The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-02-04
Mysterious Disaster Overtakes
Unidentified Vessel Flying
American Flag.
BLAZING STEAMER GOES DOWN
Not Single Piece of Wreckage Detected
That Would Give Clue to Identity
of Vessel.

Elizabeth, N. c., Feb. 2. - In q
tempest which seemed so violent that
no steamer could pass through it. a
big steamer flying the American flag
and with her stern spouting flame and
smoke, was engulfed in the sea Sat
urday within three miles of the Dia-
mond Shoals lightship.
Reports from the wireless telegraph
operator at Cape Hatteras say that
those on shore had just time to train
their glasses on the vessel and see
the smoke and flame when she sank.
It is said she had a passenger deck,
and II passengers were aboard all are
lost.
No limo to Give Help.
The City Of Savannah of the Savan-
nah line was within sighting distance
of the burning vessel when she foun-
dered.
The liner could give no assistance
first, because. even If the stranger
had not sunk. the Savannah could not
have gotten alongside, the sea run
ming tremendously high; and, second,
because the vessel disappeared so
quickly into the deep.
The Savannah sighted the unknown
vessel hours before she sank. Tho
vessels were fighting against the tre-
mendous seas, the wind whistlin9
through their rigging at about fifty
miles an hour, the mercury register
ing almost zero. Tho storm increased
in fury and, just when the Savannah
and the stranger reeled toward the
shoals the unidentified vessel was
seen to be aflre.
No Signal 10 oIven.
The Savannah's omcers and the
crew of the lightship had just time to
make out the character Of the ship
when, rising high on a great wave,
her stern went in the water, churning
1t into foam, and in less than min.
ute she was swallowed by the sea,
her bow going down almost perpendic.
ularly.
No signal of any kind was given by
the unknown before she went down.
nenaln6 q mystery.
Hidden beneath the turbulent waves
that roll wildly over Diamond Shoals.
fourteen miles off Cape Hatteras, 8.
c., the identity of the mysterious
steamer which went down there early
Saturday, probably with all hands on
board. remains untold.
The daylight Of another day fur.
nished no clue to corroborate the ties.
timony of those few aboard the Dia-
mond Shoals lightship, who Witness
ed, helpless to aid, this latest tragedy
Of the we'll named Graveyard of the
Atlantic" When darkness fell upon
the scene last night not single piece
Of wreckage had been detected either
on shore or on the oceans bosom, and
1t may be several days before any.
thing is discovered. .
Doubted by Officials.
The Savannah line steamer CITY Of
Savannah, which arrived at Savannah
yesterday from New York, brought no
news which might aid in clearing up
the mystery. although her wireless on.
orator caught the message from the
lightship and was positive that the
ship was described as a single funnel.
ed vessel.
In spite of the fact that those
aboard the lightship report that they
saw the steamer sink, government of.
ficials at Norfolk and Cape Henry sta.
lions are inclined to doubt that. a SELF
propelled vessel with human lives
aboard really foundered. Local ship.
ping authorities declare that the
steamer probably was an abandoned
derelict