The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-09
THE LOST OCEAN STEAMSHIP.
Additional Particulars Of the Sinking
of the State Of Florida.
The Large loss of Life Attributed to the
SuddenneSS of the Disaster and the
Ineffieiency of the Officers.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
The Boats Poorly Provided and the Steamers
Officers inefficient.


MONTREAL, May S.-The steamer Titana,
with twenty four of the rescued from the State
of Florida reached this city at 6 o'clock this
morning. Following are additional details of the
loss of the State of Florida James Bennett, of
London Ont, the only frst-class passenger
saved, says that when the order was given a
rush was made for the boats and number of
persons, including himself, got into boat No =.
The panic on board the doomed ship was fright
full. The lady passengers, of whom there were
only three or four, refused to go in the boats,
and the only woman, Jane McFarlane, the
stewardess who was to his knowledge at the
time, the only woman saved, was saved
from herself and. the terrible fate impend
ing by the self sacrifice and gallantry of James
Balm, chief engineer, who lost his life in saving
hers. He had to use all his strength to tear her
from the deck of the vessel and force her into
the boat just at this moment the ship careened
to the starboard and went down with a heavy
list carrying with her the brave engineer and
all others remaining on board
Bennett complains that the boats were badly
furnished; that they had no water casks contain
ngwater and he says that Allan alone, of all the
officers, showed all the way through any self
possession and presence of mind. He added that
the City of Rome ignored all the Theresas sig
nails Although they were seen quite we'll. she
went on her way unconcernedly, offering no as
sistance.
James Patience an American seaman, said he
was in his bunk when he heard the signals to
stop and reverse the steamers engine. He
rushed on deck, and saw red light bearing
\ I,o;r opd aordo nf Of
ficers shout Collision" followed by terrific
crash, and shortly afterward saw the third
officer going to the side with a globe lamp to
ascertain the damage. Followed him, and look
ing over, saw hole about six feet square,
through which the water was pouring in vol
umes.
The following further details were obtained
from Mr.. Bennett, whose experience was one of
fearful privations and heroic endurance He
was standing so near the side when the
collision took place that had not friend
pulled him away he would have been
killed on the spot The ships doctor, alongside
him. was injured by q broken spar. The crew
all rushed for the boats. The passengers seem ed
paralyzed, as also did the captain, who was
washed from the deck just before the vessel
she was struck. Allan, the third officer. wa s
the first to give the alarm that the vessel was
sinking. Bennett says he pushed a number of
friends into one of the boats and jumped in him
self Mr.. Bennett stated that just before the
boat was lowered some one cut the falls too soon,
and the boat emptied all its passengers into the
sea- He, with five Others climbed on the keel
and sat there all night Underneath the boat
were number of their former companions, all
of whom We're found dead next morning. The
small number of passengers saved he attributes
to the rapidity with which the Florida went down,
and the fact that the captain, who apparently
did not realize the position of affairs, made
no endeavor to get them into the boats.
Though the surviving officers are very reticent
as to responsibility for the accident, the impress
sion seems to be that the steamship was to
blame. The men on the keel of the boat were
picked off next morning by their former com
panions in the other boat. The boats with the
survivors kept together, and on Saturday morn
ing sighted a sail, but could not hail the
vessel They were picked up, the next day, by
the Theresa, bound TO Quebec Two days later
the rescued on board the Titania were trans
ferred to the bark Louise, also bound for Quebec.
The second transfer to the Titania took place
day before yesterday. The stories of the various
survivors agree in their main features.