Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-14
Several Lives Lost by Burning Of
Nutmeg State.
WILD DASH FOR TIE BEACH
Vessel Was on Trip From New
York to Bridgeport.
SHE IS A TOTAL WRECK

port SledIHpOdl Company INul-
meg State, which left Bridgeport at 3
o'clock this morning, caught fire three
hours later off Execution light and was
totally destroyed. At IL o'clock it was
known that eight persons had perished. as
follows: Samuel Jayne baggage master
of the steamer, picked out of the water
by the yacht Kismet, died board; Bar
ney Hendry oiler on the steamer; un-
known woman; Patrick .Coffey. first mate;
Terrence Brady of New York, cabin boy;
Charles Anderson. Thomas Murphy, John
Connors, all of the crew
1t is feared that some women and chill
dren We're lost by the swamping of life
boats.
Some Of the injured are: Harry ]. Wilt of
Philadelphia and his mother. Mrs. H. Pur-
cell, of New York.
Rescue by the Lawrence.
The City of Lawrence came in sight soon
after the fire was discovered and stood by
to rescue the passengers and crew.
The Nutmeg States lfeboats We're
launched as soon as the City of Lawrence
got within hailing distance, but several of
them capsized and it feared that some
passengers Were drowned.
The steamer City of Lawrence came up
to her pier in East river with some of the
passengers of the Nutmeg State. Ambu
lances We're sent for.
Several of Crew Burned to Death.
Captain Charles Brooks of the Nutmeg
State reported that the steamer was a total
loss. He said that three of his crew Were
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 the Long ISL
and sound.
mual- Law the haPpapp
lost. He got out of the hold, in which the
fire was, and jumped overheard TO escape
the flames. A passing steam yacht. which
had sailed as close to the burning boat az
she dared. steamed up to the man as the
yacht owner saw him trying to swim and
Jayne was picked up. When ne was laid
out the deck he was dead.
Patrick Coffey, 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 oiler, whose name the captain could
not remember was also a victim. He was
in the hold, could not get out and died from
inhaling fame.
Capt. Brooks reported that the Nutmeg
State left Bridgeport at O'Clock this morn
ing. She was two hours late. He said
that the first he knew of the fire was when
he saw blaze around the smokestack. The
fire was burning rather briskly then, and
he got some men to work in trying to put
out the fire.
The steamboat was then five miles east
of Execution Light. She was headed di-
rectly for Sands Point and all steam that
could be got up was put on her. She made
good time, while 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
a mile east of the point.
Capt. Brooks said that the vessel went
into twelve and a half feet of water be-
fore she grounded and settled
There We're between thirty and forty pas
sengers the Nutmeg State Capt. Brooks
said He said that he was afraid some of
them We're lost. Everything possible was
done for the passengers. The City of Law
renee, a sound steamer which was coming
down to the city, the fire and steamed
over toward the burning vessel Boats
were put out from her, and, by heroic work.
the passengers Of the Nutmeg State We're
taken aboard the vessel, together with the
remaining members of the crew, and
brought to the city.
Captain Brooks reported that the vessel
and freight IS a total loss All the top
works had been burned, Captain Brooks
said, when he left, and the hold was then
still on fire.
When the City of Lawrence reached her
slip in East river she had on board the sur
viving passengers of the Nutmeg State and
the members of the crew who had been
saved.
Story of Passenger.
O. j. Hurbut of Bridgeport, a passenger,
was asleep when the fire was discovered.
He said the fire was first seen by Baggage
Master Jayne, who. after arousing all the
passengers he could, jumped overheard
and died from injuries which he received
from striking a portion of the vessel
THE fire broke out about five minutes
nd in fpyt vii, to- f,,I1
possession of the boat amidships," said
Mr.. Hurlbut, life boats and RATS were
thrown overheard as quickly possible
and the passengers were put on them.
Some of the lifeboats were so overloaded
that they capsized, but the passengers,
many of whom had life preservers, clung
on to the side ropes until the yacht Kis-
met arrived and helped them
The Nutmeg State was valued at $50, 600,
and, including the cargo, it is estimated that
the total damage done by the fire will foot
up in the neighborhood of $230,000 The
vessel was built some years ago a Noank
Conn, and her gross tonnage was 1,124
tons. She was propeller craft and had
three decks