New-York tribune., 1880-06-14
TIE sToy1yGToN IN DRY DOCK.

|
TIE STONINGTON IN DRY DOCK.
EXTENT OF HER DAMAGEs-srATEMENT or CAPTAIN
| NYE-CONDITION OF TIE LIFEBoATS on HE
| NARRAGANSETT,
The steamer Stonington arrived off Sand Point al
| I a. IN. Yesterday, and lay there until 4 o'cloA,
when she started for the dry dock at the foot OF
Piko.st. reaching it ut $50 She came only to be
repaircd and brought neither freight nor pasSeh-
gers She was at once raised Oh the dock uer
bows for nearly twenty feet aft and above the
water line are completely demolished ana 10 pre-
vent her from filling with water canvas blankets
had been nailed over the hole. Her stcm-pece
was completely shattered, and the main
de,k leading back to he forccastle was twisted and
torn nm showing that the shock was very severe.
! II was believed by some who examined the DOws'
that the damages showed cOncluSlyeIy that the
spced was greater than the law allows IN log.
Upon the upper deck forward was strcwn the torn
solled and drcnched clothing of the rescued pasScn-
GERS consisting Of shoes. stockings, underclothlng
and overcoats.
Tho officers OF the boat positively declined 10
| make any statement of the disaster, giving rs
reason that they had been advised not to do 80 M
iii after their official report had been made to the
United States Inspectors of Steamboats,. Captain
Nvc. the commanding officer, gave the following
brief statement Of his observations before and after
the collision:
Twas in the pilot-house when the fog closed in
and our whistles were sounded at frequent inter
vals The whistle Of the Naraganr"tt was heard,
and signals were exchanged as ~ the course each
boat should take. 1t was impossible to discern any
| object a vessels length before Us. suddenly We saw
the Narragansett directly ahead crossing our bows
and so close that collision was inevitable. Cur
how crashed INTO the starboard side Of the Nara
G 81 ,v-t,, Iaifr lltIf M
the engines to be reversed, and when
tho vessels separated the Narragans"tt
drftcd out Of sight IN tho fog.
suddenly We saw the sky lighted up by flames
from her. but only for few moments, when tho
fog shut her out Of sight again. We distinctly
heard the wlisilcsof the steamers Of tAc Provl-
dcuco and Fall River lines. and sent mp rocket zig
nails but the fog was too dense to allow them To hc
seen Mt anv distance. Even our boats going TO and
returning from the burning vessel had to feel their
wav along.
Iuuuries Of both officers and crew failed 20 show
whether the Stoningtor's spcrd was checked or not
Immediately upon sighting the vessel; but 1t WAS
learned that the engines were stoppcd before tho
boats came together. It sos:atcd that before
the collision the speed Of both the Stonington and
the Narragansctt was at least twelve miles an
bour Chief Engineer Vanwart not on
the Narragnnsct at the time Of tho disaster. being
absent III Hartford at investigation of a collision
which occurred with a schooner some time ago.
The engineers department Was in charge Of Assist
ant-Engincer Charles Finkel, son of tho chief en-
Rinecr of the Rhode Island, Of the same llnc. Who
was transferred from that boat after the accident
which occurred to her IN the Sound few weeks
TALK WITH THE PUKsER
Purscr Kicrnau Of tho Narragausett, positively
declared that there not more than 300 pas
scngcrs on board on the night of the collision, and
he doubted if there so many. 1t was an easy
matter to over-cstlmatc Il number Of persons col-
lcctcd together; bat hc was 80 accustomed Ia
estimate crowds the boat that he considered his
Judgment of some value He believed that hla
passenger list was not destroyed from the fact that
bis room was on tie side of the boat which sunk
first.
, Purser Waldron, Of the Stonington. had gone to
the scene Of the wreck. and he would recover the
n1ncrs of the pursrI'S office as ~ possible, i'll
Guiding the list of passengers and deliver them at
the coInpauys office and then the facts would he
more definitely known as to the ms. nE persons;
He believed there were very lc" II any, OH board
vino had not registered.
A statement was made yesterday that there had
been u ricyOus mlsut icrstaud.ng about providing
for tn" comfort OF Tie rescued Nhrh lIrNd'ht
Babcogk learned that sOunc oi the paSNru@"rS no
. had come to the nN br the Si'amcr 'lty % New
York had gone to Earr'- and the Cosmopolitan lio-
: tcS, he Immediately sent Instructions 10 pro-
: vide them with everything that they might
remirc. He also sent directions TO Ircadwcll,
Jarnan & Sotc, aud to another firm. to provide the
Irstitr - u.o1c with nccrs sary cot hug and chg.
II to the line The survivors living IN the East, who
arrived here by the CITY of Ncw-GOrk, we're gwen
free passage by the steamer AassachusctS0 SltuT-
day night and those in Stonnson desiring 10 come
to NeW-YOrk were given passage ON special tram
in charge Of Purser NaldrOn. Instructions have
also been gwen to Assistant Superintendent Ward
of the Ncw-Y0Ik. Providence aud Boston Railroad
to look out for dead bodies and TO furnish collins
for them.
THE LTE-BOAT PLUGS.
An officer in the employ Of the line stated in re-
gard to the fact that the plugs were found ont OF
D the Hfe-boats when they were lowered that tho
c boats were not put in the water year; that
c the plugs taken out to allow any which
l might accumulate in the boats, owing to rain. tC
p run out; ard that the plugs were, no doHbt lost
sight Of. He believed that no sound or river steam
boat should be permitted to leave her dock unless
her life-bOats were ready to lower at any tImo IL
. case of an emergency
EXPERIENCE OF A DECK WATCH"
. Near the dry dock at Pikc-st., under the shadow
I. of the disabled Stonngton, there stood yesterday
. afternoon q fine, portly good-tcmpercd looking
i person, dressed in navy blue cloth. On his car
i were tie words " Deck Watch" He was talking tC
two or three other seafaring men as
, TmBUSE reporter came R; M; one Of whom
= | borO of StOnington, was the only hanC
D the steamer Stonington had lost. He was in tn,
treEoOm at the time Of the collision, and Is believed
i | TO have been crushed 10 death by tho tallinI
i freight. Well,o said ono of the bYstanders, fol
Z myself shouldn't wonder il he turned mp afte
y. | ali for he has had so many narrow 6queaks. liz
}, | once had every bone in his body smashed by
a freIgbt train after that he shot in the neck
and after that coal bucket fell iRto tho hold o
r the vessel distance OF seYenteetl feet, night ol
i Gilbert's head. hes the toughest IeHo" you eve
u u The officer labelled " Deck Watch" " remarked
&" Yes he was tough but think he must have gOn
"a under this time. know he was down In the fire