Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-08
WRECKED n nID- OCEAN.
The Fate Of the Steam ship State
Of Florida Ascertained.
One Hundred and Thlrty-Five Souls
Buried in the Sea.
FArHRR Polxr, Que. May7.

nas on DO2fO "a OF tne crew OF the steamenlp
State OF Florida, that vessel having been sunk
by collision with bark in mid ocean. Out
of the l67 persons on the State of Florids
only A we're saved. and of the bark's crew
only the captain and two men were rescued.
One hundred and tw enty-two souls went down
with the steamer and IL with the bard, max
ing the total 1876. The survivors will prob
ably be landed at Quebec.
The distance from Father Point to Quebec,
where the steamer Titania with the crew of
the wrecked steamer State of Florida is ex-
pected to make her next landing being nearly
800 miles, makes it doubtful whether particu-
lars of the disaster can be learned until late
hour tonight.
The report made by the City of Rome that
q ship which signalled her in mid-ocean bad
on board portion of the crew of the State
of Florida, leads to the conclusion that the
20 that were not picked up by the Titania
were rescued by another vessel The agents
cannot account for the collision, as the sea-
men of the State of Florida were well trained.
and the officers. from the captain down, we're
experienced and careful men.
The Titania remained here so short time
that only brief particulars could be obtained.
Twenty other supposed survivors were in
another boat and are supposed to have been
picked up by some other vessel.
The Titanla will arrive at Quebec at about
s o'clock tonight, but will only exchange
pilots there and proceed to Montreal II is
probable that the survivors will be sent
ashore at Quebec.
The State of Florida was built in 1879 at
GLASGOW, and was first known as the Queen
Margaret. She was brig rigged IRON steam
ship of 1000 tons gross measurement. She
was 81 feet long, 80 feet breadth of beam
and % feet depth of hole. She was built
after the most approved Clyde methods and
had five bulkheais. She was regarded as
the leading one of the State line ships. She
was loaded with merchandise. mostly pro-
visions.
QUEBEC. May 7.
The Titania passed on to Montreal. today.
without landing the survivors of the State of
Florida.
The painful suspense that prevailed all
day with regard to the survivors OF the State
of Florida was relieved tonight bv the arrival
of the Donaldson steamer Titania, which was
reported this forenoon as on the way to
Quebec, with "a survivors. She reached
this port at 8. Is and proceeded directly to
Montreal. The Titaina was boarded by rep
resentatives of the press, who accompanied
her some distance, and on tie way obtained
some thrilling particulars of the disaster.
The following 10 the report of the third
officer OF the State of Florida: 1--WE left
New York the 18th of April with l67 psssen-
gers and crew and full general cargo. All
went we'll until the night of the 18th, when
we collided with the bark Panama, of Chat
ham, N. b. Both vessels went down almost
instantly, and out of the steamers passen-
gers and crew only "A, including the stew
ardess, managed to escape in the boats. OF
the bark's crew of Is men, only the captain
and two seamen were saved. The next
morning the bark was observed bottom up.
The survivors, after having been 35 hours in
the boats with no food or water, were rescued
BY the bark Theresa of Christiano. On the
22d "a of them were transferred to the ship
Louisa, of and from Cardiff for Quebec. He
remained on the vessel until the 9Th of May,
when he was taken on board the Titania for
Quebec. He believed l35 lives were lost.
Jas. Steele, the surgeon, says that the pas
sengers were all in bed and so were the sail
ors who were of duty. He says that the Of
ficers and crew and passengers all seemed to
have lost their heads. As near as he could
calculate the disaster occurred within 1900
miles of the Irish coast As the vessel went
down all on deck were washed of by the sea.
Mr.. Allen stated that the captain was ex-
ceedingly COOL too cool, in fact, as he did
not seem to look on the danger as serious. and
this, with the fact that he appeared in no
hurry to save himself is probably the reason
that no more of the passengers were saved.
They would not take to the boats, as they
supposed when they saw the captain so cool
the danger was not great. Four boats were
safely launched.
The same officer, James Allen, in an in-
terview told the following story. On the
night on which the disaster occurred it was
clear, though moonless and the sea as smooth
as glass. The third officer retired to his
bunk at O'Clock, leaving the chief officer in
charge of the deck. About lilo he heard
the signal given to stop the steamers engines.
followed by a crash. He rushed on deck and
the first thing he noticed was a red light
close on the starboard bow. At the same
cry Of collision" and perceived the bark
which had run into them go down The
bark was the Panama of Chatham, n. B.
Running to the side of our vessel l endeav-
ored to ascertain the damage done and per-
ceiving an immense hole in which the sea
was pouring, and feeling the that the steamer
was "a goner' | hurried to the captain, who
gave orders to get out the boats, four of
which were down is Is minutes, when the
steamer keeled over and went down STERN
first.
James Bennett of London, Ont. was the
first class passenger saved.
When boat No. 2 was being launched the
tackle was cut too quick and the occupants,
all passengers, were upset. A number,
including Mr.. Bennett of London, Ont, clung
TO the boat during the rest of the night and
was picked up in the morning BY the other
boats. On Sunday, after drifting IS hours.
they we're picked up by the theresa, and
the next Tuesday the party were transferred
to the bark Louise of Cardiff. While off
Bird Rocks the latter being over-crowded,
the party was transferred to the Titania
The members of the rescued party on board
the Tisania presented = pitable appearance.
So sudden Was the accident that many who
were in their hunks at the time
had to hurry on deck and into
the boats in their nighf-clothe.
Those on duty when the crash came saw q
red light fash for an instant followed By the
crash. after which nothing but confusion fol-
lowed. The steamer began to sink and hur-
ried preparation we're made 70 launch the
boats. The bark vent down instantly. The
frightened passenger rushed on deck in
their night clothes and q scene Of indescfiba-
ble confusion ensued. The women vent into
Mysteries and The men Refused 70 move. The