The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-26
qVENTY-ONE
LIVES ARE
LOST APSEA
British Steamer AriSto
Strikes on a
Ledge.
OFF DEADLY OLD
CAPE HATTERAS
The Marine Graveyard of the Allan
tic Coast.
CAPTAIN AND EIGHT
MEN ARE RESCUED
Taken Ashore After Much Work, in a
Breeches Buoy
THEIR PATIENCE SAVED THEM
Decided TO Remain on the Vessel III
Spite Of the Fog aud the Heavy
Seas Which Broke cyer-She
Sent up Rocket Amer Rocket
TO Tell of Her own Dis
tress - Her Large
Cargo May be
Wrecked,
Taken Ashore After Much Work, in a
BreecheS Buoy.
THEIR PATIENCE SAVED THEM

NORFOLK. VA, Dec, 2L-Special.-
rventv-one sailors of the British Steam
shin Ariosto were drowned at i:3o o'clock
this morning. while endeavoring to reach
the shore from IL vessel which had been
wrecked six miles south OF the Hatteras
Ilfe-savine station.
Losing her bearings in fog. the steam
ship. with a heavy gale at her heels drove
full tft ON dangerous ledge which
stretches its length between the Hatteras
and the Ocracoke ife saving stations
locality SO perilous to shipping that II is
known as the marine graveyard Of the
Atlantic coast.
SENT Up SIGNALS OF DISTRESS.
Brought TO a standstH by the crashing
inpact. fine Aristo sent sip rocket after
rocket telling of her dire distress. Waves
came bursting over her decks. and waist
deep m foam the crew struggled at the
lifeboats. as IL seemed that the ship
would be rent asunder hy the tcrrlnc
pounding of the seas and tnc grinding Of
the cruel ledge on which she had struck
IL was so dark then that little more than
the loom of land could he seen. AiJer ihe
boats had been cleared away the crew
waited for daylight before attempting 10
launch the boats. Rocket after rocket
went soaring into the blackno.s, telling ol
the vessels distress. and answering siS-
mails made from shore told that the signals
had been seen and that help was at hama
The dawn came and showed two lire saw
ing crows assembled on the beach abreast
the wreck. but so heavy WAS the surf
hat no lfcboat could live in the tempest
uous seas.
THE LYLE GUN FAILED.
The I.vlo gun made efforts TO fling its
lifeline to the wreck, but failed. and then
the hearts of the lifosayers stood still as
they saw a boat being lowered from the
Aristo. A half dozen men sprang into i',
and then It disappeared behind the crest
OF a sea. Another moment. and II reap
pearcd, bottom up.
Another boat was lowered and more
men jumped into g. That boat met the
same fate and the occupants were soon
swallowed by the seas. 4 third boat 8
crew tried 20 vanQuish the ditiiculues,
and. failing. lost their lives
Captain Baines and eight men, the rest
Of the thirty souls aboard the Ar-sto,
elected to remain aboard the ship after
she struck And TO this decision they
owe their lives.
Strenuous efforts were made By the
crews Of the Hatteras and Ocracoke life
saving stations during to-day TO save the
imperilled men on the Aristo and these
finally proved successful Many ineff'ct-
ual efforts were made to land line
aboard the Aristo by firing il from the
gun ashore. This was finally accomplish
ed.
4 line which reached the stranded
steamer was made fast TO the mast, and
the breeches buoy OF the Ocracoke 50
t.on's crew was sent out 20 the ship by
Captain Howard. of that station
CHEERS AS A MAN WAS SAVED.
Soon above the seas a man I'm a buoy
slid ashore on the life line while wild
cheers arose from those on ship and
ashore. This was repeated at intervals
during the day and before nighuai the
last man was ashore. The survivors. who
saved nothing but the clothes they wore
are being cared for at the station at Ocra-
coke. y. c. The bodies OF the drowned
men h,-ve not been recovered.
Ar.sto at present Is leaking, but may
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