The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-05
AF4AWEON
THEOCEAN.
Total Destruction of the Clyde Line
Steamer Croaton.
ALL BUT FIVE WERE RESCUED.

The Fire Gained So Rapidly That There
was No Time to Lower the Boats,
and the Twenty-seven Persons on
Board Jumped Overheard.
Vineyard Haven, Mass, Nov. "a
disaster at sea, fortunately with small
loss Of life, five persons In all, was
made known yesterday 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 Nov. /,
about is miles north Of Cape Charles,
and about 206 miles from New York
from which port the steamer sailed
on Oct. 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. OF
the q persons who were on board %
survived. These passengers were land
ed at this port yesterday afternoon by
the schooner Alice r. Clark, of Port
land, Me, which had been in the vicin-
lty Of the Croatan at the time she was
burning.
The Croatan's list Of drowned is as
follows: Second Assistant Engineer
jeremiah Mccarthy, of Nova Scotia.
leaves a widow in New York; Steward
James Curtis, Jersey City; Mrs. James
Curtis, wife of the steward: Frank, an
oiler Qast name unknown; Jennie
Willard (colored), Wilmington, N. c.
The Croatan was but 20 hours from
| New York, and going at a good rate
| of speed, with a smooth sea and calm
weather, when at 3 p. m. a nr knar
| came hurriedly on deck and reported
that the ship was on fire. A genera
alarm was Immediately given, and an
effort was 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
discovered an explosion took place in
the cargo, which blew off the after
matches. second explosion followed
few minutes later, and the ship was
then mass of flames. 1t was at this
time that Captain Hale, seeing that to
remain on the vessel meant sure death,
gave orders for all hands to jump over
board 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 enveloped in flames
and the vessel had commenced 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 the chances Of
| escape We're 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 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, Captain Clark which lay be-
Gained six miles Off and her captain
sent boats crew to aid in the work
Of rescue. They succeeded in saving
| IL persons from a watery grave, many
| of whom had been an hour or more in
the water and had become nearly ex-
| hausted. They We're taken on board the
Clark and given every possible atten>
| ton.
No explosives were known to be
among the ships cargo, and the origin
OF the fire is a mystery to her officers
| and crew