The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-10-15
TEN LIVES WERE LOST.
A Bridgeport Line Steamer Was Burned In
Long lslsnd Sound.


HAD OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE ON BOARI
Freight Handlers Took Possession
of Boats and Would Not Permit
Women and Children to Get In.
New York. October 1.-THE Bridgeport line
steamer. Nutmeg State. was burned In Long
Island sound off Sands Point, l.. l.. at sun
rise this morning and ten people were burned
to death or drowned
The dead ares
SAMUEL JAYNDs.. Bridgeport, Conn. bag
gagemastcr of the Nutmeg State body at Now
York morgue.
NILS NILSSON. member of the Grew; body
not recovered from wreck.
CHARLES ANDERSON. Waterman: body
In wreck.
PAT COFFEE. mate; body in wreck.
BERNARD HENDERY, oiler: body In
wreck.
THOMAS MURPHY. member OF Grew; body
in wreck
JOHN coNNoRs. member of crew: body
In wreck.
UNKNOWN WOMAN, passenger. 2S years
old; body not recovered.
UNKNOWN MAN. passenger; drowned
body not recovered
UNKNOWN GIRL. years old: body re-
covered.
Most Of the passengers who escaped SUI
fered nothing more than shock from I'm
mersion in the chilly water. and only four
persons were sent to the hospital The
steamer was run to the beach at the outbreak
OF the flames and burned 70 tho waters
edge. Tho bodies OF two victims OF the dis
aster driftud ashore about noon on the beach
one was the body of a woman about % years
old and the other q girl of years.
| The Nutmeg State, with over a hundred peo-
pie on board. bound from Connecticut towns
to Now York, was discovered on tre about
$3.50. when she was within a few miles of
Sands Point Tho flames were between tho
Forward cabin and the donkey engine room.
The fire was on the main deck aud seemed
to be small affair. Captain Brooks, not
wishing to needlessly alarm the Passengers.
ordered the crew to work as quietly as pos
sble with buckets and hose. For about twen-
ty 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 amldship. Baggagomau Samuel
Jaynes was detached from the rre-hghters
and sent to alarm the passengers and all the
members OF tue crew VINO were In tue IOr-
ward part of the boat. He ran through the
passageways on the several decks. shouting 10
the passengers and sleeping crew. He re-
manned anidships crying out warnings until
he was forced by tho ilames and stirling
smoke to Jump overheard.
The passengers in various stages of frenzy
rushed from the staterooms to the upper
deck, Life preserver5 were given them and
many OF tho men assisted in putting them
women and children. BY this time the Oh
tire middle or the steamer was burning fierce
ly and the deck forward was completely cut
off from communication with the aft part or
the boat. This left the people on the rear
decks In perllous situation as the l,fe-
boats the amidships' davits were sur
rounded by flames and there were few of tho
crew In the rear to give aid.
AZ the flames continued to spread both for
ward and aft. and the pilot headed the steam
er at fnl speed for the beach at Sands
Point the draft swcp. the Are toward the
roar OF the boat, The passengers in that
part of the boat went as far back tho
rear deck as possible. but were engeloped
with black smoke and the flames were leap
ing toward them, threatening in few mo-
ments to roast them alive. They huddled
close to the rear rail in fear, waiting for the
steamer to strike the shore with a shock
she struck on the rocks on the bottom and
the people seemed to shoot from all sides and
tried to reach the relief boats which had been
launched on the forward part of the vessel.
All the passengers wcre In the water In
few minutes. but many members or the crew
had been imprisoned in the forward part OF
was no outiel in tl,a thini. sia.a OF the steam
or, except the small port holes, through which
no man could squeeze.
The first person TO leave the burning steam
Or was Jaynes. who gave the alarm to tho
passengers. When the, smoke and flames
forced him from amldshps, he, almost ex-
hausted. made leap for the sea. IL doing
30 he struck his head against the guard rail
and was stunned, falling into the water help
less. A launch from tho steam yacht Kismot
picked him up and<Ghrred him to the Kismet.
where the brave follow died shortly after.
The Nutmeg State had hardly struck when
several passing craft came to her rescue and
sent out lifeboats to pick up passengers
struggling In the water.
An unknown woman passenger, afraid to
life belt, was seen TO fall back TO the blazing
deck. man passenger was trying to keep
snoat on an oar, became exhausted and was
When 1t became apparent that tho Nutmeg
was doomed to destruction. the dozen or so
OF her freight handlers are said to have taken
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 obliyious to the perlls of the
passengers When the passengers were forced
second, which was lowered and wild
seramble OF the panic-stricken people en-
sued. This boat was overloaded and over
turned It could not be rIshted and the
mon, women and children remained In tho
chilly water cinglnk to tho boat until help
came.
The tugboat Read ran under the stern OF
the Nutmeg and some OF the passengers
Jumped to Its deck When the tug went for
ward and made an effort TO save the impris-
oned mon the crew the heat was so intense
that It drove the tug away and II again
turned Its attention TO picking the people
from the water,
1t Is believed that seven men OF the Dridge-
port boat were burned 10 death In their quar- |
ters The captain and several OF the crew |
escaped on the steamer Lawrence and the |
body OF Baggagemaater Jaynes was also |
conveyed to the Hartford liner, which pro |
ceeded ON her way TO this city.
or the several OF the rescued aboard only
four needed hospital treatment
They are: Mrs. Joseph Hin and H. j
Hill, her son, PHILADELPHIA; Mrs. Wilkes OF |
Work street. Philadelphia; Mrs. II. p. Pur- /
cell. New York City.
The excitement was such at the abandon Il
mont OF the burning vessel that no positive
statement as to tho exact number of per-
sons who persisted can bo obtained from tho
officers OF the boat.
The Nutmeg State was wooden propelier
OF little over thousand tons and for the |,
last seven years has carried freight and pas
sengers between Connecticut towns and this
city. She carried largo quantity OF frelsht |,
which WAS destroyed. There was aboard n
CONSIGNMENT OF cartridEes In the hold, and