Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-14

Stonington and Narragansett were in coils
ion on Long Island Sound. The Narragan-
sett was on her regular trip from New York
to Stonington, and the steamer Stonington
was returning to New York. The collision
occurred about Ills P. NJ. off Connecticut
river.
DETAILED REPORT.
New YORK, June 12.-The Post extra has
the following account of the disaster, from
passengers on the Stonington:
Soon after the steamer left Providence the
weather became thick. By IL o'clock nearly
everybody was abed, and all on board was
quiet At about 11:45 there was a sudden
crash, and in moment there was terri BILE
confusion. Men, women and children, in all
stages of undress, rushed frantically from
their berths to the upper decks For few
moments everybody thought the boat was
sinking,and there was struggle for life pre-
servers. The officers of the boat said
she was leaking forward, but there was no
danger. 1t was then seen that the steamer
into which the Stonington had run was the
Narragansett. The latter had been struck
amidship, and two or three minutes after
the collision flames burst out and almost i'm
mediately enveloped the entire vessel.
THE SCENE WAS FRIGHTFUL.
The shrieks and cries of the passengers
on the Narragansett were distinctly audible
on the Stonington. They could be seen
leaping franticslly in all directions. The
boats of the Stonington were lowered after
a delay of several minutes, and by that time
the Narragansett had settled and was sink
ing. By some blunder the plugs in the life
boats were left out, and they filled with
water This caused additional delay, and
the men i'll the life boats did not know how
to rev than. At last they reached the
wreck, and picked up number of persons
floating on life preservers, tables, chairs,
mattresses, planks, etc. The scene was ap
paliug at this juncture. The City of New
York came up, and lay off at some distance.
She lowered her boats and picked up as
many of the drowning passengers as she
could find, when all hope of further rescue
was abandoned. Many of the passengers
rescued were badly SCALED, and others were
half naked.
Clarence Leonard and wife, recently of
Booths theater, were passengers on the Mar
ragansett. Mr.. Leonard said, at the time
of the collision the lights were out. He
cried: "For Gods sake, light the gas, that
L may save my wife!' Somebody did light
the gas, and Just then man ran through
the saloon, shouting "Pnt on your life pre-
Servers With some difficulty we found
two In the room and tried to fasten them
to our bodies; but, being without proper
fastenings, when we got into the water they
were more Of an impediment than use. They
worked Over oar heads and we were without
support. But We finally managed to get
hold of the ropes of
A LIFE RAFT
and were lifted upon it. The raft was so
crowded my wife tainted. She kept cramped
on her knees for some time. Dozens of per-
sons we're G.in9iDg 80 the ropes around the
raft, and making frantic efforts to get upon
it. The raft was six inches under water
through the weight of persons clinging to it.
The raft was finally towed by row boat to
the City of New York.
Mr. Leonard speaks in strong terms
against the conduct of the officers and crew
Of the Narregsnsett. He says the captain
YVES one OF the first to enter a life boat.
A Mrs. Osborn threw her six-year old
child from the main deck to him and then
jumped for the same boat and was rescued.
She had nothing on but her night clothes
and the child was naked.
THE sHRIEKS OF THE DYING
and pleadings of those in the water for as
sistance, was something never to be forgot
ten.
A lady passenger, on the City of New York
said when she saw the Narragansett, the YES
sci was all IN flames. We heard screams
Oh, such screaming! 1t seemed as if it
never would end. It came from the boats
and from the water. Everywhere were peo-
pie floating with life preservers, moaning
and crying out In dispair. Some of the poor
wretches drifted by us out of hearing, and
their cries lost in the distance wrung
our hearts. We could not help them. Our
boats came and vent, bringing loads of men,
women and children, picked up from both
vessels. There were altogether about $50
of them. They said there were as many
lost. Some had lost their wives and some
their children or their husbands, and their
misery was heart-rending. Some of the
children rescued were stark naked, while
very few OF the women had anything on but
their undergarments.
1t is said the officers did not let the pas
sengers know the true state of affairs, and
many women were induced by them to re-
turn to their staterooms, thereby losing time
and life The children saved were in the
main naked, while women for the most part
we're in night dresses.
The disaster has caused intense anxiety in
this city and throughout New England, where
the passengers in general belonged.
Mr.. Leonard adds: A deck hand in life
boat beat the fingers of an old lady desper-
ately clinging to the side of the boat. She
begged to be saved, but was finally compelled
to let 60 her hold, and was probably drowned
A passenger says there were between four
and FIVE hundred passengers on board; that
all the berths and staterooms we're engaged;
and that there must have been great many
lives lost He adds: The Narragansett was
running at pretty fair rate of speed at the
time, as was also the Stonington. She struck
us amidshIps, and raked us clear to the
wheel. The force of collision caused the
Maria gansett to list heavily to port, and in
less than five minutes she went down as far
as main deck and grounded. Shortly after
that l sew
SHEET OF FLAME
shoot up cut of the engine room and imme-
diately 1t seemed the entire vessel was on
fire. This passenger says he endeavored to
launch two rsfts bat failed, and then leaped
overheard and caught rope of one floating
near, on which vera five women and one