New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-21
AGROUND WITH al ON BOARD
THE SICILIAN PRINCE RUNS ON LONG BEACH BE-
CAUSE CAPTAIN MISTAKES LIGHTS
Whistles Dron Life Savers YoicesBig Cord
Vas Thought To Be a Wreck

The big British immigrant steamer Sicilian
Prince ran hard and fast aground the treach-
erous shoals off Long Beach, Long Island.
yesterday at a. m. Her captain had mistaken
Sandy Hook light for that at Barnegat, and
overrun his reckoning. The vessel was thirteen
days out from Palermo. and was bringing 541
Italian immigrants to New-York. Her officers
end crew number seventy-one. The captain
refused TO allow life savers from the Long
Beach station to take off any of the passengers.
but came ashore himself and telephoned to this
city for wrecking tugs. Four powerful vessels
worked all the afternoon but did not succeed
in getting her OFF. The effort will be resumed at
high tide this morning, and If unsuccessful the
passengers will be brought to Ellis Island d
small steamer. Meantime the steamer is rest
Ing easy and is in danger unless a sudden
storm blows up.
The Sician Prince encountered nothing but
pleasant weather the voyage. which threat
ened TO be a record breaker for vessels OF her
class Shortly before 4 o'clock yesterday Cap
tain William Hanck, who was In command
sighted a light which he took to be that at
Barnegat He had soundings taken which con-
vinced him that he off the New-Jersey
coast. He continued northeasterly course
at speed of about twelve knots an hour.
minute or so before o'clock the lookout
caught sight of breakers ahead through the
haze. He cried an alarm to the bridge, and the
captain sgnaled the engine room TO reverse the
engines. The signal had hardly sounded when
she struck at almost full speed. There was
jar which threw OF the members of the
crew to the deck and she continued to force her
into the sand.
Five minutes after she struck Milo H. Abrams.
the life saver who was patrolling that stretch OF
beach. made out her lights through the haze.
He Immediately burned a red Coston light to
warn the vessel to stand off.
At first there was no answer from the Sicilian
Prince. The captain. following the practice OF
British masters who do not like to be reported
until they are actually IN trouble trying
to back into deep water. Then Abrams burned
second danger signal, which was answered by
rockets and blasts OF the steamers whistle
THOUGHT THEY HAD REACHED PORT.
In the night the stork had visited the steamer,
leaving baby with one Of the immigrant
mothers. A number OF the women were awake
when the ship struck. Some one cried that they
had reached port safely and this news spread
through the ship. There not hint Of
panic for they knew nothing of the steamers
dangerous position. Instead Of rushing for the
boats or doing the other foolish things which
immigrants usually do when danger threatens.
the crowd on the Prince Joined IN cheer over
their supposed safe arrival
a little later the captain ordered a lifeboat
over the side, and the word was passed to the
immigrants that he going ashore to attend
to customs formalities. They tried to look out
into the haze but could little nothing. and
many Of them went back to bed.
Though there little sea running. the
breakers on Long Beach were high and the
Italian sailors who manned Captain Hanck's
life boat knew nothing about running them.
They narrowly escaped capszing and several
of them were drenched. They went 10 the life
saving station, mile away, to dry out.
The captain asked the life where he
was, and surprised to find that it was Long
Island instead of the New-Jersey coast. He
inquired the way to the nearest telephone, and
hurried up the beach 10 the Long Beach Hotel.
whre he got In communication with the Merritt
and Chapman Derrick and Wrecking Company
and the consignees C. B. Richard & Co., OF No.
81 Broadway.
Shortly before o'clock Captain Richard Van
Wicklen of the Long Beach Life Saving Sta
tion put out in the lifeboat and went along
side the stranded steamer AS the boat ap-