St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-10-30
WRECK OF HESTIA.
Only Six OF the Forty
PASSENGERS and Crew
Known to be Safe.


Atlantic's annual toll of lives and YES
sells received the first 1.-THE of the win.
ter season from its tributary, the Bay
of Fundy, today in the loss of at least
q score of souls and the destruction on
a shoal inside Old Proprietors Ledge,
off Seal Cove, Grand Mannan, of the
Donaldson Line steamer Hestia, bound
from Glasgow for St. Johns and Balti-
more. Four of the victims, young
Scotch ladies, were passengers on the
ill-fated steamer, and the others were
members of the crew. Capt. Newman
and twenty or more members of the
crew were last seen this morning in a
ships boat, which was being tossed
on the stormy sea.
Of the forty persons who were
aboard the steamer when she piled
upon the shoal at l o'clock this morn
ing, only six are positively known to
be saved. They were forced to cling
to the wreck, shifting their precarions
positions often as the steamer was
tossed by the seas. 1t was not until 8
p. m. today that lifesavers were able
to man their boats and reach the
strandad vessel. When rescued the
survivors were in a weak state after
their fourteen-hour ordeal.
Those know to be saved:
Third Mate Stewart, Second Engi-
neer Morgan and Seamen Keen, Nc
Kenzie, Smith and McVickar.
A heavy northeasterly gale is be-
lieved to have been responsible for the
Hestia's fate, although it is supposed
that a mistake of the man at the
wheel in believing he had proceeded
up Gannett Rock light, while really
discerning the CLEAN of the lighthouse
on Machias Seal Island, several miles
southwest, carried the ship many
miles off her course.
Immediately after the vessel struck
Captain Newman ordered his men to
prepare to put the lifeboats over
board. Three of the lifeboats were
available, and one by one they were
swung from the deck, but while the
tackle of one of the boats was being
unfastened the small craft dropped
from the davit into the sea and was
soon beyond recovery.
Then preparations were made to
prevent second similar mishap. Into
another boat were placed the four
passengers and over a dozen of the
crew. They had barely taken their
places when the tackle gave way and
the boat, with occupants, was precipi-
lated into the turbulent waters. The
craft capsized, but soon righted, and
one of the boys was soon clinging to
the bottom.
Again the boat was capsized, and
this time disappeared.
launched the third boat. 1t was their
last remaining hope, and they tarried
some time to make certain that this
craft should not 60 the way of its
predecessors. Captain Newman and
all the remaining seamen, except six,
entered the boat. These six were the
ones rescued by the life savers this
afternoon.
Captain Newman and his men sue
ceeded in hauling two of those strug-
Cling in the water into their over
crowded craft, but they were unable
to rescue others whose cries could be
heard above the gale.
The Hestia gradually settled by the
stern. At daylight Mate Stewart hoist.
ed the Union Jack, reversed, as sig.
nal of distress, but it was late in the
afternoon before the vessels plight
| was discovered.
In the face of the gale nearly &
score of fighting craft went to the
rescue of the wrecked steamer. One
by one, however, they were forced tt
turn back after answering the signals
of the Hestia. Finally life-savers
were able to get to the Hestia, and
after considerable difficulty succeeded
in taking off the six men. The vessel
is total wreck.
The boat which carried Capt. New
man and about twenty men was miss.
ing at late hour tonight, and may
possibly have perished.
The Hestia was steel screw steam
er, built at Sunderland in 1890, anC
was formerly the Mary Beyts.
She registered 2,440 tons net, anG
hailed from Glasgow.