The Portland daily press., 1885-05-29
SUNK IN A FOG.
A French Fishing Vessel Cut in
Twain and Sunk by Steamer
City of Rome.
Twenty-Five Men Go Down with the ILL.,
Fated Craft.

New YORK, May 2S.-The steamer City of
Rome, which arrived here today reports that
on May 25th, at 430 p. m., during dense fog
she collided with and sunk the French fishing
DARK George Jeanne, which was lying at an
chor. She rescued two of the crew. but the
remaining % we're lost. The names of the
rescued men are Hubert Albert and Frank Al
phoGze Marie. Capt. Munroe, OF the City of
Rome, was too much broken up by the remem-
brauce of the scene to give more than brief
statement. The steamer left Liverpool May
10th, and the weather was fine until Monday,
when dense fog enveloped the vessel. So
thick was it that from the bow OF the boat it
was difficult to see 100 feet ahead The sea
seemed full OF bergs. Between 10 a. m. and
p. M, hfty-e1ght were counted. The captain
asserts that the vessels pace was slackened to
half speed, and fully realizing their danger
every precaution was taken. Bells were rung
and whistles sounded continuously. At 4.30,
when the fog was the thickest, the man for
ward saw the masts of the bark appear In the
mist, barely 20 feet away. The bark lay at
anchor, and according to the captains story
was not ringing her bell nor keeping a lookout.
Signals to reverse the engines were given,
put she struck the little, bark, and her iron
bows cut through the George Jeanne with as
little resistance as if she had been piece of
cheese. The bark was struck about ten feet
forward OF her stern, on the starboard side and
she swung around and went down by the side
OF the steamer within one minute The peo-
PlO va AAo OAby VI ISOLn6 saw lew Dar6-IOOteQ
Frenchmen rushing franticaliy forward on the
bark, ano the murky air was filled with their
aifrighted cries. the shrill exclamations of hor-
ror from the deck of the steamer, and the
hoarse sounding of the steamers fog horn, and
then the bark went out of sight.
A lew spars fioated on the Sea and few men
could be seen struggling in the water. Life
Duoys were thrown them, and as soon as pos
siole Inc steamer was stopped and backed to
where the bark had been, and two boats were
lowered; By this time one of the four fisher.
men had sunk, two were clinging to the buovs.
and the third fioated alongside the steamer
supporting himself on spar.
a saloon passenger cried out, 'fI will give
SlOO to any one who will save that life," and
two boats were soon pulling for the men with
Duoys. The man on the spar was doabled mp
as though chilled by the icy water, and he had
to be rescued quickly or not at all. Several
sailors prepared to jump over the side, but
were prevented by the fourth officer, Turner,
who rugged rope around his body, and taking
another rope. had himself lowered to the man.
Turner succeeded in getting loop about tho
Frenchman's arms and neck and strong arms
pulled him half way up the side of the boat,
when the loop slipped over his head and he
Iell back into the water and sank out of sight.
rms man who came SO near being saved was
tne captain OF the George Jeanne,-Joseph
Blalden. Meanwhile Albert and Marie were
picked up by the boats.
The steerage passengers who landed from
the City OF Rome at Castle Garden declared
with one accord that the steamer was making
at least IA knots when the vessel was struck.
One OF the rescued men, Marie, said when the
collision occurred the bark was at anchor, and
every one except him was below. He sat
near the stern keeping lool out. He heard the
whistles OF the Rome for 8 minutes before she
appeared lie promptly rung the bell of the
George Jeanne and kept it up and was ring
ing It when the Rome crashed into her. The
lost fishermen were all married,
Chas. Morgan, an intelligent steerage passen-
ger, declared that the officers on the bridge
were watching the passengers leaping and
jumping, and were not keeping proper look-
out. The official log of the steamer states that
that day the steamer made 408 miles. A
memorial has been presented Capt. Munroe.
signed blythe cabin passengers praising his
Rome is without a scratch.