Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-08-01

Mile Beach by the appalling disaster
which occurred off Hereford Inlet Bar,
Sunday afternoon, when at least ifteen
men were drowned by the capsizing of
sloop yachts Nora and Alva b. ghe
catastrophe was one of the worst that
ever marked the New jersey coast fish
ing. The drowned men had come to
Anglesea on one of the excursion trains
from Philadelphia
At least IL men lost their lives from
the sloop yacht Nora, which was over
turned as she was returning from the
Five Fathom fishing grounds with ~
passengers, all men aboard. Three
hours later, the yacht Alva b. went
over, few hundred yards north OF the
wreck of the Nora, throwing her II
passengers into the surf Eleven OF
these were saved.
Previous to the catastrophe Captain
Shivers had double reefed his mainsail
and while he was crossing the bar
where the water was toughest, had
directed Herbert James, the sailor, to
lower the peak few feet. The yacht
cleared the bar in good style and had
proceeded about 90 yards inside the
Inlet when suddenly big surging
swell rolled under her stern. Herafter-
end went high in the air, her bow
plunged under water and finally she
"broached to.n The panic stri ken
passengers Ieaped out of their seats
though ordered to keep still. The
vessel, already careening with the
weight of 81 men on her star-board rail,
rolled over on her beam and flung her
passengers into the sea, some of them
becoming entangled i'll the sails aud
rigging.
The mast and mainsail lay under
water, while the gasoline auxiliary
engine made the half submerged pro-
peller churn the water into a froth that
helped TO battle the excited men in
getting back to the foundered boat.
Captain Shivers retained his presence
of mind and swan straight back to
his craft, dove into the submerged hold
three times and dragged out a number
of cork jackets stored there. One of
these he strapped about his waist but
not until he had taken preselvers TO
the men who were struggling in the
water and tried to place them on them.
Few of The men tried to strap the
jackets on, but simply struck the cap
tain and pushed them away in their
mad fright.
The seas beat fiercely against the up
turned boat and finally the mast
snapped off close to the deck.
Strollers on the beach witnessed the
capsizing and rushed to the life saving
station with the news. In less time
than it takes to tell it, Captain Ludlam
had gathered crew of volunteer life
savers into the government boat COM
posed of Harry Mckinley, Geo. Red
ding, Harry Firth and John Taylor
and they were pulling for the unfor-
tunate sloop. Arriving at the wreck
Captain Ludlam and his volunteers
succeeded in saving eighteen of the
party who were tax en- ashore as rapid
ly as possible to be cared for by kind
hands.
The yacht Alva b., Captain Samuel
Bunch, with twelve men on board,
eleven of whom We're passengers, cap
sized ON an outer bar about mile
from the shore. Fortunately the
plight of the Alva b. was witnessed by
the steamer Israella nearby. Capt.
Thos. johnson, of the Israella, rushed
to the rescue and threw out life line
and rescued six of the men, While Cap
tain Ludlam with his brave crew of
volunteers, the Norfork and the
Moflett, all hurried to the rescue. A
dory manned by Albert Johnson, Her
bert Cresse and Edward Anderson
picked up two drowning men. All
from the overturned craft were picked
up except one. The survivors were
taken to the Ramblers' Club and the
Life Saving station where willing
hands worked over them. Drs. Nj. f,
Lummis, N. A. Cohen, Maggie Mace,
Elmer Pinker, and Mr.. Harwood, did
all possible to care for the half drown
ed men.
The coroner's inquest which was held
Monday found no blame attached to
any one in connection with the dis
aster. Witnesses were questioned re-
garding the mishap and the jury, of
which John w. Young was foreman,
returned verdict of accidental drown
ing. In its report the jury commended
Captain Herbert Shivers, of the Nora
for his heroic work in diving for the
life preservers and also praised Captain
Indian and his crew of volunteers