Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-25
Steamship ArlOsto Stranded Of
Cape Hatteras, NJ c.
SMALL BOAT WAS SWAMPED
Captain and Eight Men stayed with
Vessel Till Relieved by Heroic
Lie savers.

Norfolk, va, Dec. 8.-Ine bflush
steamship Arlosto, Capt. Baines, bound
from Galveston TO Hamburg, was
wrecked at 4 o'clock this morning six
miles south Of Hatteras, n. c., and
twenty-one OF the crew were drowned
Capt. Baines and eight Of the crew
were saved 10y the heroic efforts OF the
ocracoke life-saving crew under Capt
James Howard.
Those who lost their lives attempted
to reach the shore in small boat,
which was swamped shortly after II put
| off from the ship. Capt. Balnes and the
eight men remained aboard and were
landed by the life-sayers in the breech-
es buoy, but not until after a struggle
| which lasted all day.
Wrecking tugs are on the way here
! to the scene OF the wreck, and If they
| reach the stranded ship In time may
save II, as the wind tonight Is in the
| wrecked vessels favor.
The Ariosto wreck Is the worst on
these shores since the German ship
| Elizabeth went ashore in 1876, when
| fifty-five people were drowned.
Thick fogs have prevailed along the
| Virginia and North Carolina coasts for
| several days and number of vessels
have narrowly escaped destruction.
Last night however, the air was clear,
| but the wind averaged from forty to
| fifty miles and hour. and the sea WAS
| furious around the point which has
been designated as the graveyard OF
| American shipping.
The Ariosto vessel Of 265 tons,
sailed from Galveston for Hamburg,
| via Norfolk on December nth. The
skipper, Capt. Baines. and his crew,
consisting Of twenty-nine men, were all
| British The Ariosto. which had
general cargo, had all the way from
port encountered heavy weather.
The coast patrol from Ocracoke was
returning TO the station about 4 o'clock
| this morning when he discovered big
ship ashore. He Immediately lighted
signal to notify those aboard that they
We're discovered and ran to the station
| TO arouse those OF the life-sa who
were on duty.
Against the fierce wind the life
| savers then dragged the heavy appa-
| ratus consisting of the Lyle guns,
! breaches and life car, and II was almost
| daylight when they reached the scene
Of the wreck. They could see the out
lines Of a big steamer. but could not
accomplish anything until daybreak,
The wind caught up particles OF sand,
| which were blown into the faces Of the
| life-sayers until their cheeks were cut
as II by rawhide.
When daylight broke the sailors were
| seen huddled together on the wrecked
| ship, waving their arms in an appeal
| TO be saved. To launch a boat In such
a sea would have meant instant death.
| so the life-sayers placed their gun in
| position, and fired. The Ariosto was
some 600 feet out and the line fell short.
Line after line was fired to the stranded
ship, but all failed TO reach.
In the meantime the waves were
dashlng over the ship, and Capt Baines
called his men together for a consulta,
ton. explaining to them that the
chances were about even II they should
take TO the small boats or wait for the
lfe-saving crew to fire lifeline on
board, So far as he was concerned,
the captain said, he would wait for the
lfe-sayers, but he left 1t TO the crew
TO decide among themselves.
Eight sailors said they would stick
by the captain. These We're saved
Twenty-one declared tho were doomed
II they remained aboard, nd they left
the ship in small boats. All Of them
lost their lives.
The boat In which the twenty-one
men put off was one OF the regular life
boats. II was strong in ordinary
weather. but cookie shell In such a
sea. The ship was tossing heavily and
with difficulty IL was swung from the
davits. The twenty-one men In their
excitement had made no provision for
the overturnlng OF the craft and one
by one they clambered in, in haste to
60 to their deaths.
Capt. Balnes and the remaining eight
men from their perious position
watched the little boat put off, shout,
Ing luck 10 the departing sailors Toss
| ing about on the great waves, the sail
ors pulling a strong stroke, the boat
seemed in fair way OF reaching shore,
when a wave swept with mighty force
on the little craft engufing IT, The
| twenty-one men were thrown into the
| sea, and although the watchers on
| shore We're witnesses OF the disaster,
they were powerless TO render aid.
The sea swallowed the unfortunate
men only for an instant. for they APP
peared high on the crest OF a wave.
making last desperate fight for their
lives. Finally, one by one, they sank
| out Of sight. Capt. Baines, on the
wrecked vessel, as he saw his men per-
| ish--this mariner who had sailed the
world over for twenty-five years-wept
| like a child
Meanwhile the 0cracoke llfe-savlng
| crew stood It's ground and continued
| firing lines TO the stranded ship. About
| four hours after the Ariosto first
| struck, lifeline was cast over the
| ships side Capt. Baines and his re-
naming men made 1t fast, and an hour
later they had dragged the big hawser
| aboard.
The life-savers slowly ran out the
breeches buoy and 1t reached the ship
In safety. Through the binding spray
the men were then, one by one, hauled
| to shore, more dead than alive, and by
nightfall all were safe.
| When the disaster was made known
here wrecking tugs started for the
scene and II il a matter OF steam
| against time II they succeed In reach
| ing the Ariosto before the vessel goes
10 pieces. The Arlosto was seven
| years ola ana was owned Dy IL. MCAn-
| drews & Co. OF London.
|
Washington, Dec 24-Srperntendent
| Kimball Of the life-saving stations bu-
reau tonight received the following dis
| patch British steamer Ariosto,
| Capt Barnes. stranded at Ocracoke
beach. at o'clock this morning. Twen-
ty-one drowned and nine saved in
breeches buoy.
HOWARD. Keeper"
Superintendent Kimball tomorrow
WIFI Instruct Lieut.. johnson Of the rev.
| enue cutter service, who Is attached 10
his office. 70 proceed TO the scene Of the
wreck and make a report OF the cir
cumstances attending the loss Of life.
| This Is the practice always followed
by the llfe-saving service when there is
loss of life attending an accident 10 a
steamer 20 which the surfmen have
given assistance The superintendent
believes the distressing loss Of life Is
probably due TO the hurried efforts Of
The men to get away from the ship, In
stead OF waiting until the breeches
buoy could be rugged up between the
ship and shore and their rescue effect
ed. As the vessel appears stu to be