The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-01-30
Gallant Deeds Of By-Gone
Years in The Walter
Raleigh Coastland.
WRECK OF SCHOONER
CHARLES S. HIRSCH
October 20, 1908

The Charles S. Hirsch was a
four-master schooner of $40 tons
burden, owned by the Hirsch
Lumber Company of New York.
She left Brunswick, Ga. on the
morning of October 10, 1908,
bound for Baltimore, Md. with
cargo of 31S Georgia pine piling,
consigned to the Hodgkins Lum-
Der Company. She was wrecked
near Paul Gamiels Hill.
On this trip she carried crew
of eight men, including the Cap
tain, as follows: Frank Wall Hunt
err, Master, Charles o. Olson,
mate, Fred L. Hollses, engineer;
Edward j. Christensen, Albln
Julgen, Torres Gunderson, Ludwig
Helgesen, seaman, and the cook.
Helgesen and the cook lost their
lives in the disaster here described.
No one of the crew interrogated
by the officer who investigated the
disaster could give the name of
the cook. All that could be learn
ed about the cook was. that he
was an Englishman and that he
had shipped at Brunswick, the
port from which the schooner had
sailed. The Captain stated that his
name was on the ships papers
which were lost with the vessel.
The piling the schooner carried
consisted of sticks from 80 to 80
feet long and measuring from ID
to 20 inches through their largest
ends. They were slowed heads and
butts. The deck load of 116 tim
beers filled up all the space amid
ships, being stacked well up under
the main and mizzen masts, leav-
ing free only the space forward
occupied by the forecastel and that
aft taken up by the cabin and
quarterback. The piling was Sc
curely dashed by wire and chains.
Eight Knots in "a Hours
According to the testimony of
Captain Hunter, the schooner had
fair weather until October 20,
when she encountered a northeast
gale, which lasted until the 22nd.
After that she had variable winds
and Gains, there being days when
she would not log more than eight
knots in the whole twenty-four
hours. There was a nasty sea all
this time, says the master, and
the conditions seemed to indicate
that storm was brewing. About
2:30 am. of October 80, when the
vessel was doubtless somewhere
off the Kill Devil Hills life-saving
station, she lay becalmed. The
I! Captain had not been able to take
an observation for thirty-eight
hours, and did not know more than
approximately where he was. The
crew had been taking soundings
since 500 of the proceeding morn
ing, and at the time stated, 2:30
am, the lead showed 16 \fathoms,
I About 3:15 light wind sprang
up from the northward, which,
within an hour, freshened to 3 OF
A knots. At this time the schooner
was bearing north-northwest in Is
fathoms. The Captain was on deck
all the while assisting in taking
soundings. Asked if he saw any
lights at any time, he replied that
somewhere between 1900 and 2:3(
am. of the goth he picked up two
on the starboard bow, which he al
first took to be shore lights, but
on looking at them through hi!
glasses he found they were steam
ers.
At 400 the port watch came OF
deck to relieve the Captain, wh'
was keeping the starboard watch
but the latter still remained oil
deck to look after the soundings
For some time after 400 the yes
sci ran along in IL and Is fathoms
When she made IS fathoms tn
: captain told the mate that the.
would soon wear ship, meanin,