The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-15
NUTMEG STATE BURNED
NIGHT OF HORROR ON LONG
ISLAND SOUND.
HEROISM OF ONE NOW AMONG The DEAD
Baggageman Jaynes Saves The Passengers by
His Warnings, But in Leaping into the
Sea from the flames Loses
His DIVA Life.

his UWA Life.
New York, Oct. 1.-THE bridgeport
Line steamer Nutmeg State was burned
in Long Island Sound off Sands Point,
Long Island, at sunrise this morning.
and ten persons We're burned to death
or drowned. The dead are:
SAMUEL JAYNES, Bridgeport, Conn,
baggage master of the Nutmeg State.
NILS NILSSON. member of crew of
burned steamboat.
CHARLEY ANDERSON, watchman
on boat.
PATRICK COFFlEY, mate.
BERNARD HANDRHCK, oiler.
THOMAS MURPHY, memberl of the
crew.
JOHN CONNORS, member of crew.
UNKNOWN WOMAN, passenger, 2S
years of age.
UNKNOWN MAN. passenger.
UNKNOWN GIRL, four years old
Most of the passengers who escaped
suffered nothing more than a shock from
immersion in the chilly water, and emily
four persons were sent to the hospital
The steamer was run to the beach
mt the outbreak of the flames and burned
to the waters edge.
The bodies of two victims OF the dis
aster drifted ashore about noon ON the
beach mile east of the blazing wreck
One was the body of "A woman about
% years of age, and the other a girl of
four years.
The child was clad in her might 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 were two
heavy jackets. one gray and one rcd,
and under these several sh;rtwaists of
different materials and coIors. In her
stocking was found SO. She had also
a hill from the Hartmann Brewing
Company, dated June 1st. 800. made
out to $. w. Davis, Jr. There was no
indioation of fire about the wocnan's
clothing.
The Nutmeg State with over hum
dred persons ON board bound from Cen
necticut towns to New York. was dis
covered atire about half past five when
she was Within few miles CT 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 nlain deck,
and seemed to be a small affair; so Cap
tain G. NJ Brooks, not wishing to nped-
lessly alarm the passengers, ordered the
crew called to work as quickly and as
quietly 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 in con-
troll Suddenly they burst into furious
blaze amid ships.
Baggageman Samuel Jaynes was de-
tached 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 passageways en- the several
decks, shouting to the passengers and the
sleeping crew. He remained anldships
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 state rooms
to the deck. Life preservers We're given
them, and many of the men assisted
in putting them on the women and chill
dren.
BY this time the entire middle section
Of the Nutmeg State was burning fierce
~ and the people forward were com
pletely cut off from communication with
those on the after part of the boat This
left the people on the rear decks i'm
perilous situation, as the life boatsAo
the amidship davits were surrounded by
flames and there were few of the crew
in the rear to give aid.
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 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
cnyeloped 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 steam
er to strike the beach With a shock
the Nutmeg struck the rocky bottom
and the people seemed to shoot from her
like shot from "a sling. They jumped
into the water and tried to reach the
lifeboats which had been launched from
the forward part of the vessel. All of
the passengers were in the water i'm but
few moments, but many 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, ex-