The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-05
Steamer Manual CalvO Was
Towing a Disabled
Vessel
STORM RACES DOWN
ATLANTIC COAST
Many New Jersey Towns Visited by
Heavy Seas and Dwellings Swept
Away-Loss Estimated at a
Half Million Dollars

New York, January A wireless mes
of the Compania Transatlantica, said that
the steamer Manuel Calvo of that line
was on her way into port, towing a dis
abled tank steamer, when at a point 10
miles east of Sandy Hook the tank
steamer sank The Manuel Calvo lost
one lifeboat. the dispatch said. There
was no mention of any loss of life nor
was the name of the tank steamer given.
The shipping records available here con
tain no mention of the steamer Wasca.
reported in a sinking condition off the
coast. Wireless messages received here
reported the name of the steamer as the
Lasca, but this vessel likewise is unre-
corded in the shipping lists Neither is
there such steamer on record as the
Manuel Talero, reported standing Dy.
Faulty wireless transmission apparently
was responsible for the confusion In
names and further communications were
awaited to clear up the identity of the
two vessels
A later message partially cleared up the
discrepancy by reporting the name Of
the attending steamer as the Manual
Calvo. The last shipping reports on the
Manual Calvo. however. showed her san-
ing from Havana for Mexican ports De.
cember 20. 1t was difficult, therefore.
to figure her in nearby waters at this
time.
Steamers Off Barnegat
The position given in the wireless mer-
sages would place the two steamers we'll
out in the Atlantic off Barnegat. The
revenue cutter Seneca, ordered to the
rescue, cannot make over 13 knots in
fair weather and probablsh less in the
storm prevailing and it was not believed
that the Seneca, which, started from
Newport at $50 o'clock could reach the
scene before daylight.
Another message received here gave the
name of the sinking steamer as the
'.Waska,' but this name is not in the
shipping books.
The tank steamer carried a crew of 81
men. The Manuel Calvo has about 10I
passengers on board and large cargo
of freight
Wireless messages during the early
evening had told of an unidentified dis
abled steamer in latitude 1856 north AMI
longitude 1924 west, attended by steam
er whose name was first given as the
Manuel Talero. When later messages
gave the name of the attending steamer
as the Manuel Calvo, it appeared doub =
full If this could be correct as the rec
ords seemed to show her in gulf waters
Her schedule when found however, indi.
Gated that she was due to reach New
York about today, this serving to dispel
doubts that the steamer in question was
the Calvo.
The early wireless messages gave the
name of the sinking steamer as the
'Waska or the "Wasca,"s but these
names are not on the records. Meagre
details in the messages told how the Cal
vo had reached the side of the disabl
steamer later this afternoon and tried H.
vain to launch a life boat, one being
almost swamped, its crew havin a mar
row escape from drowning and another
being smashed.
Shifting winds late today counter
acted the violence of the seas, which
had battered the shore of New JERSEY
and southern Long Island for more
than SO hours. tearing away long
stretches of beach, inundating towns.
destroying piers, hotels and residences
and causing a property loss estimated
tonight to be in excess of half a mil
lion dollars. One man dropped dead
from excitement at Seabright N. j.,
and two men are reported missing at
Coney Island.
Seabright Badly Damaged
The most severe effect of the storm
was at Seabright, where two hotels
were destroyed and many fine resi-
cd Jo,.