Schooner Allie R. Chester ~ 29 January 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

Three of the crew of the wrecked schooner Allie R. Chester, of New York were succored at the Ocracoke Station (6th District), North Carolina, for a week at this time. As they had been taken from their vessel in a destitute condition, the keeper supplied them with a partial outfit of clothing from that sent to the station by the Women’s National Relief Association. The loss of the Chester on the Outer Diamond Shoal about 8 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras was attended by very painful circumstances which were quite beyond the powers of the Service to control. The casualty occurred on the night of the 20th during a strong southeast gale with fog, the schooner having been driven onto the shoal while on her way from Charleston, SC, to New York with a cargo of phosphate rock. Five of her crew, including the captain and mate, were almost immediately washed overboard and lost. The vessel was seen from the Cape Hatteras Station the following morning and closely scanned with the telescope. She was taken to be a schooner which had been wrecked some days before on the same shoal. No signs of life on board could be discovered, but in any case a boat could not have gone to her, so violent was the sea off the cape. The next morning, the storm having moderated somewhat, the crew launched their surf boat, started for the shoal, and pulled out within half a mile of the vessel. At the same time a wrecking steamer employed in the vicinity passed within the same distance and also scrutinized the wreck. A little later a schooner sailed through the slue. As nothing could be seen to indicate that there were men on the wreck, the two vessels kept on their way and the life saving crew returned to the shore. The same steamer again went by a short time afterwards discovering no evidence that a part of the crew were still on board. This confirmed the surfmen in their belief that all hands had been lost. Later in the day the schooner James E. Kelsey, of Chincoteague, VA, passed near the wreck, discovered and saved three men who, having been wrapped in the gaff topsail for shelter, had not been previously seen. They remained on board the rescuing vessel over night and on the 23d were taken to the Ocracoke Station and cared for as stated above.

Newspaper Article:

New York Times, January 29, 1889

Steamer Aberlady Bay ~ 10 May 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

Between 9 and 10 o’clock in the morning of this date the keeper of the Cape Lookout Station (6th District), North Carolina, saw a small boat, containing several men, land about a mile and a half north of the station. Upon investigation he found them to be the first officer and four men from the steamship Aberlady Bay, of North Shields, England, which had stranded on the outer end of Lookout Shoals, some 10 miles to the south-eastward. They desired to forward telegrams for assistance. These the keeper conveyed to Beaufort, the nearest office, about 11 miles distant, and the following day several tugs arrived from Wilmington and Norfolk, but their efforts to save the vessel were fruitless, as she broke in two and became a total loss.

Wilmington Morning Star
Sunday, May 12, 1889

A steamship in distress - Information was received here yesterday that the British steamship ABERLADY BAY, 1188 tons, Captain McGregor was ashore off Beaufort with prop broken. The steamer is bound from Port royal, South Carolina to Norfolk, Virginia for coal.

Wilmington Morning Star
Tuesday, May 14, 1889

Advices were received here last night from Beaufort, N.C. that the British steamship ABERLADY BAY, ashore off Beaufort, N.C. had broken in two and was a total wreck. The tugs BLANCHE and ALEXANDER JONES went to the assistance of the stranded steamer last Saturday night, but were unable to get her off, and during the high sea that was running yesterday she broke up.

Mr. W.H. Sprunt, acting British Vice Consul at this port telegraphed last Saturday that all assistance required would be rendered, and sent the two tugs named to assist the distressed steamer. Last night he received a telegram from the Collector of Customs at Beaufort, Mr. W.T. Howland, stating that the steamship was a total loss, and that Captain McGregor and his crew of twenty-one men were at Beaufort and desired to go to Norfolk.

Schooner Benjamin C. Terry ~ 20 March 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

Shortly before 7 0’clock in the morning, during a heavy north-easterly gale of wind with rain, the schooner Benjamin C. Terry, of and from New York, bound to Norfolk, Virginia, parted her cables and stranded three-quarters of a mile north of the False Cape Station (Sixth District) coast of North Carolina. A few minutes later she was discovered by the patrol, who brought the news to the station with all possible dispatch. The keeper immediately informed the Little Island Station by telephone and started for the scene with the beach apparatus. The sea was sweeping over the beach and somewhat retarded their progress, but they pushed on, at times knee deep in the sand and water and dragging the apparatus-cart after them. Within a hour they were abreast of the vessel, which lay about one hundred yards off shore. The gun was placed in position, charged and fired, the first shot carrying the line on board. The whip and hawser were then hauled off. At this juncture the keeper and four surfmen from the Little Island Station arrived and assisted in the work of landing the crew—seven in number—the breeches-buoy making seven trips for that purpose. The shipwrecked sailors were then conducted to the station where they were cared for until the following morning. Residents in the locality lent valuable assistance to the life-savers on this occasion. The vessel was placed in the hands of a wrecking company, but they were able to float her, owing to subsequent storms which drove her farther up on the beach and made her a total loss.

Schooner Busiris ~ 24 October 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

Another vessel that met with disaster on the coast of North Carolina in the heavy north-northeast gale that began about sunset on the 23d was the British three-masted schooner Busiris, of St. John, New Brunswick. This vessel, manned by a crew of seven men, including the captain, had sailed from St. Mary’s, Georgia, several days previously, with a full cargo of lumber for her home port. All went well until the evening of the above-mentioned day, when the weather became boisterous, with a terribly heavy head sea, causing the schooner to labor badly, and at 11 o’clock at night, when some twenty-five miles east-northeast of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the mainmast and mizzenmast went by the board, rendering her entirely unmanageable. She fell off into the trough of the sea and drifted before the storm, completely at the mercy of the wind and waves, and soon became waterlogged, but the buoyancy of her cargo prevented her from sinking. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon of the following day (24th) the wreck was sighted by the lookout at the Poyner’s Hill Station (Sixth District) toward which it was being driven. Immediately all was activity at the station, for it was seen that the dismasted craft must come ashore nearby, and that it would require sharp work to save her crew. The apparatus cart was run out of the boat room, hauled to the beach, and, as far as possible, the gear made ready for action. An hour after being discovered the wreck grounded some two hundred yards above the station and about the same distance offshore. The Lyle gun was soon fired, placing the shot line across the jib stay, but so far aloft that the crew could not secure it from deck, and the frightful rolling of the vessel prevented them from climbing for it. Seeing the difficulty, and not wishing to lose any time, the life savers hauled the projectile ashore and fired again. This shot landed the line within the reach of the anxious sailors, who eagerly seized it and hauled aboard the whip that the station men had bent to it. The hawser soon followed, and in a very few minutes the gear was set up. A tremendous surf broke on the beach and the vessel was lying so uneasily that it was impossible to keep the hawser taut. At the suggestion of the district superintendent, who, living nearby, had hurried to the scene at the first alarm, cork jackets were sent off to the vessel with the breeches buoy; and, as it subsequently proved, this was a wise precaution, every man having to be drawn ashore through the surf. Many residents in the vicinity gathered on the beach and rendered much needed assistance to the life savers. Men were stationed constantly at the crotch to keep it upright, and at the tackle, but so heavy and sudden were the vessel’s motions that the strain could not be kept on the hawser, and its bight was often in the water. The work of landing, though expeditiously performed considering the circumstances, was attended with much labor and trouble, owing to the slack line, and it would have been difficult for the station men to have accomplished it unaided. But for the cork jacket, which enabled the sailors to keep their heads above water when the buoy dipped into the surf, the rescued men would have fared badly. One hour was consumed in effecting the transfer. The schooner’s captain was entertained by the district superintendent until after the sale of the wreck, while the others of the shipwrecked crew went to the station, where they were furnished with a complete outfit of clothing (part of which was from the supply donated by the Women’s National Relief Association( until their own wet garments could be dried. Twenty-four hours later they departed for their homes. The Busiris and her cargo were sold at auction November 5th for a nominal sum. The following letter received by the assistant inspector of life saving stations (Sixth District) some days after the wreck, plainly indicates the value placed upon the services of the life saving men on that occasion by the captain of the schooner:

POYNER’S HILL STATION, November 1, 1889

“SIR: I beg leave to acknowledge the gallant service rendered myself and crew of the wrecked schooner Busiris, which drifted ashore dismasted and waterlogged during the terrible gale October 24th last, by the crew of the Poyner Hill Station. Their assistance was prompt and effective, and I desire to compliment them and the United States Life Saving Service in general for the efficiency displayed on that occasion. Without their assistance all of us would have perished. I wish to extend my kindest thank to all. Yours, ever truly, E.L. Morris, Master of the schooner Busiris.”

Schooner Frances E. Waters ~ 23 October 1889

SHIPWRECK LOG
Life-Saving Station: Nags Head; Dist. #6

• Date of Disaster - October 24, 1889
• Name of Vessel - Francis E. Waters
• Rig & Tonnage - Two mast sch. 141.20/100 tons
• Hailing Port & Nationality - Baltimore, MD; USA
• Age - 7 years
• Official Number - 120072
• Name of Master - Capt. L.S. Tall
• Names of Owners - G.F. Seward & T.J. Seward
• Where From - George Town, S.C.
• Where bound - Philadelphia, Pa.
• Number of crew, including Captain - 6
• Nature of cargo - Lumber & shingles
• Estimated value of vessel - Eight thousand dollars
• Estimated value of cargo - Three thousand dollars
• Exact spot where wrecked - 2 miles and 3/4 of a mile North of this station
• Direction and distance from station - NNW 2-3/4 miles
• Supposed cause of wreck (specifying particularly) - Gale wind anchored back of the reaf & rolled over
• Nature of disaster, whether stranded, sunk, collision, etc. - Stranded in gale wind, come to the beach bottom up
• Distance of vessel from shore at time of accident - not known
• Time of day or night - I suppose between 9 p.m. and midnight October 23
• State of wind and weather - Heavy gale wind and rain
• State of tide and sea - high tide and rough sea
• Time of discovery of wreck - About 6 a.m.
• By whom discovered - A.B.L. Tillett from Kill Devil Hill station
• Time of arrival of station crew at wreck - About 8:30 a.m.
• Time of return of station crew from wreck - 11 a.m.
• Was life-boat used? - No
• Was surf-boat used? - No
• Was life-raft used? - No
• Was mortar, Lyle gun or rocket used? - No
• Was heaving stick used? - No
• Was life car used? - No
• Was breeches-bouy used? - No
• Was life-saving dress used, and how? - No
• Number of lives lost, with names and residences - 6 lives lost, names and residence not known
• State fully the circumstances of the loss of each life - Supposed all washed off the wreck and drowned
• State damages, if any, to boat or apparatus - none
• Was vessel saved or lost? - lost
• Estimated value of cargo saved, and its condition - $1000, one thousand, fair condition
• Estimated value of cargo lost - $2000
• Amount of insurance on vessel - none
• Amount of insurance on cargo - not known
• Number of persons found after death and cared for - one

Remarks:
     Elisha Twine No. 5 surfman went north on Patrol from midnight to 3 a.m. met his man from Kill Devil Hills Station and returned.  Twine stated that he saw lots of sumthing [sic] drifting in the surf all the way on his beat but the night was so dark he could not tell but very little about what it was. Samuel T. Forbes No. 2 surfman went north on Patrol from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. he returned to the station about 7 a.m.  Forbes said the surf run over the beach so he did not get to the end of his beat and did not meet his man and did not see any wreck but saw lots of lumber and shingles.  As soon as Forbes returned to the station I sent T.T. Toler north on Patrol thinking there must be a wreck north of this station.  A few minutes after Toler left the station the Keeper of Kill Devil Hills Station cauld [sic] this station by telephone and reported a wreck on the north end of our beat bottom up and no one to be seen any where about the wreck.  Keeper and crew all but W.G. Tillett who had gone south on Patrol left the station about 7:30 a.m. with a Government horse and cart also tuck [took] the Medicine chest and bag of blankets and went for the wreck.  We met Toler coming back to report the wreck.  We all went on to the wreck and found her bottom up in the surf at the beach a totle [total] wreck.  All was gone.  We looked along the beach for drowned bodies was all we could do.  We found one man in the rigging that was hanging to one of the mast.  We tuck [sic] him to the station and made a box and Buried him.  Patrol was kept on the beach through the day expecting to find others but did not find any more.

Date of Report: October 30, 1889
/s/ V.B. Etheridge, Keeper

Schooner Frank M. McGear ~ 23 October 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1899:

On the coast of North Carolina the wind, which had been moderate from the eastward during the afternoon, backed several points when the sun set and rapidly increased to a vigorous gale. The surf, already high from the long-continued onshore wind, tumbled in with increasing violence, and, to add to the unfavorable conditions, rain descended steadily. It was undoubtedly the sudden rise and fury of the storm that occasioned the wreck of the three-masted schooner Frank M. McGear, of Bridgeton, New Jersey. She was on a trip from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Kings Ferry, Florida, when the gale struck her, and, being without cargo, fell to leeward rapidly and drove ashore at 7 o’clock, some two miles north of the Whale’s Head Station (Sixth District). Ten minutes after stranding she was discovered by the patrolman from the station named, who burned a Coston signal, and then hastened home and reported the circumstance to the keeper. The south patrol was recalled by a rocket, and the keeper of the Currituck Inlet Station was notified by telephone of the disaster and requested to assist at the wreck. In a very short time the crew from Whale’s Head were on their way to the scene with the beach apparatus, and before 9 o’clock both crews were abreast of the schooner, and the gun and gear were soon in readiness for action. The first shot carried the line across the spring stay, but owing to the darkness the sailors could not find it. By this time the vessel had been forced quite close to the shore, and the heaving stick was thrown upon her deck. Whip and hawser were quickly hauled aboard and secured, and the latter was then set taut. Notwithstanding the force of the wind and sea, nothing interfered with the orderly work of the apparatus. Seven times the breeches buoy was drawn forth and back, safely landing a man on each shore-ward trip. As soon as all hands had been rescued, the gear was re-stowed in the cart and the surfmen returned to their respective stations, one crew arriving at half past 11 o’clock and the other an hour later. The shipwrecked people accompanied the Whale’s Head crew. Four of the sailors were sheltered and fed two days, but the captain, mate and steward remained at the station several weeks, during which time wreckers made numerous ineffectual efforts to save the schooner. She finally bilged and drove high on the beach, where she was condemned, stripped, and, on the 28th of December, sold. That the captain and crew appreciated the services of the life savers is evidenced by the following letter:

WHALE’S HEAD LIFE SAVING STATION, October 27, 1889

“DEAR SIR: I, on behalf of myself and crew, extend our hearty thanks to you and your men for the promptness and efficiency displayed in rescuing us, on the night of the 23d instant, from our stranded vessel, and for the kindness and attention shown us while in your care. Very truly yours, ALHERT SHARP, Master of schooner Frank M. McGear.”

Schooner Hattie Lollis ~ 7 April 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

Another sacrifice to the fury of the gale of April 7th in the 6th Life Saving District was the schooner Hattie Lollis, of Wilmington, DE, which while on her way from Washington, NC, to Hartford, CT, lost her sails, sprung a leak and drove ashore one and a half miles north-northwest of the Nag’s Head Station, coast of North Carolina.
     An active patrol being kept on account of the storm and fog, she was immediately discovered and her situation was as quickly as possible reported to the keeper. No time was lost at the station in getting started with two carts taking besides the beach apparatus, a quantity o blankets and the medicine chest. Having a pair of horses to assist them they were able to make very good time, notwithstanding the wind was dead ahead and the beaches were flooded by the extremely full tide, and arrived near the schooner within an hour from the time of the accident. She had worked in close to the beach and her crew of 5 men had already landed. One of them, however, was badly used up by the hardships he had undergone.
     Stimulants were administrated and the man was warmly wrapped, placed in the cart and with his companions taken to the station, where their wet clothing was soon exchanged for dry and their comfort well looked after. All were hospitably cared for until the 12th, when the keeper took them to Manteo, whence they proceeded to Norfolk by steamer. Two days later the vessel broke up and became a total loss, but the anchors, chains, rigging and a small portion of the cargo of lumber had been saved, the surf men assisting in the work. The captain upon leaving the station, handed the keeper the following of thanks:

I desire to return my sincere thanks to Captain Etheridge and crew, of Nag’s Head Station, for their promptness in rendering aid and assistance in rescuing and providing for myself and crew stranded April 7th, 1889. CHAS. W. SHARP, Master of Standed Schooner Hattie Lollis

Schooner John Shay ~ 17 April 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

On this date the schooner John Shay, of Port Jefferson, NY, was wrecked on the North Carolina coast in the vicinity of the Cape Hatteras Station (6th District). Her entire crew, consisting of six men, were lost before assistance could reach them. 

Loss of the Schooner John Shay

The next loss of life was that of the entire crew of the schooner John Shay, which was wrecked on the North Carolina coast in the vicinity of the Cape Hatteras Station (6th District) April 17, 1889. The vessel hailed from Port Jefferson, NY, and was bound from Hastings, in that State, to Washington, DC, with a cargo of stone and a crew of 6 men all told. It will be seen from the narrative that the fatal results could not, by any effort of the Life Saving Service, have been averted.

     The vessel was discovered by the keeper of the Big Kinnakeet Station at about noon of the date mentioned. She was a short distance off shore, coming straight for the beach, flying a signal of distress. A strong wind had been blowing from the eastward almost continuously for several days and had made up a tremendous sea. Throughout this period the weather had been thick, with occasional showers, and during the forenoon of the day in question a strict patrol had been maintained north and south of the station. As soon as the schooner was sighted the life savers took it for granted that she was about to be beached and active preparations were made to start at once for the scene with the breeches buoy apparatus. The adjacent stations were notified by telephone of the situation, though hardly had this been done when the vessel was seen to anchor about three-quarters of a mile off; she swung broadside to and at intervals the sea broke completely over her. The fury of the in rushing breakers, which formed an impassable wall of surf, precluded the use of a boat. In a little while a two-flag International Code signal was hoisted on the vessel, but its meaning could not be made out from the shore. Nevertheless the keeper endeavored to open communications, but, for a time, ineffectually, doubtless because the signals shown could not be distinguished by those on board. At last the weather lighted up somewhat and a signal asking for a tug was read by the station men and immediately answered. Word was at once telephoned to the Signal Service operator at Cape Hatteras, but a reply soon came back that the telegraph wires were down beyond that point and a telegram could not be forwarded.

    The keeper, after signaling the master of the vessel to this effect, telephoned to the next station north with instructions to the life saving men to transmit the message as quickly as possible along the coast over the Service telephone wires, in the hope that it might possibly be got to Norfolk. Nothing more was shown on the vessel. The surfmen, after a brief wait, ran up the code signal LM (“The berth you are now in is not safe.”) This was done because it would take at least 15 or 20 hours for a tug to arrive, and with night approaching and no indication of a favorable change in the weather, it was unsafe for the schooner to remain where she was. It was advisable for her to seek an anchorage farther off shore. She was all the while closely watched, but owing to the rain the station men, even with the aid of glasses, could not make out what was taking place on board. The wind meantime had drawn off shore to the west of north. Shortly after 4 o’clock the craft was seen to hoist her mainsail part way up, slip her cables, and stand off the land. She soon set her jibs, and afterwards lowered the mainsail and headed down the beach. The keeper at once had horses hitched to the mortar cart and notified the station to the south (Cape Hatteras) that the schooner had got under way and was running down the coast, and that he and his crew were about to follow with the apparatus. The beach was soft and covered with water, and when some two miles on the way, good progress having been made, one of the axles of the cart became heated, causing a halt. Efforts were made in various ways to remedy the trouble, and a number of citizens of the neighborhood who accompanied the surfmen aided in the work but it was found impossible to get the cart in running order until the axle should cool.

     It may be well to state, in order that the explanation of the vessel’s movements may be better understood, that Cape Hatteras makes out about 80 miles to the southward of the Big Kinnakeet Station and that at the point of the cape (just beyond the outer bar) and between it and the Inner Diamond Shoals there is a channel called the Inner Slue. Between the Inner and Outer Diamond Shoals there is another channel known as the Outer Slue. Many vessels pass through these channels during good weather to save the long sail out and around the shoals, while many attempt to do so in heavy weather to more quickly reach a lee and smooth water.

     It was evident that the captain intended to seek shelter by trying to go through the Inner Slue, for if he had wanted to beach the schooner he could easily have done so when she first came in sight of the station. The fact that the jibs were the only sails set after heading down the coast supports this theory. Besides, whenever the vessel showed a tendency to head up towards the land the jib sheets would at once be drawn to windward (the wind being a little off shore) when she would immediately resume her course. The captain seems, however, to have finally changed his mind and abandoned the undertaking, for after a while the mainsail was again hoisted and the schooner was steered for the beach. She struck, as near as could be judged, some five or six hundred yards off, at a point about three miles north of Cape Hatteras.

     When the cart became disabled and there was no prospect of getting it over the beach, orders were given for the men to hurry along and meet the crew of the Hatteras Station, on whose beach it was now obvious the vessel would strike if she was headed for the shore. The keeper rode one of the horses as fast as he could for a half mile or so in advance, when he dismounted and tied the horse to the telephone pole, so that some members of his crew following after could secure a rest by riding the animal and also hurry the quicker to the scene of operations. The keeper then ran down along the beach, passing the vessel just as she struck the bar, until the surfman on the horse overtook him, when he remounted and galloped on until he met the crew of the Hatteras Station, who were hurrying to the schooner’s assistance as fast as the condition of the beach, the beating rain, and strong head wind would permit. The vessel struck at about twenty minutes of 6 o’clock.

     The work of the life saving men now proceeded under the direction of the keeper of the Hatteras Station. The latter, as son as he received word that the vessel was in distress in the vicinity of the Big Kinnakeet Station, ordered out the apparatus cart. Some ponies belonging to the surfmen were caught and hitched to it, and all hands, pushing and helping as best they could, started up the beach with the gear. Before the two crews could join forces the mainmast of the craft was seen to topple and the foremast almost immediately did the same. Both kept gradually going over, and finally fell together into the sea, the vessel entirely disappearing. It was a sudden and unlooked for collapse, and a moment afterwards nothing could be seen in the waves but a confusion of wreckage, most of which began to drift towards the cape. The keeper of the lighthouse, who witnessed the occurrence, testified that the schooner went to pieces just 17 minutes after she struck. The expectation of rescuing the entire crew, which had stimulated the life savers to put forth their utmost endeavors, now vanquished, but they were yet hopeful of saving at least some of them. Their efforts, therefore, were not once relaxed. When they reached a favorable spot the gun was quickly placed in position and a line fired over the floating wreckage. The keeper thought that he could make out two of the sailors amongst the debris and a bystander testified that the line fell across one of them, but that he made no effort to secure it. As soon as it was found that the line was not made fast the surfmen bent on several cork jackets and attempted to float them by the action of the current within reach of some of the shipwrecked people, but the surf was so high that the life preservers could not be sent off shore.

     Just at this time one of the schooner’s crew was discovered on the cabin. The gun was, therefore, hurried to a new position and quickly loaded and fired—a No. 4 line (the smallest size) being used on account of the great distance. This went true to the mark and fell within easy grasp of the man, who immediately made it fast and waved his hands to those on shore. The line was then carried by the beach party to windward and held taut so that the wash of the sea might bear the cabin to land, a plan that was considered safer than putting an undue strain on the line which might break it. Notwithstanding the great care that was exercised, however, the line parted. Te gun was now reloaded and a No. 9 line fired. The heavier line was used because those which had already been thrown were still in the surf and for the reason also that the cabin had drifted nearer the shore while the bulk of wreckage had worked farther off and beyond range. The line fell to leeward of the house and had to be hauled in and fired again. It this time fell just out of the man’s reach. It must be borne in mind that much of the time the cabin, which was but a small portion of the schooner, was entirely hid from view by the furious seas which constantly swept over it. The gathering darkness and the varying force of the wind also added to the difficulty of accurately firing the line. Furthermore the object was so small that the line had to fall within very narrow limits to insure the man’s getting it. The wonder is that any line at all was successfully thrown within his reach. The house being unable to long resist the heavy seas was quickly demolished on entering the inner breakers. It is doubtful whether the man was seen after the cabin went to pieces. One of the surfmen, nevertheless, hastily buckled on a cork jacked and fastening a line around his waist plunged into the surf to the rescue, but the heroic effort proved futile. The wreckage of the cabin was carefully examined after it reached the shore but no trace of the man could be found. Meanwhile the rest of the drifting wreckage had been swept to sea and out of sight.

     The keeper and crew of the Creeds Hill Station (6 miles to the westward of the Cape Hatteras Station) had arrived during the operation and joined in the work. Darkness had not shut down and nothing remained but to watch the shore. An effective patrol was maintained throughout the night and the two following days, but nothing came on the beach. Many persons of the vicinity had rendered willing and efficient aid in the efforts to rescue the shipwrecked, and a number of them remained far into the night keeping vigil with the life savers. On the 19th the sea had gone down sufficiently to enable the station men, together with a party of wreckers, to go off in a boat to the wreck. The stern of the vessel, which was found fast to the debris, was cut loose and towed ashore. By sawing out some of the planks her name was ascertained.

     From a careful investigation of this case, in which exhaustive testimony was taken, there can be drawn no other conclusion that that the Service crews did all in their power to save life. The long continued blow from the east and northeast had produced a fearful sea and surf, the latter being almost if not quite as dangerous as any ever before experienced on this exposed portion of the coast. It was utterly impossible for an open boat to live, or even to be successfully launched from the beach, and so there was no way by which the surfmen could reach the schooner when she first came to anchor off the Big Kinnakeet Station.

     The diligence of the crews in their efforts to reach a position abreast of the schooner when she was beached is unquestionable. The accident to the cart belonging to the Big Kinnakeet Station, as subsequent events proved, did not affect the results in any way. The men put forth their strongest endeavors and acted with great promptness and judgment, and the sad loss of life was due to no failure in effort or error in execution. The vessel broke up so quickly that had they been abreast of her when she struck they could not in the limited time at their disposal have effectually set up and worked the beach apparatus.

     Three of the bodies, without marks of identification, one of which was supposed to be the captain’s, were subsequently found on the beach between the Big Kinnakeet and Cape Hatteras Stations. They were decently buried by the life saving men.

Bark Josie Troop ~ 22 February 1889

The Sunday Inter Ocean
Chicago, IL
February 24, 1889

ELEVEN SEAMEN DROWNED OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST.
MARINERS DROWNED.

The Nova Scotian bark Josie Troop, with a cargo of chalk and a crew of seventeen men, was wrecked at 7 o'clock last evening at Chicamicomico, N. C. The master and ten men were drowned. Six were saved. The vessel and cargo are a total loss. The vessel is broken up and strewn on the ocean.
     The cause of the disaster was miscalculations owing to thick weather, which made it impossible to get accurate lights and bearings. The crew of life-saving station No. 19 could see no signs of the vessel until the eleven men had been lost, and were just in time to save the six survivors. Thus far only one body has come ashore, that of CHARLES MEDEAC. Following is a list of the saved and lost:

Saved:
Robert Hunter, chief mate;
Edward Hunter, steward;
Albert Williams, seaman;
A. Brown, seaman;
Walter Cauley, seaman;
C. Anderson, seaman.

Lost:
Capt. W. G. COOK, master,
C. S. SCINDBALD, carpenter
H. R. CHRISTIESIN,
J. B. RUTHDERSEN,
THOMAS MCCOY,
GEORGE WILLIAMS,
HARMOND ANDERSON,
JOHN CAFFIE,
CHARLES MEDAAC,
JOHN ROGERS,
J. JOANNSEN, seaman

Albert Williams is badly injured about the neck and is being attended by the physicians at the station.

The North Carolinian, Elizabeth City, NC, 6 March 1889

Schooner John S. Wood ~ 7 April 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

About 8 o’clock in the morning of the earliest of these dates a three-masted schooner was discovered ashore two miles south of the Wash Woods Station (6th District) North Carolina. The wind was blowing a hurricane*, as already stated in the record of the days’ operations at other stations in this district. The surf man first seeing the vessel at once gave the alarm, and the life-saving crew started out as quickly as possible, taking with them the beach apparatus. The tide was over the beach far beyond the ordinary high-water mark, and the rain fell in torrents, making all the work especially difficult. It was 9 o’clock when the surf men reached a point abreast of the wreck and began the attempt to establish communication.  They were assisted in this work by Mr. James Evans, who was fortunately present. The vessel was about 200 yards from the shore, but the first fire from the Lyle gun lodged the shot line in her main rigging. The strong current forcibly sagging the lines rendered the task of hauling off and setting up the gear and also of landing the crew extremely difficult, and it was half past 2 o’clock in the afternoon when the last of the 7 men reached the shore. The schooner was the John S. Wood, of Camden, NJ, bound to Philadelphia with a cargo of lumber, which she had taken on board at Pensacola, FL. The rescued men, accompanying the surfmen to the station, received dry clothing from the stock supplied for that purpose by the Women’s National Relief Association, and in every way were made as comfortable as possible. Three days later, the storm having passed, the life saving crew took the seamen to the schooner and assisted them to reclaim the clothing and other movable articles of value on board. They also lent their aid in subsequent efforts to save the cargo, upon which the ultimate loss was about one half. On the 13th, the vessel having been condemned, was sold at public auction. Six of the men were at the station four days after the accident, but the captain remained until the schooner was disposed of, leaving for home on the 14th. The agent of the underwriters while superintending the saving of the cargo was also entertained for some time at the station. The following account briefly details the circumstances attending the wreck and expresses the gratitude of the rescued:
    
While blowing a hurricane, with mountainous seas, vessel lying badly, we lost control of her, and could do nothing but let her go on port tack at midnight (6th). All hands at the pumps since 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Wind east-northeast. At 3.30 a.m. (7th) we tried to wear ship, but failed, and the mainsail blew away. At 7 a.m., in 14 fathoms water, tried again to wear around, but on slacking off spanker it blew to ribbons, and the vessel would not wear. Sounded, and got 10 fathoms. The sea had begun to break, and it became evidently impossible to keep the vessel off the beach. We struck the outer bar at 8 o’clock and remained half an hour, when we saw the life saving crew coming to the rescue. They made a successful shot, and with hard and dangerous work—as they were compelled to work in water sometimes to their waists—succeeded in landing all hands, exhausted, half drowned and chilled. We wish to express our sincere thanks to Captain Corbel and his brave crew, also to Mr. Evans, for the prompt and courteous treatment we received at the station. But for their persevering and timely assistance we would all have perished. J.B. MORRIS, Master ; JAMES MASKELL, Mate ; JOHN B. DEMARIS, Steward.

(NOTE: *Hurricane known as the Gale of April 7, 1889.)

Schooner James B. Anderson ~ 21 January 1889

The New Bern Weekly Journal,
New Bern, NC, 27 January 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

On this date four of the crew of the abandoned schooner James B. Anderson, of Wilmington, Delaware, having been landed by a pilot-boat, were succored one night at the Durant’s Station (Sixth District) coast of North Carolina, and furnished with clothing from the supply donated by the Women’s National Relief Association.

Schooner Mary A. Trainer ~ 1 February 1889

United States Life-Saving Service Report

At 7:00 a.m. the morning of February 1, 1889 a lookout reported a vessel ashore on the north side of Hatteras Inlet about 5 miles N.E. of the Ocracoke Station. She proved to be the 188-ton schooner Mary A. Trainer, Captain Walston commanding with a crew of five bound for Wilmington from Philadelphia, PA. 

"... As wind blowing very fresh nothing could be done, not until cold get liter." The following morning they "...went to sead sch to render her relief." They succeeded in getting a liter alongside and in removing one load of phosphate rock before the tide fell. On the 3rd they returned to find the vessel afloat and "... tuck in her liter load, went on her way alright."

Schooner Mary S. Bradshaw ~ 1 June 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

CAPSIZING OF THE YAWL BELONGING TO THE SCHOONER MARY S. BRADSHAW
This fatality occurred June 1, 1889, about a quarter of a mile from the Creed’s Hill Station (Sixth District) coast of North Carolina, during the inactive season when the regular life-saving crew were off duty.
     The schooner Mary S. Bradshaw, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sailed from Charleston, South Carolina, May 28th, bound for her home port. She had a crew of seven men and a cargo of phosphate rock. In a southeast gale which she encountered, her sails were blown away and she began to drift towards the Diamond shoals, off Cape Hatteras. The weather was foggy, with a high sea running, and the vessel being old began to leak badly. She was therefore brought to an anchor; this at about daybreak of June 1st. The captain knowing, under the conditions that prevailed, that he was beyond signaling distance from the shore, being some nine miles off, determined, in view of the critical situation of the schooner, to attempt to gain the land in his small boat. The crew accordingly abandoned the vessel and pulled for shore. 

     When they had reached the outer bar the yawl was discovered by the wife of the keeper of the Creed’s Hill Station, who immediately send a boy for her husband, he having but a short time previously started for a store about three miles distant to obtain necessary provisions. The sailors, instead of waiting outside the line of breakers to see whether any assistance could be rendered them from the beach, started through the surf, which was sweeping in with great fury, when their boat was quickly turned end over end and the occupants dashed out. All except the steward, Thomas Williams, reached the shore in safety. The latter was not seen alive after the capsize, and from the bruises which were found upon his head when the body was recovered three days later, it was judged that he was fatally injured at the time the boat upset, and was consequently drowned immediately. The keeper, who put back with all haste when the messenger overtook him, reached the scene just as the survivors were landing. He at once conducted them to the station, where were properly cared for and furnished with dry clothing from the stores placed at the disposal of the Service by the Women’s National Relief Association.
     At the time of the accident the surf was so heavy along the beach that it would have been impossible to launch a boat and go to the rescue of the imperiled men. The only chance of aiding them would have been by means of a line which might have been fired to them when they were outside the breakers. It appears, however, that the captain fully realized that a boat could not be got clear of the shore to their assistance, and so he resolved to take the desperate risk of landing, the chance of success seeming to be as one in a hundred. It is little less than a miracle that all were not drowned.
     It is plain that the loss of this life happened under conditions which made its prevention by the Life Saving Service practically out of the question. The keeper, on the 4th, found the body of the steward and gave it a decent burial.
     The schooner, the day after being abandoned, was taken in tow by a steamer to Baltimore. She was badly damaged although not more than one-fifth of her cargo proved a loss.

Schooner Nelly Potter ~ 8 April 1889

United States Life-Saving Service Report 

About 1:30 a.m. on April 8 the schooner Nelly Potter, under the command of Captain W. Wahab, drug anchor and went ashore near "Hatteras swatch", 6 miles NNE of the station where she filled with water and sand. She was discovered by the lookout, Surfman D. Williams, at about 5:00 a.m. Keeper Howard reports (transcribed as found):

"... while spying the sch her mainmast fell. Keeper-crew tuck supply boat as she had sails as it was imposable to rowe aganst such terrific gale ... we battle hard almost had to give in several times as the sea was braking over evry sea. Almost sunk the boat with 2 men bailing with buckets. But after very hard strugle ... wear able to get to the wreck sch witch was sunk, boath mast gone sea braking right over her ... anchored under lee of sch ... About that time Capt Burrus, keeper of Durants Station come to the rescue in very large sail boat with 10 men ... we both soon got along side, tuck of the wreck crew, 6 in all. They wear well drench with water as the sea smashed over them ... I tuck fore of the crew ashore at my station. Capt Burrus tuck 2 men with him."

The station crew returned to the schooner the following morning and were able to save most of the crew's personal effects. On the 10th they returned once more and assisted in removing some of the cargo of lumber, "... work hard all day. All cold do untill Capt of Sch cold her from oners." The vessel was lost.
     The Potter, which was built around 1868, was enroute to New York City. Keeper Howard concluded, "... 6 lives saved, all belong to Ocracoke, NC."

Barge N. Boynton ~ April 17, 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

The north patrol of the Payner’s Hill Station (6th District) North Carolina, at 4 o’clock in the morning of the 17th, discovered a stranded vessel about three miles north-northwest of the station, and burned a Coston signal to apprise the unfortunate crew that help would soon arrive. He then hastened back with the alarm. The keeper telephoned to the adjacent station to the north—Whale’s Head—requesting the co-operation of the keeper and crew at that point, and with his surf men set out for the wreck, dragging the beach apparatus cart. When within half a mile of their destination, they were met by a surf man from Whale’s Head, with a horse, which was quickly hitched to the cart. When within half a mile of their destination they were met by a surfman from Whale’s Head, with a horse, which was quickly hitched to the cart. They got abreast of the wreck at quarter past 5 o’clock and found that the other life saving crew were on the spot and had made ready to begin operations as soon as the beach apparatus should arrive. It was the work of very few minutes to prepare the Lyle gun, and by a single trial the shot line was thrown on board. The vessel was about 175 yards from the beach, and though the surf was very rough, and she was rolling heavily, nothing interfered with the successful use of the breeches buoy. It was found necessary, however, as the tide was rising and the vessel working inshore, to set up the hawser twice during the operations. Four trips of the buoy landed the captain and his three men, and they were conducted to the Poyner’s Hill Station. Their craft was the barge N. Boynton, of Math, ME, from Providence, RI, bound in tow to Norfolk, VA. During the strong northeast blow with fog which prevailed throughout the night she had parted her hawser and stranded a short time before she was discovered by the patrol. Upon reaching the station the sailors, being wet and chilled, were provided with clothing for use while their own was drying. One of the men was sick, but after receiving prompt treatment with suitable remedies from the medicine chest he grew better, and on the 19th was able to go to Norfolk with two of his shipmates, the keeper having obtained free passage for them to that point. The captain, however, remained with the life savers 13 days, during which time the barge, which ultimately became a total loss, was stripped by a salvage company.

Steamer Pioneer ~ 12 October 1889

During the night of October 12 the steamer Pioneer stranded near Ocracoke. By the time keeper Howard learned of the wreck on the 14th, all of the crew and passengers were safely ashore and much of the cargo was saved by the citizens of the island.

He continued his report by stating that the next day the sea had broken the steamer to pieces. The 27-year-old steamer was enroute to Wilmington from New York City with a crew of 18, three passengers and a cargo consisting of everything from tooth picks to grand pianos. Captain W. C. Gaston was commanding when she stranded about 500 yards off shore near Ocracoke Beach and about 15 miles S.W. of the lifesaving station. Howard and his crew rendered no assistance because, "... when I herd it, it was all saved that cold be saved."

The Messenger
Wilmington, NC
October 19, 1889

A telegram received at midnight last night announces that the tug which went down to the point near Ocracoke light was the steamship Pioneer was stranded on Tuesday night, had returned to Norfolk and reported that the vessel and cargo are total wrecks. Previous to the reception of this news by wire the latest statement sent out was that the Merritt Wrecking Company of Norfolk, had on Thursday evening sent down the tug John D. Jones and the barge Haggerty to the Pioneer's assistance.

The Messenger
Wilmington, NC
October 23, 1889

The tug C.W. Morse returned yesterday afternoon from Ocracoke Inlet, where she has been to the assistance to the Clyde Line steamer Pioneer. The Morse put out of the Capes Tuesday evening in the teeth of a fifty mile an hour blow, and when she returned yesterday had her pilot house badly stove in, and was damaged in other ways. Capt. Anderson says that the Pioneer has gone to pieces, and her cargo is scattered over the ocean.
     Mr. G.W. Linder of this city who was a passenger on the ill-starred vessel, and who was rescued along with others of the crew and passengers, arrived in New Berne yesterday on his way home. There is no further particulars. The wire to Hatteras is still down.

Read more at the Ocracoke Island Journal.

Schooner Susanna ~ April 1889

Evening Bulletin, April 12, 1889

Schooner Viola W. Burton ~ 27 May 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

At four o’clock in the morning a vessel ashore about one and a half miles south-southeast of the Big Kinnakeet Station (6th District), North Carolina, was discovered by the wife of the keeper of that station. The life saving crew were not on duty at the time, this being the inactive season, but the keeper upon learning of the accident at once hoisted the signal for the men and also started out on horseback to notify them. About an hour later, the crew having reported, the surfboat was manned and pulled to the place. The schooner was the Viola W. Burton, of and from Philadelphia, bound to New Berne, NC, with a freight of coal, and had stranded so close to the shore that the men could land without a boat. The surf men led out a line from the craft and the crew sliding down the rope were helped to the beach. Their effects were next sent ashore by the keeper, who had gone on board, after which all proceeded to the station. The 5 men from the vessel were wet, and while theirs were drying, other clothes were provided for their use. He keeper and the schooner’s crew subsequently made several trips to her, but could do little in saving anything further. A telegram had been sent to Norfolk at the time of the rescue for a steamer, but upon her arrival it was found that the schooner was past help. The shipwrecked crew accordingly made preparations to go on board the steamer for transportation to Norfolk. A storm, however, which continued several days prevented their embarking until the 4th of June, at which time they left the station. The schooner and cargo became a total loss.

Bark Wolseley ~ 11 & 12 April 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

About 4 o’clock in the morning of the first of these dates the Norwegian bark Wolseley, of Arendal, with one of her topmasts gone and in a sinking condition, was beached on the North Carolina coast some three miles south of the Big Kinnakeet Station and four and a half miles north of the Cape Hatteras Station (6th District). She was bound to Portland, ME, in ballast, from Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic. A few minutes after the accident and almost simultaneously the patrols from the two stations discovered her, flashed their Coston signals to let those on board know that they were seen, and hastened to give the alarm. The vessel being nearer Big Kinnakeet, news of her condition was first received by the surf men at that point. The keeper immediately telephoned the Cape Hatteras Station, mustered his crew, and started for the scene with the boat on its carriage. Arriving at a place abreast of the bark the launched their boat, pulled alongside, and took off her crew of 13 men. They then returned and got a boatload of the crew’s effects, after which they conducted the shipwrecked men to the station. Early in the afternoon, when they had obtained dry clothing and something to eat, the surf men made another trip to the bark, saving what they could, and later in the day they took the captain on board to make a survey, when she was found to be badly wrecked. Upon receiving news of the disaster the Cape Hatteras crew started for the scene with the apparatus, but did not arrive in time to be of material assistance. On the following day (12th) the crews from the stations named united their efforts to save the cabin furniture and whatever other articles of value they could transport. The vessel was subsequently sold at auction by a wreck commissioner. The sailors were succored at the station 7 days, when they left for Norfolk, first addressing the following letter to the General Superintendent of the Service:

BIG KINNAKEET, NORTH CAROLINA, April 17, 1889

SIRS: We hereby wish to thank the crew of the Big Kinnakeet Life-Saving Station for their prompt assistance. They lost no time in coming to us. We also wish to thank them for their kindness while at the station. Very respectfully, A. OLSEN, Master;  J. JOHNSON, Mate, of the bark Wolseley of Norway

Barkentine Walter S. Massey ~ 18 January 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

The barkentine Walter S. Massey, of Philadelphia, from Pernambuco, Brazil, on her way to Hampton Roads, VA, for orders ran upon the Outer Diamond Shoal off Cape Hatteras, NC, at half past 4 o’clock in the morning of the 18th during a very dense fog, and soon filled with water. She carried a crew of 10 men and a valuable freight of sugar. As the accident occurred some 9 miles southeast of the Cape Hatteras Station (6th District) the thick weather prevented the vessel’s being seen until half past 10 o’clock, when the fog lifting the surf man on the lookout discovered her situation. He at once notified the keeper. The latter telephoned to the neighboring stations—Big Kinnakeet on the one hand and Creeds Hill and Durants on the other—for assistance, then made preparations to go to the rescue as soon as the two surf men who had been sent on patrol because of the storm, should return and give him a full crew. It was therefore nearly noon before a start could be made. The keeper of the Durants Station now arrived with the Creeds Hill crew and boat, and the force was shortly further increased by the arrival of the Big Kinnakeet crew with their boat. The three surf boats were now launched and pulled out through the heavy surf, shipping several seas in the attempt, but getting safely across the bar. They proceeded toward the wreck and upon reaching the outer slew met the bark’s crew making for the shore in their own boat. The station man hitched their boats together and taking the other in tow, set out on the return. Getting inside the outer bank, 5 of the sailors were taken into the Cape Hatteras boat, the others into the Big Kinnakeet boat, and the third life-saving crew took charge of the ship's boat. The landing through the surf was affected shortly after dark without greater mishap than the over ending of the empty boat, though not without difficulty and danger. The captain was sick and exhausted and all the men were wet. They were conducted to the station, provided with dry clothing and made as comfortable as circumstances permitted. The storm continuing for several days, the vessel went to pieces and became with her cargo a total loss. On the 20th shipwrecked people desiring to proceed to their homes were put on board a wrecking steamer bound to Norfolk. The captain, before his departure, wrote to the general superintendent of the service as follows:

CAPE HATTERAS LIFE-SAVING STATION, January 20, 1889

SIR: I wish to tender my thanks to Capt. B.B.  Daily and crew, of this station, Capt. Z. G. Burris, of Durrants, the surf men of Creeds Hill, and Capt. D. M. Pugh and crew, of Big Kinnakeet, for their prompt assistance rendered to me and my crew of nine men wrecked on Hatteras Shoals January 18th. We struck the shoal at 4.30 a.m., the vessel breaking up. It being thick, we could not be seen from the shore. We had to leave the ship and a long-boat, and were taken up at sea by the above named live-saving crews, taken to the station, cared for, and treated with the greatest respect. We lost everything we had, and without the assistance of the lifesavers it is more than likely we would have been lost, leaving no one to tell the tale; but by their hard work our lives were saved. Very respectfully, THOS. P. PHELAN, Master of Barkentine Walter S. Massey