The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-17
WRECKED AT
THE CAPES.
The Schooner Harold J.
McCarty Goes Down
But Her, Crew is
Saved.

The harbor OF refuge at the Delaware
Capes, which for the past six months has
established record, in that no vessels
have coilidcd with the formidable stone
basrrier which 1T opposes to the sea- had
victim ye tsrday and sailors Lives were
nearly sacrificed.
Shortly after one o'clock in the morning
the schooner Harold j. McCarty, heavily
laden with lumber, grounded upon the Oh.
struction Advices from the Breakwater
state that the YES sci will likely prove to-
tai loss.
In less than year four other unfortun-
ate craft have gone to pieces near this fatal
spst-
As Is usually the case in shipwreck, the
loss Of the McCarty was accompanied by
characteristic incidents A graphic story
Of the disaster reached this city yesterday.
All Is related save the cause of the COLL
sion.
1t appears that the McCarty, under COM
mand Of Captain George l. Bawley. was
standing in toward the middle chaunel
far enough to tho north 10 cleas the new
ssa wall, which is being extended to form
hArbor. There were only two men on
dock at the time. Captain Hawley is said
tohave been in his bunk.
Had the schooner pursued her original
course all would have been well with her.
AS it was, however, she tackled toward the
south west, which turned her head direct
ly toward the stone wall. On the end OF
tho latter there is a light to indicate the
extremity. which is placed there to warn
all mariners to giver it wide berth.
As far as can be learned those on watch
on the McCarty overlooked tho existence
of tho sea wall and mistook he light men.
toned for another cut at sea toward Cape
May
Blindly they sailed on to destruction.
There was not q moments warning Of the
impending crash. The heavily laden
schooner, bowling along at an eight Knot
clip, crashed with terrible force against
the stone wall She rebounded and listed
to starboard the sudden stoppage bringing
her top hamper crashing to the deck
around the man on duty. who, appalled,
by tho sudden nature Of the calamity,
could hardly realize what had happened.
The escape of the crew is considered
nothing shor: of miraculous. Rudely
reused from their slumbers in tina forecns-
tie, the water was up to their waists before
they could reach tho deck. The night
WAS intensely dark ana tho waves broke
over the shattered hull
Captain Hawley realized at once that the
schooner was laundering and ordered the
men to abandon her. 1t was forlorl
prospect, however, as the boat was
jammed and could not be lowered. Peer
ing through the gloom the captain saw
tho outline Of the stone wall and ordered
the crew 10 swim for it,
Luckily they all managed to reach a
foOthold on the huge pile of rock before
tho change, the contractors building the
new breakwater were compelled to erect
suitable beucon at lis extremity. This
was placed in position October H. 1898.
In spite of this precnution the William
b. Steeiman was lost several months af-
terward, those on board being unable to
see the light on account of a binding
s1Owst0rm.
Pilots are required on all vessels of more
than e certain tonnage and as they are
posted on the exact distance which the
rocks extend out from the Breakwater
proper, they go through without accident.
In the case of small craft however, whore
pilotage Is not compulsory, they are OK
posedto great peril in making tho passage.
McCarty went down. Scarcely had the
last man been drawn, wet and bruised
from the jagged rocks, into temporary
safety when the water covered the deck Of
he schooner.
Wading into the water up to their nocks
the men managed to reach the top Of the
s.ono pile. The greatest eXertion was re-
quired to attain q place of safety, where
the waves could not reach them. There
they remained until daylight, drenched
by spray from every sea and almost I'M
able, with their benumbel fingers, to keep
their hold on tho slippery rocks.
Luckily, with the coming Of morning
their plight was discovered, The tug
Hughes of Phladrluhia which was Ia
that vicinity, put out to tho rescue
The sea had bsded somewhat, but it
s.ili ran nigh and the work of removing
she unfortunate ma incrs was u work Of
great difficulty. 1t was almost feared sew
eral times that the humane attempt would
have to be abandoned until the waves
went down Finally, however. after hours
Of terrifying uncertainty the mon were
all taken off he rocks and landed
Later In tho day the Hughes moved tho
MoCarty under the les of tho larbor of
Refuge. Her hull is reported to be badly
damaged and full of water. The deckload,
consisting Of empty barrels, was working
ashore during the greater part of 20 ter
day
The Harold j. McCarty is a three mast
cd schooner of 297 tons, built at Bath,
Maine, in 1893. Ilor MASTER George |.
Hawley is her owner She was bound for
Philadelphia from a northern port.