The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-26
Shamrock III, Reliance and Other
Craft I'm Danger for Time,
bat Not Damaged.
HUGE DERRICK BLOWN DOWN
NINE MEN CARRIED INTO THE BAY
AND FOUR DROWNED.
Marvellous Escape of One Man, Who
Was at Top of the 1SO-Feet High
Structnre-Two Women Lost.

NEW YORK, Aug "a terrible north
west wind and electrical storm struck San
dy Hook shortly after O'Clock to-day
and Shamrock III and Reliance and fleet
Of half dozen fine yachts, including the
Erin. c. Oliver Iselin's Sunbeam and the
Herreshoffs' Roamer. were in great danger
for time. The yacht Eureka. breaking
from her anchorage. was blown violently
against a coal scow and carried the scow
before it. 1t seemed for time that the two
boats would crash into Shamrock III.
which lay almost in the path of the gale
not a hundred yards away.
The Roamer. which was dangerously
near the Shamrock, began to drag her
anchor. and despite the efforts to hold her
drifted down rapidly. Suddenly she swung
against the Sunbeam and then, getting a
chance to start her engines. managed to
get away from the danger line.
The Sunbeam, too. as the blow increased
later, again began to drag and in moment
went with a loud crash against the scow
which also commenced to drift and for a
moment it looked as if Shamrock III would
be overwhelmed. Capt. Barr. on the Sun
beam, yelled to the Shamrock watch: IF
we csr't hold you'd better pull up and drift
-
but a lull I'm the wind aided the Sunbeam
TO hold for while and the wind began to
decrease
Two steam yachts. the Girald and the
Allita, anchored further out in the horse
shoe were torn from their anchorage and
came into bow and stern collision The
bowsprit of one crashed through the stern
or the other and the two. thus locked,
drifted before the wind dangerously near to
the challenger The tug cruiser saved
them. pulling them apart and away from
the other boats.
Reliance lay in a position more out OF
danger. The mornings of Shamrock III
and Reliance held fast, though the wind
threw their bows around into the face of
the gale violently and they tugged hard at
their cables.
Sir Thomas Upton left the Erin before
the storm broke and with Colonel Smith,
Colonel Burbank and Colonel Stewart, COM
mander OF Fort Hancock, viewed the havoc
In the bay anxiously from the commander 5
headquarters on Sandy Hook. Lightning
flashed from the inky black sky and the
wind came like cyclonic blast. Weather
observers here said the wind reached g We
locity OF nearly forty-five knots. Tie sea.
calm all day. was boiling furiously liz less
than five minutes after the gale struck.
small fishing sloop was blown upon
the sand beach at the point OF the hook.
Life savers went TO the rescue, taking the
crew OF four of I'm safety. The sloop was
later taken OFF.
The tugs Guiding Star and Cruiser
came to the rescue OF the yachts and in
a short time righted their tagled condition.
observers or the storm on Sandy Hook
dock declared 1t was by vast good fortune
that the yachts were not damaged. In half
an hour after the storm broke IN its fury
the clouds cleared away from a sky brill
fantly Illuminated by the setting ano
the wind died out as rapidly IL had
come IL left tumuutous sea. with break
ers dashing high ali about Sandy Hook.
Only a few drops of rain fell. The Giralda s
bowsprit was broken off close to her stem
and on the ALTA awnings were torn,
stanchions bent and bulwarks slightly DAM
aged.
In the gale this afternoon two women lost
their lives in Jamaica bay. They were Mrs
John Holm, and her sister, Miss Ragna NJ
Rasmussen. of Brooklyn. They went sail
Ing in catboat with Mr.. Holm and the
boat was upset about half mile off shore
In the heavy sea that was running. all three
found II impossible to reach the boat and
finally Holm started TO swim ashore. He
was picked up by sailboat. The two women
were taken from the water by a party in
a steam launch, but they died without re-
gaining consciousness.