New-York tribune., 1908-02-05
STEAMER A FURNACE.
ST CUTHBERT STORY TOLD
Fourteen Lost Lies by Droscnang-
One Fell Into FLAMES.

South wenheet Mass. Feb "A wireless dis
,s,ct from Captain Finch. of the White Star Line
steamer Cvuaric tonight told a thrilling story of
The burning Of the Phoenix Line steamer St. Cuth-
bert with the of fifteen souls and the rescue OF
rha survivors by a Hfeboat from the Cymric. Ac-
cor6ins 10 Captain Finch's dispatch. eleven men
were drowned by the apsizing of a boat in which
tbev had nut off from the burning steamer: three
others in another boat were drowned, and stow
sway lost his life by falling through an open
hstchvay into the midst Of the flames.
The list Of names of the drowned men SO far as
known include the following: Third Officer White,
Apprentice Brophy. and Seamen Carlson, Audrif,
Ve-muleu. De Freitas Steig Muller, Mauton, He
rebout Ncorbrook, Van Pryubrook and hronfeiot
The wireless despatch goes 70 say that the ST
Cathbert, bound from Antwerp for New York, with
general cargo. including fusel oil. nsphtholin.
matches and rags. caught fire about o'clock on
sunday morning while in latitude 4217 north, longi-
tude s2z7 west The second officer. Mr.. Tuohy;
who watch the time. noticed smoke com:
ing from a veDtiiator, and Immediately summoned
Captain Lewis The latter hurried to the
Geek, the flames which shot from the ventilators
choking him as he passed. Hardly had the captain
reached the deck when series Of explosions oc-
CURED in TIE forward part the vessel. and No
and No ? matches blew into the air. A call was
sounded for all hands. but of the crew who
were forward at the time were unable 10 reach
the after part OF the steamer. : the bow seemed
instantly TO burst into flames. The chief officer,
N-Io NaS on IAe brlcEs saved MS ilt DS J1iuE-
ing distance Of fourteen feet to the deck below,
finding 81 impossible to escape by the ladders,
which were already ablaze.
Although every effort was made 10 Quell the
flames. the quarters of the captain and the other
officers were burned within ten minutes after the
fire discovered. From Nos and matches the
fire communicated TO No , hatch, and within an
hour after the first outbreak Of the flames the en-
tire forward section Of the vessel was blazing
fercely- The flames. fed by the combustitee ma
~au1- rar1aIl
giving out tremendous heat a few OF the sailors
who had been caught in the bow Of the steamer.
were nearly overcome by the heat and saved them
selves only by hanging the anchor fukes on
the outside OF the vessel until the flames died down
sufficiently to allow them make their way aft
The deck was nearly red hot, and their journey 10
the stern was no easy one All of these men s1f-
tered from burns Two stowaways. who were for
ward the steamer, endeav vored escape by max
ing their way along the jumper stay, which
from the forenlsst TO a funnel One of the stow
a1-ays succeeded in accomplishing this feat. and
reached the stern in safety. but The other sowaway
less fortunate. While he was stiIl climbing u
the Jumper stay the forerast began totter fts
foot burned away. and he was hurled 70 the
bottom cf the hold out of which the flames were
then shooting In g short time the foremast went
by the board
Finding the steamer was doomed two boats were
launched at about $50 on Sunday morning one in
charge or Second Officer Tuohy. containing eight
men, while the other boat carried eleven members
Of the crew Almost Immediately after leaving the
side OF the steamer the second boat vas swamped
ny tremendous sea. and all on board were
drowned The other boat drifted away from the
steamer, but as the oars had been either washed
away from the boat broken the situation of
the occupants Of this boat was desperate. Three
Of the crew Of the boat mad while they were
tossing helDlessly about the waves, which
threatened each moment TO overwhelm their little
craft Although the boat at times half full Of
lined a1o
Other men Of fne crew. who bailed continuously
When daybFeak came the St. Cuthbert still
ahoat and afre miles away. By stepping the
mast and rigging small san the OF Second
oficer Tuohys boat again succeeded in returning
10 the steamer. but in rounding her stern a noun
famous wave threw the lifeboat against the steam
er 3 counter. sinking il and tuubling all the
pants into the water Lines were thrown from
the steamer to the struggling in the water
and six were rescued in this way. The other three
were drowned.
BY strenuous efforts the fire was confined 20 the
fore part Of the vessel. but when at daylight on
Monday morning sail sign Of smoke from
steamer was 20 be seen anywhere along the hori
zon the hopes OF the exhausted crew sank TO the
lowest ebe as il seemed impossible to continue
longer their battle with the fire.
Shortly after O'Clock. however the Cyr,ric hove
IN sight Her appearance was the signal for great
cheer from the sailors and from the firernen who
neariy went Wild as they a prospect of res
cue and the officers had the greatest difficulty in
-'aiiiialflnS order The St CUtlbert this time
vas Tying urgent distress signals. a red blanket
"hd cork fender carried at the masthead repre-
senfinE the bah and square flag all the usual sig
ma HagS having been destroyed by the fire
IN" captain Of the Cymric signalled I,y seYna-
1hofe io Tho distressed that he would stand
nv ana would send hfeboat soon as the sea
1lrceTated AT that time = strong westerly gale
prevailed. with violent snow squalls and the sea
was running high.
shorty after O clock the afternoon the
weather having moderated a little No lifebnat
was launched from the Cymric. This was in charge
OF tlNef offlcer Stivey and manned by six
sfarlen volunteers from the White Star liner In
spite Of the violence of the sea the Cyr1ric's life
boat Inade the journey 70 the ST Cuthbert without
Hls1aI5 Sixteen men, including the captain of the
eI Snthbert and sailors, all of whom were suffer
ING from burns. were taken aboard the Hfeboat
siier a number Of other men Of the crew had been
warned back by the chief officer who threatened 10
filoot the hrst man who dared go into the life
""a1 WITHOUT permission As as the Hfeboat
returned TO the Cymric and the injured men had
heen carefully lifted board, the lifeboat was
fgaln hoisted on III. davits Al the Cymric had by
alis time drifteo far away fran the burning
steamer In order 20 get back her former posi-