New-York tribune., 1880-06-13
A TERRIBLE WRECK.
A COLLISION IN LONG ISLAND SOUND.

did not sight each other until too late to pre-
vent the accident. The side Of the Narragan-
sett was crushed in and the boilers and fur
naces upset. The boat took fire and
burned furiOusly, but soon sunk, leaving the
water full of struggling people, who were left
to save themselves as best they could in total
darkness. The StOningtOn and the City of
New-York (the latter coming up just after the
accldenD, lowered their boats and saved nearly
| all the passengers The loss of life is not eX-
actly known but is believed to be about thirty.
The stories of the survivors show that the
accident was full of horror and suffering to
the people on the wrecked boat.
THE BURNING OF THE NARRAGANSETT.
THE GREAT STEAMER SMASHED IN By TIE stoNING-
| ToN-FIRE COMPLETES HER DESTRUCTION
| WILD sCENEs-A GREAT STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
| GBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.l
| STONINGTON. June ia terrible accident, result
ing in great loss Of life, happened at abOut lao
last night to the steamer Narragansett of the StOn
ington Line, which was run into by the StoninGton
of the same line about three miles west of the
Corufeld Point light-boat. The NarraQansett i'm
mediately took fire. No definite information can
be obtained here of the loss of life.
The Narragansett left her pier in New-York at
o'clock last evening with good load of passengers
! Tine company's officers here say that there were
about 800 board; the passengers say that
! there were between $50 and 400 The
| statcrooms and bprths were full, and when the
steamer got in the Sound cots were spread on the
| floor. The boat was commanded by Captain
| Young. aud the crew numbered about sixty men.
Captain Young was regularly employed as the first
! pilot on the Narragansett and had taken the place
! of Captain Walden. who had been called away to
! in Ia Hn has he pTOVi-
! dence and StOnington Lines for twenty-five
! years and is the captain OF one Of the Winter
| freght-bOats on the SOningtOn Line. All went
well until about 1910. At this time the beds
had been spread the saloon, and the greater part
| of the passengers had gone to bed. The steamer
was heading about northeast. Suddenly the
whistle began to blow vigorously. This con-
tinucd for several minutes and was noticed by many
of those on board. Suddenly crash came. The
steamer had been struck forward of the wheel on
starboard and a huge chasm was made in her side.
The blow, singnlarly enough not severely felt,
except by those in the immediate vicinity, and many
Thought that q schooner had been run into, but
glance showed tie extent of the calamity. The
blow put out the Ii :ht board and the con fusion
was increased by tho darkness The scenes that fol-
lowed battle description, Men and women rushed
half dressed from their statrrOoms crying for ltc
preseryers. Almost Immediately following the col
llsion smoke was smeiled. The darkness, however,
in the saloon was still dense. One or two men only
were cool. One negro went up and down the saloon
trying to calm the frightened women and children.
" There is no danger; all is safe keep qnict" he
cried The boats Oh fire = was the terrible re9ly.
" It amt. II ain't!" cried the negro. But man
ourty whispered that tho boat was on fire. and he
set TO work manfuly to help the women and
children.
AN AWFUL. MOMENT.
AZ the flames were seen coming up from the vicin-
ity Of the furnaces the excitement reached a fever
heat. Mcn, women and children rushed frantically
around begging for lifc.prescrvers Many peOD!o
did not know how to put them on and IN several
eases the straps were found to be broken or want
ing altogether Many persons rushed 10 the hur-
rlcane deck aud there terrible scene was before
them. The flames were rushing up through the
hurricane deck, lighting mp the water all around.
half or three-quarters of mile away lay he StOn-
Ingon. he pless also she had been disabled by the
collision. People thought she going TO leave
them To their fate. "COme back ~ Come back"
they shouted wildly. The steamer, which had
kceled over TO port when struck, began to sink
gradually, and all prepared to jump into the water.
Men bnsIrd themselves in tying the life preservcrs
around the women. The passengers say that no
officers to be seen. The pllOt-house was
deserted. rush was made, for the boats.
finally unlOOsed. The first boat tnat was launched
was capszed 1t was full of people. In some of
the boats the plugs were ont and men cut Open
lfe-preservers and made plugs of the cork. The
second boat had 10 be pushed oil, the passengers
working as best they cOuld. Then the boat on the
quarterback was filled with women and children,
but the davits were rusty and would not work. The
people were helped QUICKLY out. and 1t was finally
let down and then filed. Tho dlsmay was Increased
when It found that there were no oars
in the boat and tho ropes were IN confusion. Ine
boat hOated away, but soon drfted back to the
burning steamer, There was great danger that 1t
la hag gfpatru hn
should sink, and with a board and their hats the
men finally got it in safe position.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
Meanwhile three women who had jumped over
board had been picked up. An old woman who had
OIL a life preserver was also found. She had upon
her breast babe whose mother had been drowned.
The flames had now gained great headway and had
driven many into the water.
The scenes on tho steamer were heartrending
According to one of the passengers the
Captain had on life-preserver, and refused
to give it to woman, who with
her husband pleaded for it, According to another,
the officers had all disappeared and the crew were
worse than useless They jumped into the water.
it is said, like flock of sheep
Haste was made to lower the boats and provide
RATS, bur the half frenzed men and women would
brook no delay and ran wildly hither and thther.
Many sprang overheard and swan or foated about
close 10 the SINKING cIalC anu Hhue thelr PIehenco
known by dispairng cries for help.
The Narragansett was provided with seven me-
talic life-boats and three patent RATS. Tho StOn
ingtou had an equal number. and the City Of New
York, of the New.LondOn and New-York Line.
bound for New-York, and which was attracted to
the scene of the disaster by the signals Of Distress
had eight life-boats and two RATS. All this life
saving apparatus was at once put into use.
Before the first boat-oad had been recovered
fire was seen breaking through tho main deck OF
the Narragansett. and in very brief space Of time
thereafter the whole lower deck was one sheet of
flame. The scene was one of indescribabe terror.
The cries of terror and distress were agOnlzng. As