Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-19
Steamer Mohawk Burned
During Night in Sound.
A Night Waterman. Overlooked.
Burned or Suff0cated.
Twenty eight Persons, Including Two
Women. Taken of.

down Long island sound on one of her
regular trips between this city and New
London. Conn, the freight steamer Mo-
hawk of the Central Vermont Rail-
roads fleet took fire off Horizons point.
on the Long Island shore and was
burned To the waters edge. early today.
Her crew. with the exception of the
Waterman was rescued by passing
steamship and taken to Fall River.
Mass. 1t is believed that the Mohawk
will BE- a total loss and that little if
any of her cargo will be saved.
The Mohawk left New York last
evening with a full cargo of general
merckar disc. Sh@ had 2S persons on
board Including two women. AS the
steamer passed Horizons Point, the
lighthouse keeper SAN flames breaking
from the boat ana i few minutes later
she was atire from stem to stern. AS
si,tancc Vas at hand in the Fall River
line steamer BOSTON. which had closely
followed the Mohawk down the sound
and all on beard except the Waterman
We're soon taken off. The flames We're
beyond control. however, and the Mo-
hawk was abandoned. A few moments
after the Boston had resumed her v0y-
age there carc the sound Of heavy
explosion and mass Of burning tim
berS accompanied by fresh burst of
iitmts shot up from ;he center OF the
abandoned freighter.
When dawn came the steamer was
lying fast on the bar and only a por-
ton If her upper works showed above
TIE surface. This gradually disappeared
as tt" tire ate its way into the null Of
the vat. The lighthouse keeper was
unable to make out the name Of the
abandoned steamer. and il was not I'M
| til tho rescued: crew had reached Fall
River that the name Of the unfOrtu-
nate craft was made known. AT the
same time it was Learned that one life
was lost by the burning of the steamer.
! 4 Waterman who was on duty when
! the flames were discovered failed to
reach the Boston when she stood by
| to give assistance and il is supposed
| that he lost his life. Attempts to send
assistance from shore to tn" burning
steamer were unsuccessful. The Rocky
Point life saving crew put out in a
I boat but were driven back by the in
tensely flames. Later Il volunteer crew
the burning hulk waiting for the fire
to burn itself out.
The ire continued to shoulder dur
ing the forenoon and frequent explos-
ions scattered burning embers and
clouds uf ashes over the water.
The Mohawk was Il comparatively
new steamer having been built at
: Chester. Pa. in 1896 She was Of 215O
net tons. 265 feet in length, AZ feet
beam and l6.S feet deep.
| FAN River. Mass. NOV. 1S.-The Fail
River freight steamer Boston arrived at
her dock in this city. shortly before .
O'Clock. today. three hours late having
brought the crew of the Central Ner-
mont Railroad freighter Mohawk,
! which they had taken from the burning
steamer i'll Long Island sound during
the night. The Boston brought p per
sons from the Mohawk including %
of the crew and two women. wives OF
officers Of the Mohawk. one man. the
night Waterman of the steamer. a
! Swede named Larsen. WAS lost AS
he 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 supposed that he was
overcome by the flames and burned tc
death.
| The crew remained in Fall River bu,
short time. taking a trolley train
for Providence. where they will re.
main until vessel is secured to take
the place of the burned steamer.
! The Boston came up with the Mohawk
at l. i this morning. about a mile east q
cornheld. The Mohawk was Their abou
one hours run from New London he,
usual terminus on the eastward trip IN.
MohaWk was stopped and was burning fu
rlouSly forward. She signalled he Bos
ton. whlch ran up as close as possibl,
ana stood by 10 give assistance
A boat containing two women a.,d mem
| pefS OF the crew put out almost imme
dlateiy after the Bostons arrival an,
the women were placed safely on boar,
| the Fail River Line boat
! Those who came in the boat said tina
the fire on the Mohawk was discovers,
by those in the pilot house shortly afte
midnight. II was pretty well forwar,
and the crew We're A. once sent 10 the
stations to fight the flames The grea
neat however. prevented them from get
ting close to the blaze which snrea,
and steadily drove back those who oppos