Smyrna times., 1880-06-16

WRECK OF THE NARRAGANsETT.-A Collision in Long
Island SoandIThe NdrTdgdHSen Takes FIre-A Night Of
IrTOT-Ierrible Loss g Lue.-The steamer NdTugdnSef
which left New York, Friday evening for Stoning,
ton, and her companion the StOniHgtOR, which left
Stonlngon for New York cOllided OFF COrnteld light
near the mouth OF the Connecticut river, Long Island
sound. about Ills o'clock the same night < dense
fog prevailed at the time, but the captains of both
steamers being conhdant OF their courses, were sail
ing at fair rate of speed. The officers of the
S0niagOn first sighted the NGrrGganSch ON their star
board bow. and although every effort was made to
avert collision the bow of the StOnin0n struck the
port side Of the NdITdganset forward of her wheel
house. The shock broke the boilers and burst the
gas tank and in less than fifteen minutes the steamer
was on fire. The passengers nearly all in their
berths and when the crash came there was terrible
confusion Volumes of SCalding steam passed throurh
the cabin, and for few moments no one seemed To
know what had happened. Men. women and chill
dren rushed from their state rooms, many in their
night clothing screaming and struggling to reach the
deck When lights were procured frantic rush was
made for chairs lite-preServers and mattresses I'M
which husbands were separated from their wives and
mothers from their children, while, to add to tho
horror OF the situation, it found that the NdrrG-
ghiStu was on tre a rush was made for the boats
anu as there was officers there to shin them tho
passengers cut them adrft and struggled into them
Inc steamer was fast settling. the heat from the
burning wood work was becoming intense and win
last despalrng effort the terrified passengers leaped
lnto the uark waters some with lltepreServerS,
others without and others with chairs or plankS
which they had succeeded III securing. The Shock If
the colisson had driven back the StOningtOH a con-
siderable distance, and when the excitement on
board of her had subsidized and the blaze of the burn
ing steamer could be through the thick fog the
boats were lowered when twas found that there were
no plugs to stop the water holes. This necessitated
further delay but at last the boats were rCged and
manned, and many ot the drowning men and women
were rescued.
The steamer Clty Of Nc7c York bound from, Ho,v
London TO New York sighted the burning steamer
and bearing down. her captain 0amphear) at once
lowered his boats, and for an hour and half the
sailors who manned them pulled around, picking up
the almost liIeless men and women in the water and
then taking them TO the steamer to be tended and
cared for. Several Of them, however died of sheer
exhaustion after their rescue
The Narragdnscn soon burned to the waters edge
and the hull. with her entire cargo. sunk in eight
athoms of water As no accurate list of her passen
gers was kept is difficult to estimate the exact loss
OF life 1t is believed that there 300 passengers
on board, Of whom the city Of NelC York took 300
while the S0ningtOn carried several to StOnngton
and the hopes are that not more than % or 80 were
lost The Stonington. fortunately escaped with but
slight damage.
No special cause yet be assigned for the disaster
although it is said that the regulation which provides
that when passing through fog. steamers must blow
long blasts with their whistles intervals of not less
than one minute, were not complied with by the
AdTdgdnsct The damage from the collision is esti-
mated ut 100000, and may probably reach $4,000.
This IS covered by an insurance of only $4,000.