The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-14
SEVENTEEN SEAMEN LOST.
THREE BARGES GO DOWN OFF
CAPE COD.
The Worst Disaster Of Years ON
TrcacherOus Sandbars OFF the Coast
of Cape Cod.

Highland Light. Mass, Jan. 10
The worst disaster the life guards OF
the coast off grim old Cape Cod had
seen in more than a dozen years oc-
CURED today on the treacherous
sand bars that make off from the
peaked hills. The guards stood on
the beach with their boats and other
ance, while three stout coal carrying
barges were hurled to destruction and
all on board-17 men-lost their
lives. The barges were the Treverton,
Corbin and Pine Forest, valued to-
gether at s125,000. With the ex-
ception of Capt. F. I. Brown Of the
Treverton, who belongs in Lincoln
vile, Me-, and Capt. W. w. Hall of
the Pine Forest, a Provincetown man,
all were drowned, including Capt.
Charles N. Smith Of Philadelphia of
the Corbin.
AS two of the barges, the Trever-
ton and Corbin, broke up very
quickly it is believed that 12 lives
were lost within an hour after the
barges hrckc away from the tug
Lykens about o'clock this morning
and went into the breakers. Five of
the seamen were seen clinging des-
perately to the Pine Forest until tie
mid-forenoon, when in attempting to
reach shore in their own little boats
they were hurled into the seething
billows and lost.
The tug Lykens Of the Reading
Coal company started from Philadel-
phia last week with the Treverton for
Portland, the Corbin for Portsmouth
and the Pine Forest for Marblehead.
Coming over Nantucket shoals
Monday the Lykens encountered
heavy Southwestern which began haul
ing into the northwest as she rounded
Monomoy Point and headed down
the cape.
The Lykens with her tow was off
Nausett late in the evening and could
be seen in the moonlight from the
shore as she was hugging the cape
for lee. She finally met the full
force Of the gale at the bend in the
arm of the cape.
The life saving patrol saw her
standing off shore to avoid the
: Tnaked Hin bars, but darkness
cited her out Eour hours before
c wn. The gale Increased IN FURY
q about 3 o'clock the long hawser
tern Of the tug parted. The Lykens
was then mile or more to the west
werd Of Peaked Hill life saving stat
ion.
The last watch Of the night patrol
was just starting out from the station
when he discovered wreckage in the
breakers. The crew was quickly sum-
moned but it was too dark to make
out anything.
AT dawn the form Of a stranded
barge with single mast could be
seen far out in the breakers on the
outer bar, while in the offing hovered
tug which afterwards proved to be
the Lykens. The life savers realized
that no life boat pulled by men could
traverse those 500 yards of whirling
billows.
TWO men were seen clinging to the
rigging and three others holding on to
the house. 1t was apparent that the
other two barges had long since
broken up. The Lykens could not rem
der assistance owing to the heavy sea
and started for Provincetown.
Shortly before 10 o'clock the men
Of the Pine Forest were seen to
gather In 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 tumbled in for the last
fight for life, but before they had
grasped their oars, a big comber came
rolling around the stern Of the barge
and over them. That was the end.