The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-12-14
SOUND STEAMER BURNS
Central Vermont Line Freight Boat
Destroyed by Fire.
The Mohawk Caught Fire ut Night When
OF Cornield-One Of Her Grew Lost
Remainder Rescued by the Boston.

Fall River. Mass.-The Fall River
Line freight steamer Boston arrived at
her pier in this city about 9 a. M.
three hours late, Having stopped to res
cue the crew Of the Central Vermont
Railroad freighter Mohawk, which the
Boston overlook, on fire, in Long Island
Sound in the night. The Boston
brought twenty-seven persons from the
Mohawk, including twenty-five of the
crew and two women, wives Of officers
Of the Mohawk. Andrew Larsen. the
| night Waterman Of the steamer, a
Swede. was lost. AS he was the per.
| son who should have discovered the
fire, and as no report from him was
received by the officers of the ship, it
| is supposed that he was overcome by
the flames and burned to death. The
| members of the crew remained in Fall
| River only a short time, taking a train
for Providence. The captain Of the
| Boston gives the following account Of
the disaster:
The Boston came up with the Mo-
hawk at 1916 o'clock in the morning,
about a mile east of Corntield. The
Mohawk was then about an hours run
| from New London, her usual terminus
on the eastward trip. The Mohawk
| was stopped and was burning furious
~ forward. She signalled the Boston.
which ran up as close as possible and
stood by to give assistance. A boat
containing two women and some men,
| bers of the crew put out from the Mo-
| hawk almost Immediately after the
| Boston's arrival, and the two women
| were placed safe on board the Fall Riv-
| er line boat. The boat crew which had
come to the Boston put back at once.
| An hour later, driven by the spreading
Of the flames, the Mohawk's crew
| abandoned the burning vessel and
| reached the Boston in two boats. AS
they drew away it was seen thai the
| Mohawk was ablaze from cad to end,
| and shortly after they had reached the
| Boston q heavy explosion occurred on
| the Mohawk, which lifted the deck.
! The smokestacks flew upward, fol.
| lowed by a burst of flame and dense
| columns Of black sGoke. Then the
! flames leaped up to a great height and
continued burning iercely. 1t was ap.
| parent that no further purpose would
| be served if the Boston remained by.
and she resumed her course fc1 Fall
| River.
The Mohawk's men said that the fire
was discovered by those in the pilot
house shortly after midnight. 1t was
| pretty we'll forward, and the crew were
| at once sent to their stations to fight
| the flames. The great heat. however,
| prevented them from getting close to
the blaze, which spread and steadily
| drove back those who opposed it until
| the entire vessel was doomed. As the
| night Waterman was the person who
should have discovered the fire, and as
| no report from him was received by
| the officers Of the ship, it is believed
that he attempted to quench the flames
| and was overcome and burned to death.
The Mohawk's cargo. it was said
here, was one of the heaviest in
months. 1t included nearly 1000 bar.
rels Of sugar, a large quantity of baled
rags, besides oil and gasolene. Those
| who were on board of her were unable
to estimate her value or to approx
| mate the value of her cargo.