The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-16
IN A FURNACE.
Crew Of the steamer Nutmeg state Inn
prisoned by the FLAMES.


to the Bridgeport line steam boat, Nut
meg State, OF SAINTS Point, l.. L, al
sunrise this morning. The list Of In.
jured lie very short. as mcst Of this passen.
gers who escaped suffered nothing more
than shock from submersion in the chilly
water, and only -four persons were sent
to the hospital. The steamer was run to
the beach ct the outbreak OF the flames
and burned to the waters edge. The
dead are:
Samuel Jayne OF Bridgeport, baggage.
master Of Nutmeg State. body at New
York morgue.
Nils Nilsson, memter Of crew of buInsd
steamboat; body not recovered from
wreck.
Charlie Anderson, wstchman ON boat,
body In wreck.
Patrick CoHey, mate of Nutmeg State,
body in wreck.
Thomas Murphy, member of crew of
burned Steamboat. body In wreck.
John Connois, one of crew, body in
wreck.
Unknown woman, passenger. body in
wreck.
Unknown man passenger. drowned body
not recovered.
Others may have pefished In the excite
ment, but the above are positively known
to have heen either burned or drowned.
The Nutmeg State, with over hun
dred persons on hoard and bound from
Connections towns TO New York, was
discovered aiire about half past i've this
morning when she was within a few
miles of sands Point. l. 1. just ho "
the fire started will never be known.
Chief Cook Brown first saw smoke at 8. 30
and Immediately reported to Capt. G. NJ.
Brooks, who had just gone to his state
room. Capt. Brooks Immediately made
an investigation and TIE flames were To-
Gated 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 n small affair, SO Capt.
Brooks not wishing to needlessly alarm
the passengers, ordered the men called to
work as quickly as possible and as quiet
ly as tpossible with buckets and hose.
seem to be dan serous ami the men APP
psared to have them in control Sudden
ly the flames broke ont amidships
Baggageman Samuel JAynes was de.
tachsd from thelflrs fghtin gang and
sent to alarm the passen gers and all the
members of the Grew who were in the
| forward part Of the boat. He ran through
the passage ways on the several decks
shouting to the pasFen ers AMI the sleep
/ In TIa "a
log out warnings until he was forced by
the flames and sitting smoke to jump
overheard.
| TIE FRENZIED PASSENGERS.
The PASS n gers, In various stages Of
frenzy, rushed from the state rooms to
the upper decks. Life pressrvsrs were
given them AMI many Of the men assisted
Ia putting them on the women and chill
dren. BY this time the entire middle
section of the Nutmeg State was burn
ing fisrcely ami the people forward were
completely cut of from Communication
with those ON the after part of the boat.
This left the ps0ple on the rear decks
in perilous situation, az the life boats on
the amidships davits were surrounded by
flames and there were but few of the
crew In the rear to give aid.
As the flames continued to spread both
forward and att. Pilot Weatherwax head
Ell the steamboat at full speed foI the
beach at Sands Point. The draft swe' .
the tire towards the rear Of the boat
The passengers in that part of the boat
went as far back on the rear deck as
possible, but vera enveloped in black
smoke and the flames ware leaping to-
wards 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 beach. With a
shook the Nutmeg State struck the rocky
bottom and people seemed to shoot from
all parts OF 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 in few momenss, but many of
the members OF the crew had become i'm
prisoned in the forward part of the ship
below decks by the flames. There was
no outlet in the thick sides of the steam
boat except the small port holes, but no
man could squeezs through ons. The
first person to leave the burning steamer
was Baggagemaster Jaynes, who gave the
alarm TO the sleeping passengers. Whsn
the smoke and flames forced him from
am idships, he, almost exhausted, made
leap for the sea. In doing so, he struck
his head against the guard rail and was
stunned, falling into the water helpless.
The launch from r. Roger MAXWELL
steam yacht Kismet, pisked him up and
carried him to the Kismst, where the
brave fellow died shortly after.
The Nutmeg State had hardly struck
the beach when several passing craft
came to her rescue. The tuR-boat w. +.
Reed and the Kismet were first on the
| spot and after these came the Hartford
liner, City of Lawrence. The latter had
followed the Nutmeg State down the
Sound, several miles In her wake and
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