The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-10-19
AFLAME ON THE SAND.
Steamer Nutmeg State Destroyed
and Ten Lives Sacrificed.
HEROIC WATCHMAN MET DEATH

But For the Bravery ofsamuel Jayne
the Loss OF Life Would Have Been
More eAppallinu-Chargc OF Coward-
ice Against the Crew Not Sustained.
New York, Oct. i6.-Ten persons
lost their lives and as many more were
injured by the burning. early Saturday
morning, of the Bridgeport line steam
boat the Nutmeg State, of Sands
Point, Long Island sound
The dead are: Charles Anderson,
watchman on the boat: Patrick Cof-
fey, mate; John Connors. member OF
crew; Bernard Hendry. oiler; Samuel
Jayne. bridgeport. Conn, baggage
master; Thomas Murphy. member OF
crew; Nils Nilsson. member OF crew;
Mrs. Mary Lager and 3-yedr-o.d
daughter Rose; unknown man, passen-
ger.
there WAS panic aboard the Nut
meg State when the cry OF fire aroused
passengers from their sleep. The ves-
sci was burning iiercely amidships
Passengers tell stories of cowardicc
on the part of the crew. but others
deny their statements. Seven OF the
nine known victims of the disaster
were members of the crew.
About a hundred persons were in
peril but prompt aid from others ves-
sells made the loss of life much smaller
than had been feared.
After passengers and crew had left
the burning vessel she was sent at full
speed toward the beach, where she
lies, Il total wreck.
Samuel Jayne. baggage master. who
lost his life. is described as the hero OF
the fire. He discovered the outbreak
and gave the alarm. He ran about
awakening all he could. and the flames
were raging 6ercey when at last he
tried to escape. He was then on the
upper deck. and in jumping Stuck his
forehead against the guard rail. Stun
ned, he fell into the water. and when
the yacht kismet went to his assist
ance he was almost dead. He died soon
after aboard the yacht. Had he not so
courageously made his way through the
smoke to alarm the passengers the
loss of life would have been much
greater.
The work of taking passengers off
the doomed vessel was done none too
soon. She carried a large cargo. in
cluding cases of cartridges. AS the
fire made its way down into the hold
there was a series of explosions. which
increased the fierceness OF the flames
and destroyed the last chance Of saw
ing anything from the wreck.
The charge was made by several sur
vivors that some Of the crew acted in
a cowardly manner. pushing the wo-
men to one side and getting into the
lifebOats. regardless OF the safety OF
others. Other passengers. however
assert that the crew acquitted them
selves well. All reports agree that
Captain Brooks. who is a seaman OF
long experience. was one Of the last
to leave the burning vessel.
All that remains of the Nutmeg
State are the twisted and blackened
arms of steel and iron surrounded by
the huge copper bottom. which lies
in the surf. Somewhere In the debris
are believed to be the five bodies. but
1t will be some days before these car
hc reached. These are supposed to be
N the forward part OF the hulk. where
the men of the crew were imprisoned
by the fire.
The bodies OF Mrs. Mary Lager. 81
years old, and her 3-year-old daugh.
| ter Rose were washed ashore Saturday
and the body Of an unknown man was
picked up by u yacht and taken t.
Stamford, Conn.