The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-14
Another Ocean Horror.

The details have come to hand of another
terrible catastrophe at sea, attended with great
loss of life. The steamer State of Florida COL
lided in mid-ocean with large barque, and
both sank almost Immediately. The sea was
calm at the time, but either the captain Of the
Inflated steamer was completely dazed or he
failed to realize the danger, and there was no
concerted action to rescue the passengers, who
were aroused from their SAUNDERS only to rush
upon the deck and be washed off Just as the
steamer sank. The cause of the collision is
involved in deep mystery, and, as both captains
are among the lost it will probably never be
clearly known. One Of the rescued crew of
the steamer says that he saw the barque nearly
half an hour before the collision and reported
1t to the pilot, but that the course was not
changed until the last minute, and then only a
trife. Mr.. James Bennett, the only first-class
passenger saved, was interviewed by re-
porter. Mr.. Bennett wore the same clothes he
had on when the vessel went down, and in
which he spent thirty five hours, part of this
time not even in boat, but on the keel OF
capsized boat. The boots he had on belonged
to one of the dead. His recital was given I'M
der great nervous excitement, not unnatural ON
the part of man who had passed through
such a terrible ordeal, and who has seen men
become raving maniacs through the exposure
and influence of the situation, and, though
plainly told, was somewhat incoherent, from the
fact that regard for dates had become of
small moment In their trials. He states that
on the night OF the collision he was sitting in
the doctors cabin with the surgeon, DR.. Steele,
Mr.. King of Toronto, and the third officer, Mr.
Allan. Previous to this they had been singing
and amusing themselves on deck. The first
warning they had was from the alarm tee-
graph, at the sound of which Allan at once
rushed up on deck, followed by the others, and
looked over the side The order was at once
given to port the helm, and then to starboard
but 1t was too late, and the strange vessel
struck them with fearful force amidships, and
at an acute angle, the blow carrying away two
boats, and scattering broken timber, piece of
which struck the doctor in the eye, blackening
that organ. Allan, who had dragged the 9TH
ers back and thus saved their lives, as they
were on the very spot where the blow was
| struck, then looked over the side OF the vessel,
| took note OF the extent of the damage done,
I and, realizing that there was no hope notified
the captain, who gave orders to stand by the
boats. Every one on board came rushing up on
| deck. AS in panic all was confusion, and 1t was
everyone for himself There did not appear to
be any system with regard to the boats, and
except Allan, who got out his boat with
eighteen passengers, the officers did not stand
to them. The steamer, which had stopped,
now started anew, and this Bennett considers
inspired the people with false confidence. The
| passengers appeared paralyzed and could not
| be got into the boats, many stating that they
would wait and see what the captain did. AS
an instance there was the case of Mrs, Woods
| and family, Mrs. Shackleton and Miss Murray
Che thinks that was the name), who were got,
by the second steward out of the music room,
on the main deck and who, provided as they
were with wraps and cloaks would not get into
the boats. saying they preferred to wait for the
captain. The boats did not lower properly as
the ropes did not work. and some were hur-
riedly cut by Dutch sailor and the boat into
which Bennett got went down bow foremost
ment he describes as appalling and heartrend-
ing. The woman Elizabeth Colbach, In frenzy
of terror and excitement threw her child,
three years old, overheard. intending that II
should alight in boat, but instead the little
thing dropped into the sea. Bennett sue
ceeded, after swimming about amongst the
floating debris and amid other passengers AND
the crew, clutching at anything to save them