The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-15
DEATH IN A BURNING SHIP.
NUTMEG STATE LOST WITH TEN
DROWNED OR BURNED.

NithOut ANnti-The Flames Gain
ing, the Ship Was Beached-sharp
Shock Marked Her Grounding.
Then Was the struggle for Life.
Incidents of the HoIocaust-Xhose
Who Lost Their Lives.
New York. Oct. 14.-The Bridgeport
Line, steamer Nutmeg State was burned In
Long Island sound, off Sands Point Long
Island, at sunrise this morning, and ten
persons were burned to death or drowned
The dead are:
Samuel Jaynes, Bridgeport, Conn. bag
gage master of the Nutmeg State.
Nils Nilsson. member of the crew of the
burned steamboat.
Charley Anderson, watchman on the
boat.
Patrick Coffey, mate.
Bernard Hendrick, oiler.
Thomas Murphy, member of the crew.
John Connors, member of crew
Unknown woman passenger, 2S years of
age.
Unknown man, passenger.
Unknown girl 4 years old.
Most Of the passengers who escaped suf-
fered nothing more than shock from
immersion in the chilly water, and only
four persons were sent to the hospital The
steamer was run to the beach at the out
break of the flames, and burned to the wa
ters edge.
The bodies of two victims of the dlsas-
ter drifted ashore about noon on the beach,
mile east of the blazing wreck. One
was the body of a woman about 2S years
NF nd f1A
child was clad In her night gown. 1t
was scorched brown around the edges.
The woman had on three heavy skirts,
one black, another brown and the third
gray She also wore two heavy jackets
one gray and one red, and under these
several shirtwaists of different materials
and celors. In her stocking was found ST.
She had also bill from the Hartmann
Brewing Company, dated June J. 1899
made out to s. w. Davis. Jr There was
no indication of fire about the womans
clothing.
Fighting the Flames.
The Nutmeg State, with over 100 persons
on board, bound from Connecticut towns to
New York. was discovered adre about $50
O'Clock, when she was within few miles
of Sands Point, Long Island. The flames
were in the bow of the boat between the
forward cabin and the donkey engine
room.
The fire was on the main deck and SEEM
ed to be a small affair." so Capt. c. M.
Brooks, not wishing to needlessly alarm
the passengers, ordered the crew called to
work as quickly and as quietly as possi-
BILE, with buckets and hose. For about
twenty minutes the flames did not seem
to be dangerous, and the men appeared to
have them in control Suddenly they
burst into a furious blaze amdshps.
Baggageman Samuel Jaynes was detach-
ed from the fire-ighters and sent to
alarm the passengers, and all the members
of the crew who were in the forward part
of the boat. He ran through the passage
ways on the several decks, shouting to
the passengers and the sleeping crew. He
remained amldshlps crying out warnings
until he was forced by the flames and
sitting smoke to jump overheard.
The passengers, in various stages OF
frenzy, rushed from the staterooms 10 the
upper deck. Life preservers were given
them and many of the men assisted in
putting them on the women and children.
By this time the entire middle section of
the Nutmeg State was burning fercely,
and the people forward were completely
cut off from communication with those on
the after part of the boats. This left the
people on the rear decks in a perilous sit
uation, as The lifeboats on the amidshlp
davits were surrounded by flames and
there were few of the crew in the rear to
give aid.
struck with n Shock.
AS the flames continued to spread both
forward and aft, the pilot headed the
steamship at full speed for the beach at
Sands Point The draft swept the fire to-
ward the rear of the boat The passengers
in that part of the boat went as far back
on the rear deck as possible but were
| envelOped with black smoke and the flames
were leaping toward them, threatening in
a few moments TO roast them alive. They
| huddled close to the rear rail in fear,
waiting for the steamer to strike the
beach.
Vessels to Her Aid.
The Nutmeg State had hardly struck
| the beach when several passing craft came
| 10 her rescue, sent out lifeboats and pick
| ed up the passengers struggling in the
water. An unknown woman passenger,
| afraid to jump into the water, although
| provided with a life belt, was seen to fall
| back to the blazing deck A man passen-
| ger, who was trying to keep himself afloat
on an oar, became exhausted and was
| drowned
When 1t became apparent that the Nut
meg State was doomed to destruction, a
dozen or so of freight handlers are said
| TO have taken possession of the first life
boats launched. They fought back any
the boats, and refused to take the children.
| 1t was impossible for Capt. Brooks TO con-
| troll the rough, cowardly freight handlers,
| and they were utterly oblivious to the per-
| lis Of the passengers.
When the passengers were forced from
| this lifeboat II doubled the demands on a
second, which was lowered and a wild
| scramble of the panic-stricken people en-
| sued. This boat was overloaded and over
turned. 1t could not be righted, and the
men, women and children remained in the
| chilly water, clnging to the boat until
| help arrived from the few passing craft.
The tug Reed ran along the stern of the
| Nutmeg State and some of the passengers
| jumped from the burning boat 20 its deck.
| Then the tug went forward and made an
| effort to save the Imprisoned men in the
crew quarters. The heat was so intense
that IL drove the tug away, and II again
| turned ITS attention to picking the people
| up from the water. IL made another at
| tempt to rescue the crew and some of the
| tugs men chipped away some woodwork
| a. tha how of the Nutmeg State Two