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Very interesting group of (3) original vintage photos relating to the 735 ton 3-master Schooner LOUIS V. PLACE, which was lost off Lone Hill, Fire Island, New York on Feb 8 1895. Included are two photos of the sole survivor, Claus Stuvens, a Swede. Early in the morning of the 8th another ship, the JOHN B MANNING, stranded near Lone Hill, Fire Island in a fierce gale with the temperature near zero. MANNING was riding high because she had no cargo, so she easily crossed the outer sandbar and came so far up the beach that surfmen from Lone Hill Lifesaving Station were able to rescue the crew of ten men. Before they had a chance to thaw out, the Schooner LOUIS V. PLACE, laden with a cargo of coal consigned at Baltimore, Maryland, hove into sight. She had been buffeted by gales and icy seas for days and she was so encased in ice it was impossible to sail her properly. She struck on the out bar about opposite w the village of Cherry Grove stands today. The schooner's captain, William H. Squires of Bridgehampton, Long Island, was washed overboard shortly after she stuck and his body was carried to the eastward. His remains were recovered some days later, ironically not far from his home. Lines were shot over to the stranded vessel, but her rigging was enshrouded in ice and the eight men of the crew, who had taken to the shrouds, were too exhausted to save themselves. The life saving crews from the Blue Point and Bellport Stations, as well as from Point O' Woods, came to the assistance of the Lone Hill crew, but lifeboat after boat was smashed in the icy surf and hurled back on the beach. It was heartbreaking for the men assembled on the shore to watch the poor sailors slowly freezing to death and listening to their cries for help, unable to lend assistance. One hearty sailor, the Swede Claus Stuvens, who is depicted in two photos in this lot, helped one of his companions, Soren J. Nielson, an older man, up into the crosstrees and wrapped him in a piece of topsail and then to keep himself alive ran up and down the ratlines. From time to time, he beat the older man with a rope's end to maintain enough circulation to keep him awake. When after 40 hours the wind and sea subsided enough to permit a lifeboat to be launched through the surf, the rescuers finally climbed aboard the wreck and found six sailors frozen stiff to the rigging. Stuvens and his Danish companion, Nielson, were brought ashore to Fire Island and after being given some food and stimulants were taken to the mainland. Stuvens and Nielson were then transported to Sailors' Snug Harbor on Staten Island, w it was found that the old timer's feet were so badly frozen that amputation was necessary. Nielson died t a few days later. Stuvens rested t for a few weeks, then returned to sea. The dead had been taken to Patchogue, Long Island and were buried in the local cemetary. The photo of the LOUIS V. PLACE has an image size of 7 x 9 ins. and has a printed inscription, "LOUIS V. PLACE, Wrecked, February 8th, 1895, off Lone Hill, L.I.-- Capt. W. H. Squires of Bridgehampton, Long Island. Crew of eight men: six men including the Captain frozen in the rigging; two men saved. Schooner 800 tons burden. Photo, Feb 10th, 1895, Anderson, Bay Shore, L.I." The photographs of Stuvens, who incidentally was the ony crewman to live to tell the tale, measure 6 x 8-1/2 image size and 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 ins. Both have interesting handwritten inscriptions describing the wreck. The photos are in good condition, some aging. Included in the lot are two 1950s newspaper articles and some photocopied pages about the wreck.*******************************************************We have been in the postal history business since 1953 and are members of the American Stamp Dealers Association, American Philatelic Society, National Stamp Dealers Association, Philatelic Traders Society(Great Britain), Canadian Stamp Dealers Association (Canada), International Federation of Stamp Dealers Associations, Collectors Club of New York and numerous other philatelic organizations.

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