New-York tribune., 1903-01-22
FIVE DIE IN WRECK.
BARK BREAKS ON SHOAL
Life Guards Rescue FiUe, LaShed to
Nainmdst. Washed to Sea.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1BuNE.l

Atlantic City, n. j., Jan. 21.-During the
southeaster which swept along the Jersey coast
last night the bark Abel Abbott was wrecked
a mile above Ship Bottom Station. Four OF her
crew are missing and given up as lost. of nVe
others who were rescued. one has since died
from exposure and the rest are in a serious con-
dition.
The vessel sailed from Turks Island for New
York her home port, on January D. Her cargo
of salt consigned to her owner, Abiei Ao-
bott, of No 80 South-st, New York City. Tues
day evening the wind blew a hurricane. and the
rain descended in torrents. 1t was owing to
these conditions that the vessel hard
aground on the shoals a mile above Ship Bot
tom Station. She pounded heavily, and the
waves swept her decks. Rockets were sent aloft
to attract attention. and the life guards at the
station, seeing them, prepared to launch their
surfboat. under the command of Captain TruaX
Time and again the guardsmen attempted TO
launch their boat. but, owing to the heavy SURF
and the fierce wind, they were unable to do So
Then they tried to shoot the life line across the
vessel, but in these attempts they also failed
At dawn they discovered the vessel almost
broken up and abandoned.
In their search for the crew of the ship, the
life guards. three miles out at sea, came across
five of them lashed to the mainmast drenched
to the skin. benumbed with cold. and nearly
dead. They were taken ashore in the surfboat
and cared for at the life saving station. The
rescued men became unconscious and one of
them, Frank Lever, died.
During the day the life guards continued their
search for the four missing men, who had
lasned themselves to the foremast, and when it
became evident that they were lost. the guards
patrolled the beach. watching for their dead
bodies, which might be up by the sea.
here
wrecked vessel left above the water.
The men rescued are Captain Isaac B. Haw-
kns. of Portland. Me; Seamen Otto Bervge, of
Norway; James Butler of Newfoundland; James
Burns, of Staten Island, and Frank Lever, OF
Norway. who has since died The missing men
Mate J. H Pierce. of New-York; Asher
Palmer, of Massachusetts,; Henry Carter, of
New-York, and Tim" Brandt. of Germany.
Captain Hawkins, who has followed the sea
for many years, after he regained consciousness
this evening said that the storm was one of
the most severe he had ever encountered along
the New-Jersey coast. He stated that after
the vessel struck, and he realized that they were
facing DEATH he and his men lashed themselves
in the rigging where they remained all night
nearly freezing 10 death At > a. m to-day, he
said, the vessel went over her beam ends
breaking off the masts and precipitating the
men into the ocean. They remained in the
chilly for several hours until picked up
more dead than alive by the life guards.
The AbbottS cargo valued at S1,50o, and
the vessel at $1,000 She was only partly in
-sured. She was built in Boston in 1919. was of
$50 tons register, 1856 feet long, 32.5 feet beam
and Il feet deep.
This is the third wreck which has taken place
within the last three weeks the treacherous
shoals known Ship Bottom which owes it's
name to the number of hulks which have
stranded there. The Spanish ship Remedio Pas
cuel was torn to pieces near by on the night OF
January g. and almost the same spot where
the Abbott disappeared to-day the schooner
Harold B. Cousens struck on the night of Janu-
ary - The bar on which these wrecks have
taken place is about four miles from Barnegat
and twenty miles from Atlantic City, and is
considered one of the most dangerous spots on
the New-Jersey coast
That the men suffered greatly from their long
exposure is attested by the fact that Frank
Lever who died shortly after being brought
ashore was beaten almost to jelly by the force
of the waves. Captain Hawkins and the three
remaining survivors of the crew are being cared
for at the Ship Bottom Life Saving Station
where they will be made comfortable until they
are able to leave.