Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-08-17
Dreadful sgcCideME on the
Sound a.!
PROPELLER SUNK
Passengers and Crew Lost !


Another of those terrific marine accidents that
bring home weeping and sorrow to many hearth
stone has Just occurred. The propeller j. N.
Harris, Capt. Smith, of New London, was run
into on Saturday morning, about two O'Clock, off
New Haven, by the teauer Metropolis of the
Fall River line, which struck the propeller amid
ships with such force that she went down in three
minutes after the collision, carrying with her, it
is supposed, thirteen, perhaps more, persons.
The damage TO the Metropolis but trifing.
She started on her return trip Saturday evening.
Capt Brown of the Metropolis, makes the fol-
lowing statement;
CAPT browns STATEMENT.
We left Fall River Friday evening about seven
O'Clock, with some two or three hundred passen-
gers. About five minutes before two o'clock be-
tween Falkland Islands and New Haven, the pilot
saw vessel about point and half on the star
board bow, which he supposed to be schooner
She showed very small light aft, but no head.
light at all She was going East, half South
west, and we were in the exactly opposite course
when steamers meet, head TO head, the rule is,
to put their helms to port and pass to the right,
but sailing vessels we must give THEN course,-so
supposiI this vessel to be a schooner on free
wind, our pilot kept off to the left trying to pass
on the South side, but she saw that we were
steamer, and trying to pass TO the right, brought
us inevitably in collision. The bell was rung to
stop the engines, but in about a minute we
struck between her masts. We were probably
running at the rate Of twelve miles an hour, and
must have cut her through. 1t was bright star
light, little haze the water, but il there had
been headlights we could have seen them The
collision did not shake our boat much. Per-
sons aft might not have been awakened by it,
The only damage to the Metropolis is, the loss
of her cutwater. She does not leak drop on
account of it, The live oak stem is scarcely
scratched.
After the accident there was some confusion
about getting boats over, but we had little
dckey boat in the water in about two minutes,
and two others in about five minutes more. The
crew threw ropes to the propeller, and saved all
they could in that way, and the passengers threw
over life preselvers, and Whatever else would
hoat We have ten boats on board. We could
hear men crying and struggling in the water, the
moment we struck. We hauled in three men
over the bows. One saved himself in the wheel,
and Captain Smith chung to the brace The pro.
Peer sunk in about sixteen fathoms of water"
Among the thrilling and heart rending incidents
connected with the disaster, a passenger relates
the following: A woman seen struggling in
the water,supporting her infant child in her arms.
A rope was thrown TO her, which fell within her
reach, and with which she might have saved her
self by relinquishing her hold upon the child
She looked up. saw the rope, saw those who would
have given almost their own hold upon life to save
hers, then pressed her child to her breast, and
sank forever
These were the only persons seen in the water
who were not saved ALI the others appear to
have gone down in the propeller. The husband
OF the woman was among the lost. An old man,
seventy four years old, who could not swim, got
his name is Daniel Ayres.
The clerk Of the boat heard that his wife was
sick, and went to New London on Friday, in the
steamer Connecticut, by which means his life was
PROBABLY saved He is supposed to have the
freight list in his possession.
The propeller was three years old staunch
boat valued at 900, and owned by Compa-
ny Mr. D. NJ Harris, from whom the boat was
named, owned fourth, and he and Capt Smith
had SZ25O invested in her. She was insured
against hire. but there was no marine risk on her.
She had valuable cargo of merchandise, con-
signed to different parties in New London and
PROBABLY uninsured The cargo consisted chiefly
OF provisions, groceries, dry goods, and some 40
| tons OF pig, chain, and bar iron.
| Lost Of the Cre1o.- Stephen Prentice of New
| London, mate of the propeller; George Allen,
| deck hand; Mary Withers, chambermaid Ann
| willis, cook; gentleman, wife and child, names
and residence unknown.
Passengers Lost-Mr. A. W. Smith, wife, and
child II years old. Mr.. Smith was a merchant
tailor, doing business mt No Is Chatham street,
New York, and lived in Brooklyn.
Miss Gordan, IL years OF age, daughter Of Geo.
Gordon, who lives at 81 Catherine street, in this
city.
A gentleman, wife and child, whose names and
residence were unknown are also lost.
John, Elizabeth, and Mary Smith, aged re-
| Smith.
| Mr.. Stephen Prentice of New. London, pilot and
mate Of the propeller was lost leaves wife and
| one child.
About two years ago the propeller went ashore
on Norfolk Reef, at which time Capt, Smiths
father, who then commanded her, died from the
effects Of over exertion in getting her off
| Death ofG Passenger of the MetropoEts from
| Nervous krcstenaent. Mr.. George Tappan ner
chant from New Bedford, Mass, who was pas.
| senger on board the Metropolis, and who was in
ill-heath, died from the effects of the excitement
soon after the collision. He was accompanied
| by his wife, and was on his way south, for the
benefit Of his health
| AFFECTING INCIDENT.
While Capt. Smith was giving his statement,
a painfully affecting incident transpired. An ell
derby gentleman named Gordon, who, on the al
| ternOon previous, had placed his daughter,
beautiful maiden Of Is, in care of Captain Smith,
for New London, came into the saloon
| Captain Smith had sent a message to him, in.
forming him of the melancholy fate of his child,
| but the old man, hearing of the disaster hurried
of before it reached his house, and came down to
| inquire after his child.
| lie approached The Captain slowly, as though
he would cling to his faint hopes as long as pos
| sible. He gazed for moment at the hardy sea.
man. and then, in voice tremulous with emo
ton, he saio We'll Captain, 1 have come down
after my daughter"
! Tue Captain turned away his head and extend
| ing his hand murmured ''She's lost" and burst
| into tears. The old man grasped it, and exclaim-
| ing ooh, my God J" wept, as only parent so
bereaved can weep They exchanged a few
| words, promised to see each other again, and
| then the old man tottered away, as though anoth-
1 er twenty years had been added to his lfe