Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1880-06-12
Collision Between the Steamers Ston.
ington and Narraganset and the
Burning Of the Latter.
A Heartrending Scene Follows the Disaster,
aud y Large Number Of Lives Lost.
GRIMES AND CASUALTIES.

Va Uuo NhFIAKalI66C.
Providence, June PA passenger of
the Narraganset estimates the number of
lost at so. The clerks of the Narrapanset
places them ut 80.
New York, June II, O:3O a. m.-At the
office of ID. s. Babcock, president of the
old reliable Stonington line to which the
steamer Stonington belongs, the only in
formation that could be obtained was
that there had been collision. Nothing
could be learned of the fate of the pas
sengers: Private dispatches say a num-
Der of lives were lost. The disaster took
place near the Connecticut river.
Stonington, Conn.,, June 12-The Ston-
lngton arrived this morning with about
fifty of the survivors from the Narragan-
set. Her bow was stove in nearly to her
water line. She struck the Narragansett
at II 80 on the port side FORWARD of the
wheel house. The shock burst her gas
tank, land in fifteen minutes the Narragan-
set was on fire and soon sank The
Cityof New York and Providence came
to. the assistance, and all the boats and
life rafts of the four steamers were low
cred and put in service. Two hours
elapsed before the last passengers were
picked up: Most Of the passengers were
transferred to the City of New York.
Passengers say that the officers and crew
OF the Narraganset behaved with great
GOODNESS and nerve.
On the arrival of the Stonington the
village was aroused and men and women
hastened with clothing and assistance.
Twenty-Five women were on board in
their night clothes. One died before
reaching here from the shock. The body
is not yet identified. One man also died
. Rev. E. B. Lockwood, of Sixty Eighth
street Methodist church, New York, who
was on his first trip east The most
eastern bound passengers left on q
special train.
No estimate can be made here of the
loss of life. There is general agree
ment among the survivors that out of
the passenger list Of more than one hun
dred large number must have been lost,
as the water around the burning
steamer was alive with struggling
people, clinging to the RATS and
every conceivable thing. Most of
the women were brought here.
One was i'll the water for several hours.
One lady had about three thousand dol
lars in her valise, which was lost. Two
ladies' on the steamer Stonington died
after being picked up. Their remains
await Identification. 1t is found that
most OF the passengers We're in their
berths below the main-dcck, and did not
have time to save themselves. The bow
OF the StoningtOn was knocked off.
An old lady found struggling in the
water was found to have an eight
months old babe clasped in her
arms, her grandchild. The shrieks
women were terrible. A raft
was made and the passengers
crowded upon it in such numbers that
some persons tainted after getting foot
hold upon it. Ropes flung from the raft
were eagerly clutched and frantic efforts
made to reach it, although the weight OF
the people sunk it six inches under the
surface. It was finally taken in tow by
o row boat.
Leonard, of Booths theatre, one of the
passengers, condemns strongly the Off
GERS and crew of the Narragansett. The
captain was the first to spring for the
life boat. A Mrs. Osborn threw her six
year old child to the life boat and then
jumped from the main deck and was res
cued. She had only night clothes on,
and the child was naked. The screams
were heartrending and continuous.
Some passengers think $50 must have
been lost. Wives, mothers, husbands,
children, parents all mourn lost ones in
tones never to be forgotten.
New York, June IA Post extra has
the following account of the disaster
from q passenger on the Stonington:
Soon after the steamer left Providence
the weather became thick. By IL o'clock
nearly everybody was in bed and all on
board was quiet. About II AS there was
q sudden crash and a minute later there
was terrible confusion, men, women and
children in all stages Of undress
rushing frantically from their berths
and to the upper deck. For few mo-
ments every body thought the boat was
sinking, and there was struggle for life
preservers. The officers of the boat said
the boat was leaking forward, but there
the steamer into which the Stonington
had run was the Narraganset.- The lat
ter had been struck amidships and in
two or three minutes after the collision
flames burst out and Immediately envel-
oped the entire vessel. The scene was
frightful. The shrieks and cries of the
passengers on board the Narraganset
were distinctly audible on the Stoning-
ton. They could be seen leaping into
the sea and rushing frantically in
all directions. The boats of
the Stonington were lowered after
delay of several minutes and by that
time the Narraganset had settled and
was sinking. By some blnnder the plugs
in the life boats were left out and they
filled with water. This caused additional
delay. The men in the boats did not
know how to row, some of them at least.
They reached the scene of the wreck and
picked nm numtera of persOns floating
on life preservers, mattresses, chairs, to
bles, planks. &c. The scene was appall.
ing. At this juncture the City of New
York came up and lay off at some dis
tance. She lowered her boats and picked
up as many of the drowning passengers
MS she could find. ~
When all hope of further rescue wa.
abandoned, the Stonington further trans
ferred some Of the rescued persons, Ill
in number, TO the City Of New York, ant
returned to Stonington. Many Of tn,
passengers rescued were badly
scalded, and others half naked. Som,