The record-union., 1899-10-15
MANY LIVES
WERE LOST.
The Burning of the Bridgeport Line
Steamer Nutmeg
Results In Ten Persons Either Being
Burned to Death or Drowned.
The Holocaust Occurred at an
Early Hour Yesterday Morning
in Long Island Sound, OFF Sands
Point.

Point.
NEW YORK, Oct. 14.-The Bridge
port line steamer Nutmeg was burned
in Long Island Sound off Sands Point
L. l., at sunrise this morning and ten
persons were burned to death or
drowned.
The dead are: Samuel Jaynes Bridge
port, baggage master of Nutmeg, body
at New York Morgue; Nils Nilson
member of the crew, body not recov-
cred from wreck; Charles Anderson,
watchman on board, body in wreck;
Patrick Coffey, mate, body in wreck;
Bernard Hancock, body in wreck;
Thomas Murphy, member of the crew.
body in wreck; John Connors, member
of the crew, body in wreck; unknown
woman passenger, % years of age, body
recovered; unknown man, passenger,
drowned, body not recovered; unknown
girl, 4 years old, body recovered
Most of the passengers who escaped
suffered nothing more than a shock
from immersion in the chilly waters,
and only four persons we're sent to the
hospital. The steamer was run to the
beach at the outbreak of the flames and
10 the water 5 0QSe.
The bodies of two of the victims of
the disaster drifted ashore about noon
on the beach a mile east of the blaz-
ing wreck. One was the body Of a wo-
man about % years of age, and the
other girl of 4 years.
The Nutmeg had over 100 passengers
on board. She was discovered on fire
about 5:30 when she was Within a few
miles of Sands Point 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 seemed to be a small affair. so
Captain c. A. Brooks, not wishing to
needlessly alarm the passengers. or
dered the crew called to work as Quick
ly as possible with buckets and hose.
For about twenty minutes the flames
did not seem to be dangerous, and the
men appeared to have them under con-
troll Suddenly they burst into furious
blaze amidships
Samuel Jaynes was detached from
the fire fighters 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 amidships, crying out
warnings until he was forced by the
flames to jump overheard
The passengers, in various stages of
frenzy, rushed from the staterooms to
the upper decks. Life preservers were
given them and many of the men as.
sisted in putting them on the women
and children.
By this time the entire middle section
OF the Nutmeg was burning f1ercely
and the people forward were compIete.
~ cut or from communication with
those on the after part of the boat.
This left the people on the decks in
a per1lous situation. as the lifeboats on
the amidships davits were surrounded
by flames and there were few of the
crew in the rear to give aid.
AS the flames continued to spread d
both forward and aft, the pilot headed
the steamboat at full speed for the
beach at Sands Point
Ihe draft swept the fire toward 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
Hames were leaping toward them.
threatening in a few minutes to roast
them alive. They huddled close TO the
rear rail in fear, waiting for the steam
er to strike the beach With a shock
the Nutmeg struck the rocky
bottom, and people seemed to shoot
from all parts of her like shot from a
sling. They jumped in the water and
frin a. A.
| been launched from the forward part
of the vessel. All the passengers were
in the water but a few moments. but
many of the members of the crew had
become imprisoned in the forward part
of the ship, below decks, by the flames.
There was no outlet in the thick sides
Of the steamboat except the small
portfolios, through which no man could
squeeze.
The first person to leave the burn
ing steamer was Baggagemaster
Jaynes, who gave the alarm to the
sleeping passengers. When the smoke
and flames forced him from amidships
he was almost exhausted and made a
leap for the sea. In doing so he struck
his head against the guard rail and
was stunned, falling into the water
! helpless. A launch from the steam
yacht Kismet picked him up and car
ried him to the Kismet, where the
brave fellow died shortly after being
taken aboard.
The Nutmeg had hardly struck the
beach when several passing craft came
to her rescue, sent out lifeboats and
picked up the passengers struggling
in the water.
An unknown woman passenger, al
though provided with a life belt, was
seen to fall back to the blazing deck.
A man passenger who was trying to
keep himself af1oat on an oar became
exhausted and was drowned
When it became apparent that the
Nutmeg was doomed to destruc
ton the dozen or so of her freight
handlers are said to have taken pos
session of the first lifeboats launched.
They fought back any of the women
or men who tried to get into the boats
and refused to take the children. 1t
was impossible for Captain Brooks to
control the rowdy, cowardly freight
handlers, and they were utterly obliv-
ious of the perils of the passengers.
When the passengers were forced
from this lifeboat it doubled the de-
mandS on a second, which was low