New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-29
FOUR MAY BE LOST.
DRUuELZIER HARD HIT.
Boiler. Loose, added Danger-Re0-
enue Cutter Moha5Ck Stands By.
rsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE


Eastport Long Island. Dec. 2S-Four men
have probably been lost so far from the Dru-
melzier ashore on Fire Island Bar At o'clock
this afternoon the revenue cutter Mohawk closed
inshore near the stranded steamer and sig
nailed asking how many were boards The
Drumelzier answered 'Twenty-nine 1t IL
known that there were thirty-two men In the
crew. besides Captain Nicholson. when the YES
sci left port. and her answering signal to the
Mohawk seemed to show that four men had been
swept overheard and drowned.
One was seen 10 lay aloft early IN ths
day and then disappear In the waves which
which swept the vessel. and it Is thought that
he lost No bodies have yet been washed
ashore. If any of the crew have been washed
overheard II is likely they have been carried 70
Fire Island Inlet. instead OF to the beach, and
being ground In the Zee I'm Great South
Bay
IL is not known here tonight whether uos
Captain Nicholson OF the stranded Drunelzier
and the rest Of his crew have abandoned ths
vessel If they have not done so il will only he
by miracle If they live to see daybreak again.
The sea has been breaking over the vessel all
day to such an extent that only her funnel has
been visible to the watch on Fire Island
The wrecking tug William T. Chapman has
been lying by all day and was later Joined by
the United States revenue cutter Mohawk froru
New-York The Mohawk seen TO fly signals
telling the crew that she would stand by and
directing them not to leave in their own boats.
Then darkness set In. and IL has been irapos-
sible UP to midnight tell whether she sue
ceeded in taking of the crew. II she did nos.
no steamer will.
The life guards are now constantly on ths
watch for the bodies OF any Of the crew that
may be washed ashore for any swimmer tha.
may attempt to come ashore through the smoth-
er of surf in which 1t is thought man could
live through half hundred yards
When the fog lifted this morning the Drums
elzier was seen laying about three-quarters of b
mile of Fire Island. with her stern we'll up on
the south side Of Fire Island bar. At that time
the waves were dashing over her decks and
sweeping her from stem to stern the spray
freezing on her funnel and mastheads- She ap-
peared then TO be fixed firmly in the sand and TO
be pounding little although II was obvious that
every plate and beam was being racked by tbs
smashing OF the surf
Soon after the lifting OF the fog the steamers
sisnalled that her largest boiler was loose and
was pounding her bottom TO pieces Unless the
boiler could be secured II would hog" the yes
sells keel and smash her TO pieces as though she
were made of cardboard
Toward night the westerly wind backed
around into the northward for awhile. beating
down the heavy surf. This gave the Chapman
and the Mohawk an opportunity TO lie close in
iSl q AcW ullHuleS- II was thought at first thar
one or the other vessel had taken OF the crew
but 1t is now. believed that the surf was too
heavy 70 allow this. and that they ran In for a
talk with Captain Nicholson
Then both ran out to sea again one disap-
pearng to the westward.
The wind now blowing forty-eight miles an
hour. is kicking up as nasty a sea as has been
seen at either Oak Fire Island this season.
1t is growing colder, and the wind has been
r{=i
the life saving station at Oak Island that the
wind will die down to considerable extent bv
morning In this lies the only hope of the
steamer. for the life savers may be able to get
out to the Drumelzer some time tomorrow
When the Drumelzier last seen she was
lsboring heavily and had heavy list to star
board. Signals asking for assistance have been
set all day.
One or two catboats and sloops have crossed
the Great South Bay with parties anxious to-
see the Drunlezier. The boatmen have OBJ
tanned almost fabulous prices for this Early
I'm the morning three went out in a soop from
Eastport to go to Fire Island Their boat was
biged in the surf. and was beached about &,
mile and half east of Fire Island. The meg
were in grave danger from the ice and wers
rescued with great difT1culty by the Fire Island
life saving crew. One of the men was so rluch
overcome by exposure that II is doubtful II hs
viii live.
Last night word sent TO the Sandy Hoos
Life Saving Station to get ready 70 start for
the wreck at daylight Captain T Patterson
will have charge of crew OF eight men. ths
heaTdiest life savers along the coast The long
est lifeboat at the Hook was made ready az
once. and early In the morning viii be taken
in by a powerful tug TO where the British
tramp lies stranded,
The Drumelzier lies about three quarters os
a mile of the extreme end OF Fire Island Beach.
She is almost in the channel leading from tl1s
ocean into Great South Bay. All .comuunics-f
tion between Oak Island and the mainland Isl
cut off by the Ice that fills this bay with drift.
ing foes, driven hither and thither with the
winds. and some places piled in huge hum
mocks. The position OF the steamer is One os
great peril. She is lying bow-on toward the
shore. with her stern res ting on the bar show
Ing about two feet above her normal draught. As
she lies, the seas breaking over her porr
side, but the westerly gale which came up Iasr
night showed tendency to beat down the high
running surf.
At o'clock last night the wrecking steamers
Chapman was anchored about a mile from the
stranded steamer. and the Chapman's surfboae
Whether she had taken of any of the steamers
crew. or whether she standing by as a pre-
caution in case the vessel went to pieces. could
not be determined from the shore.
heavy wind blew all day. and as night cana
on its force increased. until toward midnight IL
blowing gale. There was scant hone OF
either wind or sea going down by morning.
Should the vessel go 10 pieces during the night
appeared possible from the terrific rnanner
she was seen to be pounding when darkness
set In, the only possible salvation for Captain
Nicholson and his crew lies IN rescue by the
boats OF the wrecking steamer the lights ~
which We're still visible we'll into the might -
the Drumelzier holds together great hope IL
placed in the efforts which the Sandy Hook
life savers will make soon as davItobt oOr,a~