The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-01-12
SEVENTEEN DROWNED
THREE BARGEs GO TO DEgTRUC-
ToN CFF CAPE COD.
Guards Stand by Helpless and Wit
ness Worst Disaster Of Years or
the Massachusetts Coast,

A dispatch from Highland Ligh..
Mass, says the worst disaster the life
guards Of the coast off grim old Cape
Cod had seen in more than a, dozen
years occurred today on the treach-
erous sand bars that make of from
the peaked hills. The guards stood
on the beach with their boats and
other apparatus, unable to ren1er as
sistance, while three stout coal car
rying bargeB were hurled to de!struc-
ton and all on board-17 men-lost
their lives.
The bargcs were the TreTerton,
Corbin and Pine Forest, valued to-
gether at sl25,00o. With the ex-
ception of Capt. F. I. Brown Of the
Treverton, who belonged in L.ncoln-
Vile, Me-, and Capt. M. W. Hall Of
the Pine Forest, Provincetown
man, all were drowned. inclndin"
Capt. Charles n. Smith Of Philade!-
phla of the Corbin.
AS two OF the borges, the Trever-
ton and Corbin, broke UP very quick
". 1t is believed that 12 lives were
lost within an hour after the bar?es
broke away from the tug Lykens
about 8 o'clock this morning an1
went into the breakers. Five OF
the seamen were seen clinstng des-
perately to the Pine Forest until the
mid-forenoon, when in attempting to
reach shore In their own little boat
they were hurled into the seethins
pillows and lost.
The tug Lykens Of the Reading
Coal company started from Phila'el-
phia last week with the Treverton
for Portland. the Corbln for Ports
mouth and the Pine Forest for Mar
blehead.
Coming over Nantucket shoals
Monday the Lykens encountered
heavy Southwestern which began haul
ing into The northwest as she round
ed Mcnomoy Point and headed down
the cape.
The Lykens with her tow wes off
Nausett late in the evening and could
be seen in the MOONLIGHT from the
shore as she was hugg!n2i the cape
for lee. She finally met the full
force OF the gale at the bend in the
arm of the cape.1
TIE life saving patrol. cav her
standing Off shore to avoid the
Peaked Hill bars, but darkness
hlotted her out four hours before
dawn. The gale increased in fury
and about o'clock the ]cng hawser
astern of the tug parted. The Lykens
was then q mile or more to the west
ward Of Peaked Hin life saving sta
ton.
The last watch Of the night patrol
WIS just starting ont from the station
when he discovered wrecl;age in the
breakers. The crew was quickly
summoned but it was too dark to
make out anything.
At dawn the fern Of a stranded
barge with single mast could be
seen far out in the BREAKERS on the
outer bar. while In the ofln? hoverea
a trg which afterward proTed to be
the Lykens. The life savers realized
that no life boat pulled by men could
traverse those 500 yards OF whirling
pillows.
Two men were seen cllnglng to the
rigging and three others holding on
to the house. It WAS apparent that
the other two barges had long since
broken up. The Lykens could not
render assistance owing to the heavy
sea and started for Prnvincetown.
Shortly before 10 o'clock the men
Of the Pine Forest we're seen TO
gather in a group. Before those on
the beach realized their purpose the
little dory on top Of the barge house
had been cut loose and launched. All
five men then tumble7 In for the last
fight for life, but before they had
9rasped their oars, big combnr
came rolling around the stern Of the
barge and over them. That was the