The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-18
Narrow Escape from an APP
palling Disaster.
THE DISABLED VESSEL TOWED INTO PORT.
Statements OF Passengers and the As
sistant Engineer.
[Dx TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. !

benjamin simmons, OF the Fall River line, which iet
New York at haIf-pasl four yesterday afternoon Tor
Fall River, via This port about minutes to one
O'Clock this morning all on board startled by
loud crash, and Il was generally thought that the
boat had colded with another vessel. The pas-
sengers were not long ascer;ainipg that the
walking beam had broken FIRST, followed by the con-
Meeting rod, aud that the whole had tumbied head
long through the upper deck taking tho elegant main
staircase and all attached along with IT,, and thence
through the main deck aud the hold, bringing up
upon the keclsons. These fortunately were strong
enough to hold, and thus appalling disaster was
happily avoided, for had the broken beam
got between tho keolsons 1t woald have
gone through her bottom and tho boat
would have sunk al once. Tho shacko bar also
broke or about two feet IRON the upper END, and,
together with the connecting rod, was also prec,pi-
ta,ca into the hold. The piston rods were thrown
out OF their guys and the crossheads sadly ds
arranged, and Tho steam pipes bent almost
double Tho engine IL also believed 10 be seriously
damaged.
ARRIVAL OF AID
Tho night calm and the moon shone brightly
The boat wns anchored immediately after tho acci-
dent and soon aitcrward sighted by tho steamer
City OF Fitchburg, Captain Springer, OF tho New Bod
ford and Now York Steamship Company, which left
New York yesterday afternoon for New Bedford
Tho latter promptly went to the assistance or tho
disabled vessel ana towod her TO this port where she
arrived at minutes after O'CLOCK this morn
ing. Captain Simmons and his officers were their
posts and quickly qutstcd the passengers. about
hundred aud scvonty-nvc In number, aud convinced
ihem that the boat tight and all tho danger was
past.
FORTUNATE HOUR
Tho accident could have happened at moro
favorable hour for the passengers had al retired
inn IN caIl thosa sho IN In rhon
the boat touched at this place. Had anybody been
coming down the stairs, or been them, they
would have been crushed to jolly. Carloads of tho
Joiner work. 1oors stairs &C., were taken out of tho
hold after the boats ARRIVAL which were crushed into
pieces small enough for kindhng WOOD anu thousands
Of pieces were found no bigger than Pipe stem. No
such accident has happened in these waters for many
years.
SIMILAR ACCIDENT.
The last one oil the kind occurred twenty years
ego 10 the steamer Bay State OF the Bay state limo
which was succeeded by tho Old Colony Company.
The walking beam the Bay State broke Off ana two
or three lives were lost ind several scaldei.
Tho engine OF the Bay State Is in the Old Colony
and the demolished walking beam OF the latter is the
which was built to ropiace that OF tho Bay State,
but which was made great deal stronger. rho
break on the OLD Colony was examined by HERALD
reporter In company with Captain simmons aud no
signs visible OF any flaw Ia tho iron and every
body Is at loss to account Tor the break. Tue nc
cident occurred when the steamer was about thirty.
nve minutes from Watch HILL
EsTrMATE LOSS
II will cost upward Of 100000 10 repair the dam
age aud the steamer will not DO ablc to resume her
place on tho line this Some estimate tho loss
to the company nj $4,000 but this Is doubt exag-
gerateJ. Tho passengers speak IN the highest terms
OF thor treatment alter the accident. A temporary
stairway had DO erected upon tho boats arrival
here, IN order 10 admit OF the descent OF tho lady
passengers from the upper saloon The Old Colony is
the same steamer that burst her steam Pipe In
the carly part OF January, oil Point JudiIh.
for hours at the mercy OF heavy gallo BY the ni.ed
States steamer Nina. She took her place the
line tho latter part OF December, alter being put in
order Tor the winter travel ~ expense OF SO 900
more The steamboat tram Ia waiting for the boat ut
Fall River despatched 10 this place, and the pas
sengers wero homeward bound before nine O'Clock.
STATEMENT OF PASSENGER.
+. S. Stevens, passenger, makes thD following
minutes to ono o'clock. |. was sitting with thrse
friends IN u room on the lower deck l heard
ribe crack ana crash, and thought We had run
a passing vessel The crash which followed when
the beam struck tho bottom different from
tue first. knew thnt the machinery had
| given way, and out II the walk
| ing Team had gone through tho bottom OF the
boat l saw upon examination that II had not.
then went TO ladies' and found It's
excited ana several were screaming. informed them
that tLero was no danger, us the night was still
aud the bout was making no water In order TO got
hid TO go clear forward and thence up tho sailors
passage way. When reached tho upper deck found
the passengers surrounding II, and they anxious
10 hear the result oi the accident. told them that
| VIC were all right and that the donkey engine had
been work In order TO keep hor ireo should she
spring aleak. When saw tho machinery first dis
covered that portion OF II was brokcn all OF II beng
| In u neap ut tho bottom Of tue aiter stars We
driited about Tor ten minutes, when the order was
gwen 10 let tho anchor co. An hour later 4 New
Bedford propeller appeared In sight. Wa sent
| up rockets last as possible, and tho
| steamer seeing them came about nl,oen minutes
later. rho Doris, OF tho Septune line, also up
| and stopped | was with Captain simmons at tho
time ana heard HIM thank the Captain the Doris,
but he declined to accept services. as he had made
arrangements with the CITY OF Fitchburg to tow US to
Newport. understood that OF the en- nccrs was
OSCILLATION OF THE boat
james I. Powell and Melville Bull. who woro also
on board, state that the oscillation oil Tho
boat was very great, so much SO that II Was
next 20 the one occupied BY Mr. Powell was Occupied
by n naval officer and his vile. Alter the accident had
occurred, and when all was comparatively quiet, the
ocers wife told him that snc with her husband, had
remained up until atout midnight. Just before tnoy
retired they went ana viewed the machinery. Her
husband, noticing that the steamer was going quto
rapidly there bong no WIND sea, mado remark
tho eiec. that would DO terrible thing tue walk
ing beam was to give way, and in less than hour
aftcrward the accident occurred.
AMONG THE PASSENGERS.
Messrs. Powell and Bull further stated that the pas
snccs bat rushed out OF their slalerooms in their
nignt clothea The shricking und screaming OF tho
f0nuleb WAS WHICH never Will forget
and In their ION, tho accident would have
serious than IL was but tor the GOODNESS OF tho
| officers, who took every Opportunity 70 convince
| them that there was no apparent danger. The gus
went out, and all was cnvcloped In darkness until
iamps lanterns and candles were brought into use.
| Mcssrs. Powell and Bull iurther state that alt houah
tho excitement was very great, all fears personal
safety we're allayed In very few minuteA
REMARKABLE ESCAPE
| A most remarkable escape from instant death
father. was in tho upper 'I Saloon MN s sss
| was seated Ia chair, with her back to
the stair railing which loads 10 tho main deck Dur
ing tho evening she advised to 20 TO hor state.
room, but declined and continued 10 SIT up with her
| father When she heard the crash she screamed and
sprane from her chair. She struck on the hcnd
with piece OF wood. but seriously injured. I'm.
mediateIy the chair on which she had been sitting
and the railing as well was carried below with tho
walking beam and crushed TO splnters
srArEMkSr or TIL. ASSISTANT ENGINEER.
Mr. A. Nichols, assistant engineer, makes tho fol-
| loving statement lit was my watch on, having boon