The Portland daily press., 1880-06-14
ON THE NARRAGANSETT.
A Lady's Struggle for Life-Vivid Ac-
count of the Disaster and Scenes After
the Collision

A Lady's Struggle for Life-Vivid Ac-
count of the Disaster and Scenes After
the Collision.
BOSTON, June 12.-Mrs. Christine Bailey
of Brooklyn, N. Y, of the survivors, who was
on her way to visit her sister, Mrs. Neal, who
resides in Niles block, this city, was on the
Narragansett, and her version of the affair is,
doubtless, as comprehensive as that of any of
the survivors In conversation with the
writer, this afternoon, Mrs. Bailey said she oc-
cupied berth on the main deck, about amid
ships, and had retired for the night, but was
not asleep at the time the disaster occurred.
Said she: 81 was lying in my berth when
heard dreadful crash, which sounded just as
if the boat had run into stone wall. I
jumped out of the berth, put a few clothes on
per or saloon deck, followed by great many
others who had berths ON the same deck
When / arrived there the utmost confusion
prevailed, and for few seconds 1 hardly
knew what to do. Finally, an officer shouted
for every body to keep cool and put on a life
preserver. then tried for some time to find
one, and finally succeeded in getting hold of
of one, fastening it around me. By that time
the boat was all on fire, and people were
jumping overheard from all parts of the
steamer 1 followed their example, but hard
ly had struck the water when a man with
lady clinging to him caught hold of me and
tried to
PULL MY LIFE-PRESERvER OFF,
1 resisted to the best of my ability. telling him
that life was as dear to me as to him. After
considerable trouble succeed in getting in
to small boat, which Immediately capsiZed,
throwing me again into the water. My chances
for getting out then seemed desperate, but,
with the exercise of all the strength 1 could
muster, padded to another boat, only to
find it full of water, and all efforts to turn it
over were fruitless. l then saw another boat
little way off, and made for that. After
considerable difficulty I, with several others
reached the last boat which was also partially
filled with water. Three times did we get into
the boat, only to be thrown into the water
again. was determed not to die, if there was
a possible chance of my being saved, and if
ever person fought for life l did The boat
last referred to was fastened to the Narragan-
sett, which by this time was burning tiercely,
and despite all we could do-for there were
four ladies and one gentleman on board-the
flames scorched our faces IN terrible manner,
and it did seem as if there was no possible
chance of our being saved. l., myself, saw
three children drown, to say nothing of others
who were floating around near the wreck and
who must have been lost. The most agoniz-
ing, to me- part of the whole affair, was to see
the poor people in the saloon deck suffer so
terribly, for many of them must have been
burned to death. / had good opportunity to
know, because, as 1 have already told you, the
boat into which / last climbed was fastened to
the steamer with a rope, and while in the boat
waiting for some one to help us, could hear
the moor creatures IN the state rooms on the
saloon deck
MOANING AND GROANING.
in a heart-rending manner. At the time am
now speaking of the boat was all atire, which
makes me think they were burned to- death.
In fact it could not be otherwise for, placed In
the position 1 was, my hands and face were
terribly burned AS the lady uttered these
words She showed her hands, upon which were
bisters at least two inches long, while her face
and eyes were badly scorched The lower por-
ton Of her body was also somewhat injured. |
"Finally,' continued Mrs. Bailey, 1--WE were |
rescued and taken on board the Stonington, !
which Immediately put back to her starting |
place with number of rescued persons. At |
Stonington we were given some clotnlng, aIter
which / came through to Boston and here [ !
am. It is the hardest time l ever experienced |
and another such I hope never to witness. l |
believe there must have been a large number |
of persons burned to death and drowned, be- |
cause there were at least 5OO persons cupboard. |
Nv watch stopped at 1890 o'clock, but lust |
how long had been in the water it would be |
hard for me to say; to me it seemed ages"
AS soon as the injured lady arrived IN this city |
she was driven to her sisters house and DR..
Street called. She is widow, with two
children Aside from the pains caused by the |
burns and the shock to the nervous system
she is quite comfortable
Mrs Thayer states that after the shock the |
officers went from room to room and advised |
the inmates to dress, telling them at the same
time there was no danger. The confusion that
ensued was great and the loss of presence of
mind by most of the passengers contributed to
the causes which made the disaster appalling. |
She says the mon in charge of the raft that |
rescued her were forced to let one poor woman |
sink because to take her on board would have
perilled the safety of it's occupants. A woman
with three children olinging to her chung to
the side of boat near the raft on which Mrs.
Thayer was. The woman tried in vain to put
her children in the boat, and after repeated |
attempts they were finally drowned while she
was saved.
A little deformed girl was placed in the care
oflMr Rogers, baggage master on the Narragan |
sett to be forwarded to Boston. When the shock
came she forced her way through the crowd to
his side and chung to him all through the peril
and was finally safely put on board raft and
thence on board the Stonington.
Mrs. Frederick Stebon of Atlanta Ga, was
ON the Inflated steamer. She had two little
children with her, and was accompanied by
p. M Carpenter, her brother-in-law, of At
tleboro, Mass. When awakened by the noise,
she ran to Carpenters stateroom, and called