Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1897 — DISASTER ON THE SEA. [ARTICLE]

DISASTER ON THE SEA.

Appalling Incident of a HurricaneShip and Fifty Men Go Down. The British barkentine St. Peter, before reported having been passed at sea and making for Halifax in distress, arrived there Sunday. She was partly dismasted in a hurricane that struck her on the night of Sept. 8, compelling her to put about for Halifax in order to repair the damage. Capt. Skaling brings the startling report that the storm through which his vessel passed was the enuse of sending to the bottom a four-masted iron sailing ship, which must have carried a crew of at least forty-five or fifty men. The St. Peter and the other vessel had been sailing within sight of each other all day Sept. 8, but never came within hailing distance. The name of one could not be distinguished from the deck of the other. When night closed in the big ship could be plainly seen 0 from the deck of the St. Teter. Her lights were in sight for some time after dark. Then the hurricane swept the ocean and on the 9th nothing was to be seen of the four-masted ship sighted the day before, but shortly after the barkentine passed the floating -wreck of a ship’s deck and deckhouse, which the crew identified as belonging to their sailing companion of the previous day. Capt. Skaling is satisfied that the other vessel went down with every man on board.