Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-16

on 1t. Already the crushed and roel-
ing steamer was careening more henv.
ily TO the starboard side while below
those on the watch could hear tho an.
CRY gurgle of the waters rushing
through the ragged rent in the vessels
side
Tho suifocating smoke rendered
work at the pumps impossible, and
alter few moments the attention OF
all was solely confined to the matter
OF saving life by boats and other means.
Sinking slowly, the steamer was now
immersed to the paddle boxes, the fires
were put out by tho water and no
hope remained Of keeping her ahoaL
In the short space of fifteen minutes
the entire hull was wrapped in flames,
amid which tho ilutter of women's gar
mcnts was soun as they were hurried
aboard tho life.rafts and into tho boats,
The shrieks OF mothers whose children
were lost in tho confusion, were min
glod with the hoarse cries of men who
saw the lives of those they cherished
going down with the inevitable ruin OF
the steamer, and in the darkness Of the
night faint cries came up from the wa
ters, as those who had thrown them
selves overheard were struggling des.
perately and in the last weak efforts
ior life
While these terrible scenes were be-
ing enacted on the sinking Narragan.
sett, the Stonington was blowing quick
whistles of distress. The City of Now
York, of the Norwich line, heard the
signals and came alongside, and both
steamers did all in their power to save
life. In little more than half an hour
the Narragansett went down. HeT
disappearance was awful in its sudden
ness, As was discovered aiterward
the bow Of the Stonington, when il
struck its fatal blow, had exploded the
gas metre, and this explains the rapid
ity with which the fire spread in all
directions. When the steamer sanl,
the surface OF the water was covered
with struggling men, women and chill
drep, clinging to hfe-preservers, mat
tresses, chairs, tables, planks and every
thing else with floating capacity. Mos
OF them were nearly naked some o.
them badly scalded, others nearly
helpless from fright. Many went dowr
and made no sign. The boats from
the StonIngton were five in number
and when they finally reached thC
spot, they did good service and rapidly
pulled the survivors out of tho water
In this good work they were assisted
by the boats of the City Of New York
The officers of the steamers appear
to have acted with promptness and t
have put out their boats with little do
lay. Tho work Of rescue took abon
two hours, and the survivors werC
! taken on board the Stonington. Somt
? of these were apparently dying anc
were taken below others were com
pletoly prostratod and were badly
burned,
. The Stonington arrived here at 6:3(
this morning with about fifty passen
gers of the Narragansett, Among
them were twenty. five women in then
night clothing. Two of the womer
died from the shock, and Rev. Il. B
0 Lockwood, OF the Sixty-oighth STREE
! Methodist Episcopal Church, New
York, died upon his arrival. The,
were all scantily attired, and
the people OF Stonington dressed
them up before being sent cast on {
I special train. One lady had abou
D $4,000 in her valise, which was lost
I Everything was done for their com
fort. All agree that out of passen
}. ger list of more than three hundreI
i a large number must have been lost
7 as the water around the burning
3 steamer was alive with struggling pee
pie clinging to RATS and every conceiv
able thing.