and Going at Good Rate of
 Speed, i'm q Smooth Sea, When the
 Alarm Was Given-In Less Than Ten
 Minutes She Was Enveloped in
 Flames.
 Vineyard Haven, Mass, Nov. 4.-A disaster at sea, fortunately with small loss of life-five persons in all-was made known to-day by the landing here of twenty-two persons who escaped from the burning steamer Croaton of the Clyde line, bound from New York for Wilmington, N. C., and Georgetown, S. c. The disaster occurred on No vember 1 about eighteen miles north of Cape Charles and about 206 miles from New York, from which port the steamer sailed on October 31 with a general cargo and eight passengers. At 8 o'clock in the afternoon the burned hulk of the big freighter sank beneath the waves, but of the twenty-seven persons who were on board her twenty two have survived very tragic expe- rience. The 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 Croaton at the time she was burning. The Cro- atoms list is as follows:
 Drowned
 Second Assistant Engineer Jeremiah Me Carthy of Nova Scotia; leaves widow in
 Steward James Curtis of Jersey City.
 Mrs. James Curtis wife of the steward
 Frank -----, an oiler, Qast name un- EnoWn).
 Jennie Willard, colored, Wilmington, N. c.
 The survivors Captain c. M Hale, First Officer B. c. Conklin. Second Officer F. W. Corning, Chief Engineer c. Kennedy, First Assistant Engineer Charles E Bounce, Oiler w. H. Kelley, Cook k. l.. Lee, Waiter Rich ard Jordan, Sailors George Spanger, Stephen Duncan, James Burriss John Hanson, liar unknown Passengers R. W. White, wife and brother of Wilmington, N. C., N. Up- perman of Hamburg, German; Evelina Steadman cofored, and Jennie Hamilton, colored. of Wilmington, N c.
 The story of the disaster is graphical ly told by Captain Hale and other off, cers of the unfortunate vessel, as fol-
 lows: The Croatan was but twenty
 hours from New York on her way to Wilmington and going at a good rate
 of speed, with smooth sea and calm
 weather, when at p. m. fireman came hurriedly on deck and reported that the ship was on fire. A general oI., ptp1v rrt,ro oo effort made to lower the boats, but the fire spread with such rapidity that all { efforts to reach them was impossible because of the flames. In less than ten
 minutes after the fire was reported the ship was completely envloped 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 fols lowed a few minutes later, and the ship was then mass of flames. It was at this time that Captain Hale, seeing that to remain on the vessel 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 leave the ship, re- maining on deck with his first officer until they were completely enveloped in flames and the vessel had com- menced to sink There seemed to be no panic on board and men and women af ter flashing 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 1 passengers had their faces scorched and 1 many had their clothing on fire when | they leaped into the sea. The captain | and first officer succeeded in securing yawI boat which had been damaged in | lowering and by hard work rescued 1 eight persons from the water. The burning ship was sighted by the four | masted schooner Alice ID. Clark of Portland, Captain Clark of Norfolk,
 which lay becalmed six miles off, and 1 her captain sent a boat to aid in the
 work of rescue. They succeeded in i saving twelve persons from watery
 grave. They were taken on board the 1 Clark and given every possible atten- l tior.
 | Captain Clark not only gave them
 food and clothing, but supplied them
 with money to take them to their ! nOneS. lie ItSCuCd pCI SoIio til v bViAAo | cared for here at the Seaman's home ! and will proceed to New York to-mor-
 row. No explosives were known to be 1 among the ships cargo and the origin | of the fire is a mystery to the officers 1 and crew.
 | New York, Nov. 4.-The following tel i egram was received at the office of the ! Clyde line this afternoon.
 | Vineyard Haven, Mass.-Croaton
 burned Tuesday; here with twenty-two ] persons. Please send transportation ! here. .. Il. Hale. | This was the first intimation that the l company received as to the loss of the l ship. It was said at the office that nothing further was known and that i the. agents were arranging the trans
 portation asked for.
 The Croaton was loaded with general merchandise. She left here on October 1 29 for Wilmington, N. C., and George l town, S c. She was under command i of Captain Hale. The vessel was used l for freight only, though she had accom- i modations for twelve passengers. The