Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-06-14
THE TERRIBLE DISASTER on THE
SOlND.

I
sett being run into and sunk in the dense fog
and darkness BY the steamer Stonington.
I Both steamers were of the Stonington-N New
York line. The Narragsnsett was bound
eastward. The number of passengers upon
her has been estimated ut some 400 of whom
about 100 were lost.
The Narragansett left her pier at New York
as usual, at about ) O'Clock Friday night,
and just before the collision had PASSED the
Rhode Island of the Providence line. which
left Providence between 10 and IL o'clock.
A dense fog prevailing at the time was the
immediate cause of the calamity.
The particulars of the acci,len, are that
the Stonington was proceeding TO New York
and the Narragansett was coming this way.
At about midnight, when the two boats were
passing opposite Curnfield Light. and the
darkness and fog preceding the terrible thun-
der storm which was coming on, the Stnning-
ton collided with the Narragansett with ter
rible force. Instantly the lamps ON the Mar
raganseit were shattered, and person who
was on board says that almos, immediately
the entire vessel was on fire.
The passengers were awakened from their
slumbers, aud as usual pane followed. As
near is can be asecrained many crowded
into the life boats and were picked up by the
steamer Stonington and one of the Norwich
steamers. and were thus saved from a terri
BILE death.
One of the pa,senyers gives ,be foliow;,,.
accoupt of the ratastronb.. saw tho whole
affair. the night being so dark and foggy |
could not go 10 sleep. At about IL. 20 o'clock
huge form suddenly came right out of the
mist and before | was fully aware Of the
danger We struck the Narragansett at right
angles in diagonal dire, ton.
L Al 4
box ON the starboard side. and seemed Ia ms
10 on half w,v ,brougb her never wan, +,
witness ,no,bor such s;ch, f,r tho shool
..ou.J ,o h., III. s;,n,, fnr inter- J,rtnn,s
,rb.r. w.s no, +, E,,h, an ,h. S,nr;,,,,,n -,
far as 7 ,.,uId see. and ma, women AMI
ch;Idr..r ran s.r.,m;n,, from ,h.;r h.r,hs ;n,,
Tho cabins ,,mos, frantic with horror
u ,,,,,I ~. a;y,;nr,;.h.a naaa.;o,.,..
A., -. 49,, -. '...e a. 49,. -:
-. Is :, 80, .,,,I Il. -, -,
IN. n,nmant \,,,,,dv lnew xh,.,hnr az. hal
s,r,cL . rnct ,rJ rcre s;rL;n, ar w,,, ,a.
,he tronbla but ,,,o ,h;,ys w,rn carr, lin IN.
,,as had hoar ox,;nr,;.hoJ and tho s,a.n,or
- 1,;nnlass in H. ,o,.r ,nar I;,,,,
hill we fnnn, nm, vh,, wos tho matter .nJ
. IN ' y, -, wv. H.. N "''u
Ill, LIE, H., NJ oil an ar,
IT, sho soor,.d ~ so,,is AMI eta, ,,,
..ns hnrna1 20 ,ha ,,a,or!s adv. Than n,oas
,'ros ,raro ,,t.n Gov ,he roscn, of ,ho nas.sn.
1870 al :, ,.,. tonnJ ,h,, tho CIV IF NJ
~ go .,o.n,or ,.as aIr.aJ, on h.rI
al ,.r;n, Tho ssn,, ,,,,ans ,nwara. s,r;n.,
L.. ..t.. -, :, -. - -, H.,
noa,s an, r,f,s wsrs nm, an, and al, ,hat
could h. fon,d ,,,ra nI,ceJ ON hoard either
,,n., or ,l. n,h.r ~ ,io ,un s,ean,.rs Af.r
an hal hoo, soy.d ,ho, ,.,,IJ H., fourd ,h.,
Zsx Yorl came ,lopgs;l. of N. and !; w,s
announced that ,hosr WISHING 10 90 10 New
York could take tha, steamer. while thos,
wishing 10 come this way could remain. 1
should think that fully nine-tenths of the pns
senyers decided TO 90 to New York and the
steamer that carried them must have hal on
board | 800 to | 900 passengers
At3A. NJ. we parted company and the
Stonineton came to Stoniugton. reaching
there AT &. 30 O'Clock Saturday morning. She
was prctty badly used up. | can tell You. an
probably when she is examined. they will
wonder wbv il was that both boats did not
sink Mt once. Her bows are almost com
nlptclv stove in bnt otherwise I do not think
She is much damaged
The officers and crew worked admirably.
and dispIoved the greatest GOODNESS and eli
ciepcv The nioht was n fearfullv bad one
as I have said and althoucb there were
h., tow nm ot tho time of the disaster was
tborn and saw inst what have told Won.
Another paSs.noer saws. .bould saw
that there were moi far from 700 passengers
on hoard a LARGE mart of them being women
and children Every berth and state room
was occunied and the cabin floors were COW
orod viii, cot mattresses NJ il tho cus,op,
ubor tho steamer il Loaded down Early in
Tho evening the darkness became intense
anJ !, w,s rcmarkeJ Inv tho officers of The
49,, Cha, ,ho n;cLt wo. ono NJ IN. d,rL.s,
,ha, had boon Ln,,wn far xoars
he,vx s,,r ,Iso nrev,;IeJ and ,be f,,,
horn was constantly sounded and the speed o,
the steamer slackened. Shortly befor. |
o'clock. and after all of the passengers had
re,ir,d u heavy thunder shower came upou
ms and the few who were still nm at that time
,,rpnd in for tho piybt walked from the
hnv =, tho storm at This time and sboul,I
saw that thare werc NAT more than 4 of the
messengers at most. that we're awake.
could not find an officer anywhere. and with
the exception of the regular and steady
motion Of the large engine. i, was perfectly
ouiet. This was. I should saw at about | /
o'clock. An balfbour before I had heard
one of the passengers. saw that the Rhode Is.
land of the Providence Line had lust passe,
rs on her wav to New York. II was nearly
20 minutes past IL. and while I was standing
in the forward part of the main cabin, when
indistinctIy disccrned. off the s,arboard side
the PROV of a large steamer. and in the mex,