Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-16
THE LOSS OF THE OREGON.
The Story Told by q Psssenger-Nearly
300 PersOns Saved from the Sinking
Steamer.


lantlc steamers, was run into between and
O'Clock yesterday morning, off Fire Island.
by deeply laden, three masted schooner. A
large hole was stove in her port side, through
which the water run so fast that it was nee
essary to abandon her. The schooner, with
her entire crew sunk instantly. Aboard of
the Oregon were SS6 souls. They were taken
OF safely and carried to New York by yes.
sells which came upon the scene opportunely.
The steamer sank about l P. NJ. A number
OF distinguished persons were on board of the
steamer.
The steamer Fulda of the Bremen line
arrived at Its wharf in Hoboken this morn
Ing, with the passengers and crew of the Ore
gon There was large crowd to meet the
incoming vessel All of the Oregon's first
and second class cabin and steerage passen-
gers were on board. They looked sleepy and
care worn.
The following story Of the disaster is told
by one of the passengers:
1t was O'Clock in the morning, and the
steamship was ploughing along while all her
nine hundred passengers slept. Suddenl,
there was tremendous crash that made the
big ship culver from stem to stern, and fright
ened the passengers. who rushed on deck in
their night clothes. We saw the hulk of a
vessel drifting slowly by on the port side of
the Oregon, grazing her sides as she passed
astern. What became of her and her crew
do not know
meanwhile the sea was pouring into great
ugly gap on the port bow of the Oregon, and
men, n,women and children were running about
the decks IN scanty attire, screaming and
praying. That did not last long. however
The officers of the Oregon discovered that
they were in no immediate danger of sinking,
and they went ahout an,ouo tho bolf d;stroot
ed passengers. assuring them that they were
safe. 1t was but little while before order
was restored and the affrighted people some
what calmed, sought their clothing. Then
there was an anxious two hours. Not sail
or steamer responded to the rockets that
were sent up, or the guns that were fired,
until nearly 8 o'clock.
Then, daylight having arrived, pilot boat
No l heaved in sight, and headed toward the
steamer in response to her signals of distress.
Boats were gotten ready, and the passengers
clambered into them, but in an orderly fash
ion. Before a hundred of them had been
safely transferred to the pilot boat, the
schooner Fannie Gorham, with lumber, from
Jacksonville to Boston, hove in sight. When
she got near the disabled steamer her crew
manned the long boat and helped in the
transfer of people. The pilots took their
boat loads to her, as their own craft was
pretty well filled. Not an accident occurred
in the transfer. The passengers were very
cool, and everything proceeded in an orderly
fashion. The only mishap l heard of
occurred shortly after the collision, when
Rev. Mr.. Somebody, cannot tell his name
nor where he belonged, leaped overheard in
his excitement.
1t was ii o'clock when the Fulda reached
the Oregon, and then another transhipment
took place, all of the 900 passengers being
put aboard of her, where they were given
every attention. The last passenger had
been taken from the sinking steamer, At that
time and while the work of transfer from the
pilot and schooner to the Fulda was still 60
ing on, the Oregon plunged downward bow
first, into the sea- leaving nothing behing her
but some floating wreckage that was tossed
about in the great wave that was created.
The location is about 20 miles off Fire
Island. Two-thirds of the mail recovered
has been so thoroughly soaked with water
that great deal of it must of necessity be lost.
William Taylor, third officer of the Oregon
arrived at Hunters Point, l.. l., at II o'clock.
To a reporter for the Associated Press, he
said he must decline to make any statement
as he had been instructed not to give any par
ticulars of the collision, or the sinking of
the vessel, to the press. He then left for
New York. Nothing could be seen this
morning of the sunken steamer, or of the
other vessel that is supposed to have col
lided with her.
Capt. Collier of the Oregon made only a
verbal statement this afternoon to the British
consul. The captain said that the course of
the Oregon was north by west when the light
was seen off the port bow. The steamer
when struck was going eighteen knots an
hour, and the helm put hard aport. The
chief officer, Matthews, was in charge, and
there were lookouts in the forecestle and at
the foremast. The wind was west by north
with fresh to strong breeze. He could have
rescued every soul on board the Oregon with
the boats she carried. The consul has de-
cided to send the case to England for inves-
tigation.
Chief officer w. G. Mathews today made
the following statement: 81 went on the
watch at O'Clock Sunday morning. 1t was
dark but the weather was tolerably clear
The fourth officer was on the lookout with
me on the bridge, he being on the port and l
on the starboard side. There were three
men on the lookout also, two on the turtle
back forward and one on the forepart of the
promenade deck. The collision occurred at
4 80 A. NJ. The first intimation had of the
proximity Of the schooner was when bright
light was shown on the port bow. The light
appeared to be held up at the time and then
it darkened again, so much so | took it to be
a pilot boat, and knowing that the captain
was Tot going to take a pilot before getting
up to the bar l put the helm hard aport to
bring him more broad in the bow. | assume
the light saw to have been held by a man
standing on the schooner's deck. The fourth
officer and myself saw it together. The
lookout men say they reported it but didn't
hear them. There were no other lights on
her. l cannot say how far the white light
was away when | saw it, but had no idea of
a collision. When l put the helm sport the
schooner had not changed her course. nor had
she when the collision occurred. | couldn't {
see the sails or masts of the schooner till she
was on the point of striking us. After she
struck l ordered the engines to be stopped.
The Oregon was coming around all the time,
and We tried to see what became of the
schooner but could not see her anywhere.
The captain came on the bridge as soon as be
heard the engineers telegraph. l looked
around the horizon but could not see the
schooner. If she was af1oat she wonld have
been on the stern of our steamer. heard no
cries and no communication passed between
US. Postmaster Pearson states that by the
steamer Oregon there were despatched 59S
bags of mail. Of the &c heavy registered
mails, estimated as containing about 240O
letters and packages, despatched by the Ore
gon, only portion of the French, italian,
Swedish and Russian mail. 81 pieces in all,
was received. The British and German reg
istered mail was all lost. The British, Ger
man. Swiss Swedish, Belgium, Portuguese,