The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-09-01

Fernandina, Fla. August 2s.-Twen-
" men. constituting all but two OF the
officers and crew of the American
steamship Paconic. bound from Phila-
delphia to New Orleans with coal, were
drowned by the sinking of b A vessel
of the coast of Florida today. The dis.
aster was the result OF a fierce gale
which ragged along the coast during the
night end early morning. Lashed by
the storm, an immense wave struck the
vessel with terrific force about 1880
O'Clock this morning. The impact COM
ing just as the vessel was making a
turn, caused a shift Of the cargo, n
the vessel carcened and sank imme-
diately. The accident occurred so
quickly that only two OF those aboard
her, an Italian and a Spaniard were able
to ave themselves. They succeeded In
getting into a boat. reached Amelia
beach about noon n on landing told
the story of the disaster. These men
could speak no word Of English. They
said they were the only survivors of
the crew of the Paconic, commanded
by Captain Jones.
About midnight Of Sunday, during
the heaviest part of the storm which
had ragged all days, the officer OF the
deck gave the order to put further cut
TO sea, fearing they were approaching
| the coast too nearly. In the endeavor
10 turn, the ship was struck with a
heavy sea. the cargo shifted, giving a
~broadside and instantly she began SINK
ing rapidly. In less than ten minutes
after the alarm was given she nad
gone to the bottom and no trace oil
her was left upon the waters. The ac-
| count of their own miraculous escape
out of all the ships crew who went
down was something approaching the
marvellous.
One of these men was at the wheel
ar the time the order was given, the
other was upon watch. AS soon as the
ship began to cereen h men rushed
for one of the small boats which they
Jumped into as the vessel began TO go
down. With their knives they sever
ed the ropes as the waters level was
reached and the small boat was
thrown far out on the waves. iney
furthermore say that they discovered
through the blackness and storm the
figures OF part of the awakened crew,
VINO. SOuQc OI Iutlu, ulduoSNu W tD"
into another of the ships boats. This
was. however, caught in a trough of
the sea, thrown violently against the
/ vetilators and then wedged fast.
Their pitiful cries could be heard as
the shin went down in the sea, which
; swallowed her up.
Alone through the alance OF the
night in the awful rush OF waters
, with the storm raging and threatening
: each moment to swamp their SINAI
boat. these two men were gradually
horne ashore toward Amelia Island
!, landing Just at IL a. N today. TheiI
condition was pitiable, with all tie
|, marks of a savage battle amid tenn
p~estuous seas. The men, whose names
are respectively Bagellini Humbert
and Antoni Clark, were unable to speai
in their native tongues and II wa
} sometime before the facts OF the dis
r aster were thoroughly ascertainad
d They have testified TO the CORRECTNESS
: of the above report before a notar!
public and the community here kino'!
cared for their wants.
q At the time Of the disaster the Sill
g was about 20 miles northeast OF hsT1
heading south and in the teeth OF N
: gale. The small boat was thrown her
Is and there until Hudils COhIioi ~
gained through handling the bars. en-
n abling the two unfortunate survivor
n TO pull for shore at last.
81 The only names that either OF tn
two could give were Captain Jons
= Mate James and Seamen Dominica Cal
,-l aleno and Pasqual Indecicate. He say
a there were five Spanish firemen. on
g French sailor, n Spanish seaman bs
a side himself, and the baiance WEI
Italians. :.
~ The vessel had been engaged in IN
o fruit trade from Central America
er New Orleans, but on account OF IN
~ quarantine regulations prohibiting u
is import of bananas she had been 81
\ gagged for two voyages to carry CO
I from Philadelphia TO New Oriean
n She was a ship of 1.154 o regists
"A and had on board about 1,5O0 tons
coal. She arrived ar Philadelphia Al
10 gust 4 and cleared for New OrleaI
a August 10.