The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-05
ON A BURNING STEAMER
Fire Destroys the Croatian, of The
Clyde Line.
A SMALL LOSS OF LIFE
Five Out OF a Crew OF Twenty-Seven
Unaccounted For-Didn't Have Tins
to Launch the Boats-Jumped
Into the Sea-

Vineyard Haven. Mass, Nov. "A
disaster at sea, fortunately with a
small loss Of life. five persons in all.
was made known to-day by the land
ing here of 22 person. who escaped
from the burning steamer Croatian OF
the Clyde line. bound from New York
for Wilmington, ". c.. and Georgetown.
s. c.
The disaster occurred on Nov. 1
about IL 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 i'm the after
noon the burned hull of the big freight
| er sank beneath the waves. or the "a
persons who were on board. % have
survived. These passengers were land
ed at this port this afternoon by the
schooner Alice T.. Clark of Portland.
Me-, which was in the vicinity of
the Croatian at the time she was burn
! ing. The Croatian's list of drowned
first was: Second Assistant Engineer
jeremiah Mccarthy of Nova Scotia.
leaves a widow in New York: Steward
James Curtis of Jersey City, and Mrs.
Curtis. wife of the steward: Frank. an
oiler 0ast name unknown): Jennie Will
| lard. colored, Wilmington, N c.
The story of the disaster Is told by
Captain Hale and other officers OF the
unfortunate vessel as follows: The
Croatian was but 20 hours from New
York on her way to Wilmington with a
| smooth sea and calm weather, when at
p. m. a fireman came hurriedly on
/ deck and reported that the ship was
| on fire. general alarm was imme-
diately given and an effort was made
to lower the boats. but the fire spread
with such rapidity that all efforts to
reach them were unavaillng because Of
the flames. In fact. In less than 10 min
| utes after the fire was 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 OF the
| after matches.
A second explosion followed a few
minutes later. and the ship was then
a mass of flames. 1t was at this time
that Captain Hale. seeing that to re-
main on the vessel meant sure death,
gave orders for all hands to jump over
| board and save themselves as best they
could. The gallant man was the last
| to leave the ship, remaining on deck
with his first officer until they were
completely enveloped in flames and the
vessel had began to sink.
There seemed to be no panic on board
their life preArvers. calmly leaped into
the water. seeing that their chances of
escape were much more certain than
| IL 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 water. The captain and first officer
succeeded in securing a 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 f. Clarke.
which lay about six miles of. and her
| captain sent a boat and crew 10 aid in
| the work Of rescue. They succeeded In
| rescuing IL persons. many Of whom had
| been an hour or more in the water and
I had become nearly exhausted. They
were taken on board the Clarke and
| given every possible attention.
The rescued persons are being cared
| for here at the Seamen's Bethel ani
at the home of citizens, and will pro-
ceed TO New York tomorrow. No ex-
plOsives were known ~ be among the
ships cargo. and the origin of the fire
Is a mystery 10 her officers and crew.