Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-10-17
EIGHT LIVES ARE LOST.
Steamer Nutmeg State Burned to
the Waters Edge.
SAILORS MEET DEATH.
Fear that Women and Children We're
Lost by Swapping of the
Lifeboat.

LlfeDoat.
New York, Oct. 1.-THE steamer Nut
meg State was burned to the waters
edge this morning and it now lying
wreck on Old Hen reef off Sands point,
a few miles from here. All the passen-
gers were saved, being taken off by the
steamer City of Lawrence, which was
also ON its way from Bridgeport to New
DIRK. The freight was all destroyed. An
estimate of the loss cannot now be fur
nished. She took fire at o'clock when
we'll out III the sound, and after the pas
sengerS were taken off she was beached
by her captain. AT 8 o'clock she was
practically a total loss, and is still smol-
dering.
The steamer City of Lawrence came
up to her pier in East river with some
Of the passengers Of the Nutmeg State.
AmbulanceS were sent for.
Steamer a Total Loss.
Capt. Charles Brooks of the Nutmeg
State reported that the steamer was a
total loss. He said that three of BIS
crew We're burned to death, and he feared
that some of the passengers had suffered
like fate. The vessel is in twelve feet
Of water mile east of Sands point on
Long Island sound
Samuel Jayne, the baggagemaster, was
lost. He got out of the hold in which
the fire was, and jumped overheard to
escape the flames. A passing steam
burning boat as she dared steamed up to
the man as the yacht owner saw him
trying to swim and Jayne was picked
up. When he was laid out on the deck
he was dead
Patrick Coffee, the mate of the vessel,
was in the lower part of the hold when
the fire started. He could not get out
and he was burned to death
An 0ller, whose name the captain could
not remember, was also a victim He
was in the hold, could not get out and
died from inhaling flames.
Grounding of the Steamer
Capt. Brooks reported that the Nut
meg State left Bridgeport at 3 o'clock
this morning. She was two hours late
He said that the first he knew of the fire
was when he saw a blaze around the
Sm0keStack. The fire was burning rather
briskly then and he got some men to
work III trying to put out the fire. The
steamboat was then five miles east of
Execution light. She was headed direct
~ for Sands point and all steam that
could be got up was put on her She
made good time while a state of the most
intense excitement reigned aboard the
vessel On coming near Sands point
the captain directed the bow OF the boat
dead ahead for the beach and he ran her
ashore about mile east of the point
Capt. Brooks said that the vessel went
into twelve and half feet of water be-
fore she grounded and settled.
There were between thirty and forty
passengers ON the Nutmeg State. Can't.
Brooks said. He was afraid some OF
them were lost. Everything possible
was done for the passengers. The City
of Lawrence, a sound steamer, which
was coming down to the city, saw the
nre and steamed over towards the burn
ing vessel. Boats were put ont from
her, and by heroic work the passengers
of the Nutmeg State were taken aboard
the vessel, together with the remaining
members of the crew, and brought to the
city
When the City of Lawrence reached
her slip in East river she had on board
the surviving passengers of the Nutmeg
State and the members of the crew who
had Geen saved.
The Dead and Injured.
At 1890 a. ~. the following list of
known dead, injured and rescued was
given out:
SAMUEL p; IA1NG G Of the
yacht Kismet: died on board.
BARNEY HENDRY. oiler the steamer
UNKNOWN WOMAN
PATRICK COFFEE. first mate
TERENCE BRADY of New York, cabin
boy.
CHARLES ANDERSON.
THOMAS MURPHY.
JOHN CONNORS. all of the crew
1t is feared that some women AMI children
were lost by the swapping of the lifeboats.
Some Of the injured are:
Harry j. Wilt of Philadelphia and his
mother
Mrs. II. Purcell of New York
The Nutmeg State was valued at
S150,000 and including the cargo it is
estimated that the total damage done by
the fire will foot up in the neighborhood
Of 100000. The vessel was built some
years ago at Noank. Conn. and her gross
tonnage was 1924 tons. She was pro
peller craft and had three decks.
O. ]. Hurlburt of Bridgeport, a passen-
ger. was asleep when the fire was dis
covered. He said the fire was first seen
by Baggagemaster Jayne, who, after
arousing all the passengers he could,
jumped overheard and died from injuries
which he received from striking por-
ton of the vessel. Mr. Hurlburt said
some Of the lifebOats were so overloaded
that they capsized, but the passengers,
many Of whom had life-preservers, chung
onto the side ropes until the yacht ks
met arrived and helped them