The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-06-18
SICKENING DISASTER.
The Loss of the Narragansett,O ON Long
Island SOund---A FrightfuI struggle
for Life Against I ire and Water.

two large steamers of the Stonngton line came
in collision in Long Island sound. Both boats
were crowded with passengers Competition
had driven the fare between New York and
Boston via the sound down to 81. Many per-
sons took advantage of the small fare, and all
the boats, since the reduction, have carried
large companies. There was dense fog,
which swept in from the sea, and did
not lift for two hours after daybreak.
Yelled in this fog, the two steamboats,, APP
preaching from opposite directions, crashed
into one another. The Narragansett left her
wharf in New York at the close of the after
noon. The Stonington left her wharf in Ston-
ington several hours later. There was heavy
fog the whole length Of the sound when the
Stonington started. This same fog overcrept the
NaTagansett. Both steamers plunged on at
good rate Of speed, sounding their fog-whistles
and trusting to the accurate hearing of their pi-
lots and masters to find them safe way. Every
half minute the whistles shrieked. The faint
sound of the Narragansett's whistle was first
heard by the Stonington at point near the
Cornfeld hghtship, few miles west OF the
mouth of the Connecticut river and five miles
from the Connecticut shore. The Narragansett's
signal said to bear to the left. The Stonington
answered with the same signal.
The signals sounded as if there was good
distance east and west between the two boats !;
but in moment more the lights of the two
vessels shone through the fog, and they were
going III the same course in opposite directions.
The helm of the Narragansett was thrown
sharp about. which brought her broadside to
the Stonington. The Stonington plunged on
and struck her OH the starboard quarter just in
front of the wheel. The shock was terrific.
1t shook the Stonihgton, which struck
point on In such a way as TO throw all
her sleeping passengcrs ont of their berthS. 1t
ripped open a great hole in her bow, almost
down to the waters edge. If the sea had been
heavy she must have gone down at the shock.
Ali the Narragansett's lights were instantly ex-
tinguished. Passengers found themselves
locked in their staterooms i'll absolute dark
ness The side of the boat was ripped open
below the waters level and she filled and
sank Immediately. fire also broke forth,
and so fiercely that in an hour and half
at farthest all the parts Of the vessel remaining
above water were destroyed. Fortunately. she
sank III shallow water. She must have settled
upon some bar, for the water rose only just
high enough 10 submerge the saloon deck. The
upper deck would have afforded safe asylum
had it not been for the fire. Many of the pas
sengers on board the Narragansett waited
neither for the sinking nor for the fire. In
sudden terror they leaped into the sea, and,
becoming ndmbed and exhausted, sank
before the arrival of and. Those who waited
were saved Immediately upon the shock the
bulk of the passengers climbed upon the top
deck. The boat sank, but it fortunately soon
struck bottom and they were still safe. Then
the fire broke forth. 1t whipped so fiercely to
leeward that the boats on that side could not be
| lowered, but the boats TO windward were sue
cessfully let into the water. all save one, which
was swamped with considerable company.
The life-rafts were pushed overheard. They
proved the salvation of scores Passengers
| In nod tbap, al in
! tected leaped into the water to avoid the fire.
! Meanwhile assistance was at hand. The steamer
City of New York. bound for the metropolis
came up aud hailed the Stonington. Life-boats
were manned from both boats. and soon the
rescued were being lifted aboard the Stoning-
ton and the New York by the score.
The panic which followed the collision was
terrible Men, women and children jumped
from their beds and rushed shriekng, from
their staterooms and berths-most of them
i'll their night clothes. They filed the dark
ened saloon and pushed and jostled each
other i'll their frantic efforts to let upon the
deck. The officers seem to have lost their
heads completely, and, with the exception of
the purstr, John Herman, not one of them.
from the accounts of the passengers. seems
to have done anything TO stop the panic
Lights wore finally procured, and the passen-
gers fought tor chairs. mattresses, life-preserv-
ers. and every article which would possibly aid
to float them There were heroic men in that
struggling mass of terrified human beings. and
there WERE too, cowardlv creatures who took
advantage of the weakness of women and chill
dren TO save their own worthless lives.
In the confusion and terror of the moment
husbands were separated from wives. and
! children from parents, and all fought but for
one obiect-to grasp the life which was fit
ting from them. Some, weaker than the
Others tainted some prayed, while all shriekcd
wildly for aid.
In the midst of the tumult the Narragansett
was discovered to be on fire. The bow of the
Stonington had penetrated the boiler of the
other boat, the burning Goals of the furnace
had been scattered on the oiled woodwork of
the steamer, and now to the fear of death by
drowning were added the horrors of death by
burning. This increased the panic, and rush
was made for the boats but there were no
officers at their posts to stop them, and the
passengers cut them adrift and piled into them
like sheep.
The first to reach the water was over
crowded, and it was swamped, but the others
were put adrift with their precious cargoes.
The steamer was settling, the heat from the
hre was growing too severe to be
borne, and men, women, and children
plunged into the dark waters with chairs,
mattresses planks, and whatever they could
lay their hands on One mother had left her
babes in her stateroom, and the fire and smoke
fought her back as she attempted to rescue
them, so that she was obliged to leave them to
perish in the flames. Another jumped with
her babe into the water, already filed with
struggling men and women and the little one
was wrenched from her grasp and sucked be-
meath the waters.
The incidents of that terrible night are full
of suffering and agony to scores Of human be-
ings While these terrible scenes were being
enacted on the Narragansett the officers of the
Stonington seemed To have lost their heads
completely. The passengers, after being as
sured of their own safety-the fear Of which
had for a time filled them with horror
urged the officers to send boats to res
cue the drowning passengers of the
Narragansett. After long delay the
boats were lowered, and then it was found there
were no plugs to stop the water-holes. To
supply these created another delay and all the
time the cries for help were ringing on the
night air The boats were finally rugged and
manned, but the men knew nothing of hand
ling the oars, and the result was confusion
and much loss of invaluable time.
Once at work, however, the boats of
the Stonington did well and rescued many
OF the drowning men and women. The men
worked with will, which made up in some de-
gree for the lack of discipline. But other and
more effective aid was at hand. Capt. Ian
phear, of the City of New York. sighted the
steamer. and bore down upon fhe diaabled vae-