Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-24

| schooner Mertie B. Crowley, one of the
few siX-masters flying the American
| flag, lies tonight a total wreck on the
reefs off the southeast end of Martha'S
Vineyard island. Already the Crow
| ley has broken in two and great seas
are fast splinterng her stout timbcrs.
| She was bound from Baltimore for
| Boston. with coal.
| TO the bravery of Skipper Levi Jack
son ard his crew Of four men of the
Edgartown fishing smack Priscilla is
due the rescue of the Is persons aboard
Capt. Haskell, Mrs. Haskell and 10
| members of the crew. The shippers
brave wife, like the others, had been
| dashed for 10 hours to the rigging of
| the battered schooner, the hull of
which was entirely submerged and
broken in two. The great seas swept
necessarily over the hull and through
| the rigging and finally the fore and
mainmasts gave way and swung wild
| ly, to the fearful discomfort of those
| dashed to the ratlines. Then Capt
Jackson had brought his little smack
| near enough to send out dories to take
Off those on the Crowley.
Disaster overwhelmed the schooner
at $50 A. NJ. today. The wreck was
due, it is thought, to the mistake Of
the man at the wheel in making out
EGgartOWn light as that on Block is
land. But blame cannot attach to bin.
The schooner had been hove to for 81
hours on Friday and Saturday during
the severe southerly storm. Round
about was a heavy haze. which pre-
c1,!lEI OnSarNqtjGn careful rnplSOn-
ing as possible was made of the Crow
ley's drift and movement when Capt.
Haskell thought it safe to proceed h =
stood in, hoping to make either Shin
nccook or Montauk light on Long is
land sound. A fixed white light was
made out and in the haze it was sup
posed to be Shinnecock. But it must
have been Block island.
Capt. Haskell says he then steered
east by north, expecting to make Block
island light. At $50 this morning The
lookout discerned another fixed light
This he took to be Block Island light
1t proved fatally for the Mertie Grow
ley. to be Edgartown light. Shortly
afterWard, after the man at the wheel
had taken his bearings from "Bloc'l
Island" light, the big vessel struck
bottom. 1t developed ultimately that
she had run upon the Northwest End
reef. located about three miles off the
southeast shore of Martha's Vineyard
island.
When the vessel struck Capt. Has
kell ordered all hands on deck. 1t was
early seen that there could be no nope
of saving the vessel. Huge waves
forced the Crowley around stern to the
|usland, exposing her hroadside to the
attack. All the ships boats were swept
away and smashed. The seas, before
this. had begun to surge below.
Mrs. Haskell was hurried from her
berth a little longer and the waters
would have flooded the cabin and
drowned it's occupant. Mrs. Haskell
succeeded in snatching only few
clothes which she put on over her
night dress. She gained the deck with
the assistance Of her husband and
some of the officers and climbed the
+ fore rigging, where she was dashed to
the cross trees. With a pair of sea-
mems rubber boots. and the captains
winter hat and overcoat covering her.
Mrs. Haskell said tonight she did not
suffer greatly. By her side was her
husband, although ne did not join her
until all the others had been assisted
to secure places.
All day long they chung to the rig
ging some of the crew hanging on
the jibboom while the seas battered
their great vessel to fragments. AT
10 a. NJ. the Crowley broke in two and
her stern settled deeper in the water.
Fortunately no one was dashed to that
end. So great was the rush of the seas
that the decks We're swept clear with
every wave Even the forward house
was lifted off and carried away.
But the schooner's plight had been
seen through the haze from shore. AT
9 O'Clock this morning, it was known
here that a vessel had been wrecked
on the Northeast End reef. Efforts
were made to get out to her during
the forenoon, but were unsuccessful
heca,se of the great waves. The sturdy
fishing smacks of Edgartown could
make no Roadway against the elements
and Cant. Levi Jackson tried repeated
" to push his little power smack Pris-
ella through the great breakers But
combined sails and steam could not
do it until Iate inns afternoon. linen,
aided by the schooner Viking, another
of the local fishermen. he put her safe
w through the breakers, lowered her
sail and with her engine at it's top
notch of speed succeeded in placing
the staunch 37-foot craft a short dis
lance to leeward of the wreck. There
he anchored
Aboard the Crowley the sight of the
little craft was hailed with thankful