Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-13
HE STRUGGLES FOR LIFE

New York, j une 12.-The steamboats,
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 11:15 P. NJ off Connecticut
river.
SroN1NGToN, CT, ia ne 12.-The steamer
Stonington arrived at G:30 this morning,
with about fifty survivors from the Narragan-
sett- The bow of the former was stove in
nearly to the water line. She struck the
Narragansett on the starboard side, forward
of the wheel house. The shock burst the gas
tank and in fifteen minutes the Narragansett
was on fire, and soon sank. The steamers
New York and Providence came to their
assistance, and all the boats and life RATS of
the four steamers were lowered and put in
service. Two hours elapsed before the last
passenger was picked up.
On the arrival of the Stonington the
village was aroused, and men and women
hastened with clothing and assistance.
Twenty-Five W omen were on board in their
night clothes. One died before reaching
here from the shock. The body is not yet
identified. One man also died, Rev. E. B.
Lockwood, of the Sixty eighth Street Metho-
dist church, New York, who was on his first
trip East.
THE LOSS OF LIFE.
No estimate can be made here of the loss
of life. There is general agreement among
the survivors that out of passenger list Of
more than 300, large number must hav g
been lost, as the water around the burning
steamer was alive with people, clinging to
RATS and every conceivable thing. Most of
the women brought here were in the water
several hours. One lady had about So 900
in her valise which was lost. Two ladies on
the steamer Stonington died after being
picked up. Their remains await Identified
ton. It is feared that some of the passen-
gers were in their berths below main decks
and did not have time to save themselves.
The bow of the steamer Stonington was
knocked off.
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 a moment there was terrible
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. It was then seen that the steamer
into which the Stonington had run was the
Narragansett. The latter had been struck
amidship, and two OF 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 Narrsgansett were distinctly audible
on the Stonington. They could be seen
leaping frantically in all directions. The
boats of the Stonington were lowered after
q delay OF several minutes, and by that time
the Narragsnsett 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 in the life boats did not know how
wreck, and picked up number of persons
floating on life preservers, tables, chairs,
mattresses, planks, etc. The scene was ap.
paling 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 scaIded, and others were
half naked.
A CHICAGO PASSENGER,
Mr. j. H. Wilcox, gives the following ac-
count of the disaster: Aroused by the noise
of the collision he Immediately realized what
had happened, and fastened from his state
room, carrying his pantaloons and coat, but
leaving behind $500 and the crutch which
he usually uses, having but one leg. The
boat was now on fire, and there was scene
of the utmost terror and confusion. A wo-
man flung herself on him, screaming "Save
me and my chiId.' He managed to dress
himself and struggled on deck, where there
was a scene of equally mad confusion and
frantic fear. A dense fog prevailed and only
the whistle and bell of the Stonington gave
token of her presence not far off. There
was cry for life boats and one was cut
loose from amidships from near where Will
COX was standing. He threw himself over
the side of the boat and fell safely within it.
Others followed, including woman who
buried him beneath her weight Some
one cut the boat loose and it was pushed
off from the burning steamer to avoid
being swamped by the passengers, who
were swimming about, supported by life
preservers or on pieces of furniture, and fill
in the air with their cries for help. The
boat was pulled out and within short time
the Narragansett sunk, leaving total dark
ness on the water. The boat remained
out for while, Mr.. Wilcox judged to be
about three hours, when, feeling the ap-
prOach of the coming storm, he urged the
men to hunt for the steamer Stonington,
which was still blowing her whistle. AS the