The New York herald., 1875-11-12
THE STEAMER PROVIDENCE.

vrRucx BIZ 1 SEA AT POINT JuDrTH-HEh
,,-,s,r,,,r r,-rsr-A PANIC AMONG THE PAS
snSorRs-oFTIcERs AND CREW DEAo1AI-
xznD-sroHY OF PASSENGER
PRov1DEscE, R l., Nov. IL, 1875.
Tbe steamer Providence from FAN River Tor New
vi, ,..rea al Newport last night until halfpast
eleven O'Clock and then started OUT Mhen on folh1
a,,,rbe was struck by which bHrst in her bulk
n.ad ,ack Of the wheelhOuse letting in considerable
go and causing alarm the passengers Thesteamer
was mt about and returned to Fall River.
STATEMENT or PASSENGER.
a Messenger on the Providence, who arrived last
night tells the following story
was passenger on the Providence, from Fall
River 10 New York. We left Fall River about nine
o'clock, Wednesday night, with comparatively lew
passengers-I should imagine about $50 TO 200. The
weather dark and rainy and blowing fresh, with
the wind from the southeast We made Newport at
the usual time and tho weather WAS bad the boat
law there till the weather began to clear up About
midnight IL looked favorable and we pushed out
we proceeded along Point Judith without anything
Of note the steamer rolling considerably and the sea
striking her occasionally somewhat heavily which
alarmed good many Of the passengers, both men and
women Many thought 1t prudent not TO retire.
Reaching Point Judith between one and two o'clock
we found the much rougher, with the wind shifting
round the westward and the sky clearing up Sud-
denly heavy wave struck the ship amidships tho
port side and heard horrible wrenching sound,
II something had gwen away, and simultaneously the
water rushed the ship flooding the lower saloon
dining IL came with such force that we heard II
All over the saloon The shreked, and the pas
sengers who had been in bed rushed into the saloon
lust they stood nightshrts being the prevailing attire
Al this time an officer OF the Providence whom took
for the chie mate came hurredy into the saloon, ev
IDENTIFY greatly excited and the passengers notably the
women rushed to him nsking him II there was any
danger 10 which he replied IN loud and excited man
'Pur on YOUR LIFE PREsERvERsln
rhis ne repeated several times and a screech went
through the saloon OF the ship. At this the
stewards came rushing through the Saloons and, with
their cenched hsts breaking the ground glass panels in
the stateroom doors and kicking in the lower wooden
paLels with their boots, calling out
HURRY DECK Is sISKISGl ~
The majority Of these rooms unoccupied, and
this proceeding augmented the prevailing terror. /
rushed on deck and found thirty or forty passengers
the after deck, all adjusting their lie preserveTs
and expecting the ship to founder every minute. In
the saloon and women were seen praying IN every
direction. Great quictude prevailed at this time
among the female portion the passengers Some OF
the women lay the soths and settees IN swoon.
spoke to several telling them TO come near the cabin
doors to be ready 20 get into the sea when the
ship sunk, as not to be taken down with
the vessel; but, as many we're paralyzed
stewards had finished their door breaking and
cries of
they equipped themselves with life preservers then
went ait TO the boats but found near them or
any attempt being made 70 clear them away sung
out Where's the CaptanH" and one Of the stewards
said Hes either looking after the steering or the
leak The chief steward think II was gave me his
knife and cleared away the boats cutting away the
iasnings from the ringbolts in the deck. saw the
plugs OF the boats were all right, and
AWAITED DEVELOPMENTS
then looked the side and saw that the vessel
was not sinking as she still high out of the
then went TO the saloon and said 10 the women who
there, II don't believe soul viii be lost; hero
four boats and you stop near the cabin door and
you shall be put into tho boats before any men"
then went deck and saw that we were making good
headway, and the ship looked as buoyant as before
began to think were
MORE FRIGHTENED HURT,
and went down in the hold to find out how much
water there was in her. saw at glance that there
was not sufficient to sink US In the saloon we had
thought that the lower hold was Allied with water,
owing eur seeing 1t swashng from side to side by
the gas lights At this time the crew were taking mat
tresses wherever they could And them to stop the
from pouring in ! then Of the engineers and
he tod me- in reply to question, that the compart
ments we're closed and the water confined to the mid
ship section. went to the saloon and called out TO
GIVE ARE NOT GOING TO srNKp
This announcement caused but little emotion, the
people being, rule prostrated by the emotions
they had just gone through ! then went to
ready for launching but found that two Of the lash
ings had not been cut by me. While so epgaged an
officer came up to me and abused me, and wanted TO
know what in - had to do with the boat, and TO
II CLEARED
half an hour since, but neither you nor
anybody else stopped me then. This comes
with very bad grace from you, who
alarmed the passengers that the danger IS
over" then turned my back on him. He then went
10 the upper deck Of all where the life raft was, and
ordered the passengers-men, and children
VINO were seated therein from out Of the raft Ho
ordered them OFF in very abrunt and
insolent manner AT this time went TO TO
| away my gold laced individual wanted to
charge me with the panic in my clearing away the
boats but good many people said, That's absurd; he
has been friend to US, while you gave comfort
nor encouragement After this | asked the chief
Btward why hIs men had broken the windows and
OF the staterooms and he took away my breath
when he said, Why. IL the passengers; they
wanted TO get out'' said TO him, 'What nonsense
All the broken glass Is IN tho inside Of the staterooms
THE VESSEL Run FOR PORT.
BY this time turned round heading for New
port, running under the land and in comparatively
smooth water. We reached Newport at Eve A. NJ. to-
day and the company sent by the train to Boston,
and promptly refunded money and paid for our
passare q New