The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-05
DISASTER.
Croatan Burn
ed at Sea.
FIVE LIVES LOST.
Schooner Rescues Remain
ing Passengers and Grew.

Vineyard Haven, Nov A disaster
at sea, fortunately with small loss
of life, five persons in all, was made
known today by the landing here of %
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
l, about Is miles north of Cape Charles,
and about 2O6 miles from New York,
from which port the steamer sailed on
October 81, with a general cargo and
eight passengers.
At 3 O'clock in the afternoon the
burned hulk of the big freighter sank
beneath the waves, but of the 81 per-
sons who We're on board her, % have
survived a very tragic experience.
These passengers were landed at this
port this afternoon by the schooner AL
ice f. Clark of Portland, Me, which
had been in the vicinity Of the Croatan
at the time she was burning. The
Croatan's list is as follows:
Drowned--Second Assistant Engineer
leaves a widow in New York
Steward James Curtis of Jersey City
Mrs James Curtis, wife Of the stew
ard
Frank an oiler Gast name IN
Jennie Willard (coIored), Whining
ton, NJ C.
The urvivors-Captain c. M. Hale.
First officer B. C. Conl1lin, Second Off
Ger It. w. Corning, Chief Engineer c.
Kennedy, First Assistant Engineer
Charles e. Bounce, Oiler w. H. Kelley
Cook r. Lee, Waiter Richard Jordan,
Sailors George Spanger, Stephen Dun
can, James Burriss John Hanson Har-
ry Hanson, three Spanish f1remen
names unknown; passengers, r, W.
White wife and brother, of Whining
ton, N. c.; N. Uppernan of Hamburg;
Germany; Evelina Steadman (colored),
and Jennie Hamilton (colorei) of VIII
mington, N. c.
The story of disaster is graphically
told by Captain Hale and other officers
of the unfortunate vessel as follows:
The Croatan was but 20 hours from
New York on her way to Wilmington
and going at a good rate of speed, with
a smooth sea and calm weather. when
at p. m, a fireman came huriedly on
deck and reported that the ship was
on fire.
"A
en- and an effort made to lower 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 than ten minutes after
the fire was reported the ship was COM
pletely enveloped in flames from stem
to stern Shortly after the fire was dis
cargo, which blew off the after-hatch-
es.
A second explosion followed a few
minutes later and the ship was then
mass of flames. it was at this time
that Capt. 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, staying on deck with
his first officer until they were COM
pletely enveloped in flames and the YES
sci had commenced to sink
There seemed to be Il o 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 certain than
if they remained on board the burning
ship. Some of the passengers had their
faces scorched and many had their
clothing on fire, when they leaped into
the sea. The captain and first officer
succeeded IN securing q yaWl BOAT,
which had been damaged in lowering,
and by hard work rescued eight per-
sons from the water.
The burning ship was sighted by the
four-masted schooner Alice e. ClalS of
Portland, Capt. Clark, Norfolk for
Portland which layvbecalmed six miles
off, and her captain sent a boat crew
to aid in the work of rescue. They sue
ceeded in saving - persons from a wa
terry grave, 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 passengers all
speak in the highest praise of the treat
ment they received at the hands of
Capt Clark, his wife and crew on board
the Clark.
Can't. Clark not only gave the ship
wrecked men and women food and
clothing, but supplied them with money
to take them to their homes. The res
cued persons are being cared for here
at the Seamans bethel and at the
homes of citizens and will proceed to
New York tomorrow.
No explosives were known to be
among the ships cargo and the origin |
of the fire is a mystery to officers and |
crew.
FAVE IEEIICAI rNa