New-York tribune., 1880-06-14

of Elizabeth. N. j.. and his mother-in.
law, Mrs. A. B. Fernall were on thei
way to Mrs. FernalIs home at Portland
At the time of the collision Mr. Bedlow was in the
upper saloon talking with fellow passenger about
ladies' cabin Mr. Bedlow noticed the continuous
whistling and had gone out on the hurricane deck
Although the fog was thick he says he could sec
sion of the boats having. extinsuished
cuy Shts Chat as Se found 'iS Ss way tns aS 5
cabin, where he met Mrs. Fernall. Together they
went in search of life-preservers. After some mo-
but these were placed so high as to be beyond
reach. Getting on chair Mr.. Bedlow succeeded
with some assistance rendered him by strange
down; Many persons had gathered around eSnd
were nearly ali gone Mr. Bedlow retained two. and
descending fastened them on his mOther-in-law and
on himself. They then ran to the bow OF the poat
and the vessel lurchng as she sank, threw Mr. Bed
low off on one side, while Mrs. Fernall fell from the
| other.
and though the current was strong and carried him
rapidly away, the heat was intense and painful
After remaining in the water about an hour Mr.
Bedlow was picked up by boat from the ston'
Mis-. Fernall who is seventy years of age and very
cOrpulent, had much harder time. She wa
thrown into the water with much violence, and re-
NAMED floating around for nearly two hours. Inc
water was so cold that it chilled her. SezIng bale
of cotton that was floating by, she managed with
much fculty to get on 1t, and there she remained
until rescued by boat from the City OF New-Iorks
A LACK OF DISCIPLINE.
William Clark, of Jersey-ave.. Jersey City, who
was passenger on the Stonington and assisted IN
rescung number of persons from the ill-fated
Naragansett, said to a TRIBUNE reporter: l never
beheld in all my life such an appalling scene
When the Stonington struck the Narragansett the
bows of the former vessel broke into the fute
naces of the Narragansett aDd scattered the red hot
Goals in all directions. Tho boat was almost
| instantly ablaze from stem to stern. The captain
of the StoniugtOn seemed to have lost but
when he recoverad them no ordered the crew to
lower the small boats. most disgraceful want Of
discipline was shown by the officers and crew OF
the Stonington. No one seemed to be in authority,
the the crew worked indiscriminately i'm
rescuing the drowning people. The
blocks blocks on which the, boats we're suspended
oiled for years The scene was one OF oyerwhelm-
ing terror and CONSERVATION. When the boats were
lowered yopnteersd 70 man az one me ot 1re oars we
| and our little boat was surrounded Dy drowning
persons Of both sexes. implorlng us to save them.
men. women and children, who were screaming
ss +. Of 4s Vss;sJ dssT ssss1.,sv r
| blow out his own brains. man who was h0alng
on niece of the wreck attempted to Kill himself IN
the same manner, but colored water h VINO as vas
| the weapon from his hand. we plckeo
up woman who had Ubo,. an N ,. infant ant
| into the boat two other children who were clnglnR
| TO her nightdress sank beneath the water. The
moor mother uttered a scream which made our blood
run cold She was tenderly lifted into the boat. still
clasplug the infant to her breast, put died Iew
minutes after being placed on board the Stonlngton
PASSENGERS ACTING FOR THEMSELVES.
Of f0olr artiv
part in launching the boats of the Narragansett. On
Saturday he made the following statements to o
TRIBUNE reporter. while on bis way home by train:
Our whistle, which was going steadily, awakened
me- l said to my wife that something
| was wrong. Looking out of the window, saw the
| Stonington coming on, and the crash followed i'm
mcdately. My wife and dressed hurriedly and
went out upon the hurricane deck. l got life
preservers, many Of which were without strings or
| shoulder straps, and placed them on my wife and
| myself There was great excitement among tho
passengers, but hurrah' until the fire broke out
and the people saw the sparks comiug up. In o
| second after II began the flames leaDed up and
| burned fore and aft. We on the forward part
the boat and got nen 10 me2 me ed annca snma
| people were lost. but we tried again. The second
! boat was launched successfully. and | dashed
with my wife through the fire and over the wheel
house. My wife jumped aud slid from the hurr-
deck into the boat whsh hTsd mmedatsSS % hndSS
|
to get third boat off on the quarter deck. We first
filled her. with women aud children and then dis.
lower her. Taxing the people out. We showed
bor over somehow or other The steamer was now
very low in the water, and we filled the boat as
quickly as possible in order to get away. There
and had to 6o cut. aud then we got foul of hawser.
Getting away from tins We drifted away few feet
and we're brought back in time to rescue
Of being carried down by the !, suction
| board and our hats and padded away. short dis
tance off we saw an old lady floating comfortably
pabV iT rested on her bosom grabbed the baby with
one hand and pulled 1t into the boat, and we
towed the woman until we got chance to pull her
| man came along next, and we picked him up. Our
| boat was now so full that We had to throw over
from Uaru the City Of ew-York came along and threw
| us a par of oars, with which we made our way to
the City OF New-YOrk. where was rejolced TO find
| nv wife. | went Off again In boat and helped to
plck ND crowd from raft. didn't see any officer
| at all on the Narra2ansett. There was nobody in
| charge and no orders were given. II we hadn't
acted for ourselves many more lives would have
Among the incidents reported yesterday was that
| of a deck-hand on the Narragansett, who poby did
| ms duty lie is said TO have hewn down the bow
| flagstaff and laShed to 1t live boys who were cast
| matter of fact the bow flagstaff still standing
Yesterday with the flag still flying
WHY THE REPORTER DID NOT GO.
The tug A. Z. Burnside was fast to the steamboat
pier at Stonngton at @ o'clock p. m. on Saturday
last. Captain Waterford, courteous Yankee. had
his hands upon the wheel and was about giving
orders to cast OIL when TRIBUNE reporter came on
the pier
@Captain," said tho reporter. al understand that
| you are going over to the wreck of tho Narragan-
| sett."
"Yes, sir; l am"
MAY Igo with you' l am reporter from New.
York"
Certainly jump aboard"
"At what hour do you expect TO reach the
wreckp
"I cannot say. I am ordered to stop at New-Lon-
don for diver, and do not know whether he will
he ready"