Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-23
STORM KING TAKES
 VERY MANY LIVES
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH
 OF PROPERTY ALSO,
Great Havoc Along the New England Coast During the Present Win ter-Was a Very Severe
 Season on Sea.
Season on Sea.

Boston, March 23.-A grim toll of
 eighty-five lives, fifty-four ships and
 property aggregating hundreds of
 thousands of dollars in value was
 exacted by the storm king along the
 coast of New England and the mari
 time provinces during the winter
 which by the calendar has just end ed While the season up to the pres ent month was comparatively mild
 on shore, at sea it was one of ex- treme severity, particularly in wa
 ters off the provinces. There the
 years calamities began and there it's greatest ones have occurred. Cape Cod, commonly the scene of numer-
 ous wrecks, on the other hand, was unusually free from fatalities up to last Mondays blizzard. Vessels were frequently driven ashore on the cape, but with few exceptions they were saved with little accompanying loss of life. In this weeks storm, how ever, three vessels were lost on this coast.
 The coastwise and fishing fleets, as usual, have been the greatest suf- ferers. Of the flfty-four vessels wrecked thirty-seven have been sail ing craft, and, with one or two ex- captions, all have been schooners. Nine steamships and eight barges complete the list. Ships flying the British flag lead those of other na- tions with a loss of twenty-seven craft against fifteen of American reg fster There is also a sprinkling of Norwegian, German and Swedish yes sels.
 The worst disaster in New England or Canadian waters for the winter was the laundering of the steamer British King off Sable Island on March II on a voyage from New York to Antwerp, when 1t is esti- mated that at least eighteen and pos sibly twenty-six lost their lives. The correct figures probably will never be known as several men enrolled as members of the crew are said to have deserted before the ship sailed. The steamers Bostonian and Mannheim rescued twenty-eight men, prevent ing a much greater loss of life.
 The season of storm and shipwreck commenced in November when the Norwegian steamer Turbin struck the rocks off Clark's harbor, N. S., and in sight of persons on shore struck and held for brief moment on the lodges, then surged forward on the crest of a wave and disappeared with her crew of fourteen men. In less than a fortnight after the Turbin tragedy the British steamer Lunch burg struck the rocks in heavy storm of Amherst harbor, Magdalen, Islands, and twelve out of a crew of perished. From that time on scarcely week passed without its story of wreck. Boston has been the port of entry for many vessel bringing thrilling tales of hardship and heroism.
 Nantucket has been the center of most of the New England coast storms, and the lightships on that station have had fearful winter. In a gale December 10 relief lightship No 5S was torn from her moorings. Anxious search was made by three government ships, one of which after up with the storm driven craft had barely time to take off her crew before the light vessel plunged to the bottom. The ship sent to take the place of the one which sank had hardly less trying weather and dur ing the series of stormy early this month one sailor became insane on account of the strain due to the in- cessant buffeting of the station ship by storm and gale.
 Reports that have come in since the blizzard early in the week cause fear that the lists of casualties may be greatly increased. There has been no day without it's story of disaster. Many vessels are overdue and the actual fate of some of them may not | ... t..~,od for uaakQ