New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-23
LIFE SAVERS HELPLESS.
Neither Boat Nor Line Could Reach
Schooner off BeHport, L. Z.
LORs WASHED ASHORE ALIVE.
10y TELEGRAPH TO TIE TH1BUNE.I

10y TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.I
Eastport. y. Y. Feb. 22-In the gloom and
terror Of last nights storm the three mas-od
schooner Benjamin Q. Cromwell. while grOpinE
through the fog and battling with the heavy
southerIy gales was driven on the outer bar or
BeIlport. Long Island. and six OF the eight mon
Of the crew we're drowned.
The Cromwell was bound from Charleston.
s c. with a consignment of yellow pine for
Halifax. y. s. when. encOuntering one OF the
worst storms which ever ragged along this coast.
she was stranded near the Bellport Life Saving
Station. fifteen miles east OF Fire Island Idsht.
shortly after a. m and discovered by one %
the station watchmen. He Immediately told tho
crew. and the Hfeboat was quickly carried TO
the beach. Two attempts 10 launch Il were
made. but the wind and sea were too high. and
it was necessary 10 wait for daylight to use the
life line.
When dawn broke eight men could be seen
clinginE 20 the rigging. through which the line
was successfully shot. Owing TO the violence OF
the storm. however. which carried mountain
Gus waves above the decks and caused the snip
70 p,tch wildly. the sailors could not reach tho
line
one Of the heavy waves tore the mate OF the
vessel and he went down before the eyes Of
the men cIingfng to the nlasts. little later one
Of the sailors was also washed from the beat,
but managed to reach the shore. clinging to
piece OF the wreckage. He reported the drown
ing Of the mate.
Shortly after this Captain Penney. from
Smiths Point. and Captain Rorl<e. from Blue
Point. arrived with their men. and a combined
attsr7pt was made to launch the 1ifeboat. one
crew being IN II. while the other two pushed it
through the surf. After being beaten back
three times the attempt was finally abandoned
and the line was again tried. -Four lines wers
shot to the vessel but as there were no cross
yards il was impossible to make line hold
across the rigging. and the lines that fell
across the deck were washed away before any
member OF the crew could reach them
When word reached the mainland OF ths
wrecking Of the schooner an attempt was made
to reach her across the ice on the Great South
Bay. a distance Of seven miles. It had to be
abandoned. owing to six or seven inches %
" ater on the ice. Later in the day. however.
the water flowed from the ice sufficiently 70
permit crossing. and Lieutenant Deotte. who
has charge OF the Long Island district life saw
ing stations. visited the scene OF the wreck.
Pv Q O'Clock il was seen from the shore that
the vessel was lying In such a position on the
inner reef that she would almost certainly
break up before the sea would go down enough
70 make II possible TO get out with the Hfe-
boat.
The end came shortly before 10 O'Clock. A
little before that some pieces o. yellow pine
came hurting through the breakers. and the
watchers. knew the hull was breaking up. When
the final crash came the whole schooner seemed
10 20 TO pieces at once. The main mast 1urched
10 one side. and then the others followed. and
all crashed down together into the water. car
-vina the six men with them. The falling %
the u7asts was accompanied by the breaking up
of the hull. and a few minutes later the pieces
of the schooner and her cargo began to line
the shore
six Of the life savers buckled on their life
vests and plunged into the water. in spite OF
the fact that the surf was fun of the heavy
lumber and wreczage and blow on the head
Or on limb or body might mean death.
One man was saved-a sailor. vino drtfted
ashore on a piece OF wreckage. He was uncOr-
scious when taken from the water. and was only
revived after prolonged efforts at the life saw
Ing station. The two men saved were Neil No
T.eod and Samuel Olsen. the drowned being
Captain G. Cooler. George Phillip. N. Flocum.
J. McCumber and the coIored cook and engineer.
whose names were not known 70 the men who
were saved
The crew OF the life saving station remained
On duty along the shore pH day. and in the az
.ernoon succeeded in getting through the surf
and visiting the scene OF The wreck. but az dark
-o-night no bodies had been recovered
Portland. Ne. FEB. 22-The Benjamin c.
Cromwell. lost of Bellport. Lcng Island. to-
iay. was owned by Sargent. Lord & Skiliings.
II this city. She valued ar $1,000. Shs
vas commanded by Captain c. Cooler. OF south
Portland. ard her first mate was John NIcCuu-
Der. Of this city. Her crew was shipped in Port
and on December 4. as follows
Joseph Peters. engineer. aged hfty-twO Ger
nan. James Han cook tcolored). BarbadoeS,
Sell Mcleod tWenty-elsht. Nova Scotia. sam
lef Olson. thirty-fve. Norwegian, A. Uleuorin
venty-six. Russian George Phillip. forty
Rhode Island.
The Cromwell sailed from here on December
for Tiverton, r. l.. and then left for Charles