Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-24
LIGHT LURES TO DESTRUCTION
Another Wreck on the Stone
Pile at the Breakwater.
VESSEL DASHED ON THE STONES
All Hands Escape After a Ter.
rible Struggle.
The Light at the End of the Breaker Fooled
the Hands the Vessel ana Led Them
Out of Their Course. Other Craft Wreck
cd Upon This Danger Gus Reef.
Philadelphia Times, Thursday.

Philadelphia Times, Thursday.
The harbor OF refuge at the Delaware
capes, which for the past six months
has established record, in that no
vessels have collided with the formid
able stone barrier which it opposes to
the sea, had victim yesterday and
sailors lives were nearly sacrificed.
Shortly after O'Clock in the morn
ing the schooner Harold j. McCarty,
heavily laden with lumber, grounded
upon the obstruction. Advices from
the Breakwater state that the vessel
will likely prove total loss.
In less than year four other unfor
tuna.e craft have gene to pieces near
this fatal spot.
1t appears that the McCarty, under
command of Capt. George |. Hawley,
was standing in toward the middle
channel far enough to the north to clear
the new sea wall, which is being ex-
tended to form harbor. There were
only two men on deck at the time.
Capt. Hawley is said to have been in
his bunk.
Had the schooner pursued her origi-
nal course all would have been we'll
with her. As it was, however, she
tackled toward the southwest, which
turned her head directly toward the
stone wall. On the end of the latter
there is light to indicate the extrem-
ity, which is placed there to warn all
mariners to give it wide berth.
As far as can be learned those on
watch on the McCarty overlooked the
existence of the sea wall and mistoolS
the light mentioned for another out at
sea toward Cape May.
Blindly they sailed on to destruction.
There was not 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 re-
bounded and listed to starboard, the
sudden stoEpage bringing her top ham
per crashing to the deck around the
men on duty, who. appalled, by the
sudden nature of the calamity, could
hardly realize what had happened
The escape of the crew is considered
nothing short of miraculous. Rudely
reused from their slumbers in the fore
castle, the water was up to their waists
before they could reach the deck. The
night was intensely dark and the waves
broke over the shattered hull.
Capt. Hawley realized at once that
the schooner was laundering and or
dered the men to abandon her. Peer
ing through the gloom the captain
saw the outline of the stone wall and
ordered the crew to swim for it.
Luckily they all managed to reach a
foothold on the huge pile of rock before
the McCarty went down. Scarcely
had the last man been drawn, wet and
bruised from the jagged rocks, into
temporary safety when the water COW
cred the deck of the schooner.
Wading into the water up to their
necks the men managed to reach the
top Of the stone pile. The greatest
exertion was required to attain plac.
of safety, where the waves could moi
until daylight, drenched by spray from
every sea and almost unable, with theil
benumhed fingers, to keep their hold or
the slippery rocks.
Luckily, with the coming of morn.
ing their plight was discovered. The
tug Hughes of Philadelphia, which was
in that vicinity, put out to the rescue.
The sea had subsidized somewhat, but
it still ran high and the work of re-
moving the unfortunate mariners wa.
q work of great difficulty. 1t was
almost feared several times that tn,
humane attempt would have to b,
abandoned until the waves went down
Finally, however, after hours of terri
flying uncertainty the men we're all takei
off the rocks and landed.
Later in the day the Hughes movet
the McCarty under the lee of the Har
Dor of Refuge. Her hull is reported t,
be badly damaged and full of water
The deckload, consisting of empty bar
rels. was working ashore during tn
greater part of yesterday.
The Harold j. McCarty is a three
masted schooner of 29T tons, built a
Bath, Me-, in 1893. Her master, Georg
bound for Philadelphia from north
ern port.
Other vessels which encountered tn
fate of the McCarty at this dangerou
point were:
Yacht Rebecca, belonging to Rober
@. H. Brock of Philadelphia, wrecke
September 2lst, 1898; total loss.
The schooner Zephaniah Steelman
September 26th 1898.
Schooner William B. Steelman, whic
struck on the ice breaker on Marc
7th, 1899; total loss.
When the Rebecca was wrecked wide
spread comment was excited anon
owners of vessel property, who wer
worked up regarding the safety Of thei
several craft. The loss of the Zephania
Steelman was attributed directly to tn
absence of light ON the end of tn
menacing stone wall, which extends 70
more than 1000 yards into the sea
Finally, through the efforts of tn
Philadelphia Maritime Exchange, til
contractors building the new breal
water were compelled to erect a sui
able beacon at its extremity. This wa
placed in position October 18th, 1896
In spite of this precaution tn
William B. Steelman was lost severe
months afterward, those on board bein
unable to see the light ON account of
hlindino snowctorp,