Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-20
New BEDFORD, July 10,

| New BEDFORD, July 10.
Steamer Gate City, Capt. Hedge, of the
Boston and Savannah Steamship Co on her
passage from Savannah to Boston went ashore
on the south side of Naushon Island in Vine
yard Sound at Z l5 last evening in thick
| fog. She now lies in about fifteen feet of
water.
The steamer had been in fog all day and
for four hours had had her engines stopped
When she struck she was going at half speed
and had man heaving the lead. She struck
just as a man called out ave have no water I"
| A boat from the steamer at once put of and
went in search of help near Tarpaulin Cove
on the same island. The boat encountered
steamer VIM. O. Brown. which went to the
Gate City and took of 35 of the so passen.
gers and took them to New Bedford where
they took the 7.25 train for Boston this morn
ing. The rest of the passengers remained on
| board.
The Gate City struck twice, once on her
port bow and again about mdships. As she
soon settled her fires were extinguished aud
no efforts could be made to get her off. She
lies in a comparatively easy position and i, is
thought that she will come of all right. She
has a large number OF watermelons for freight
The passengers who landed saved all their
baggage, They spoke in high terms of the
courage of Capt. Hedge and his officers and
say that owing 10 their prouptDess there was
no panic when the steamer struck. All WAS
done that was possible for the comfort of the
passengers No blame for the disaster is
attached to those having charge of the steam
er, The fog h s been thick all day and when
the steamer struck her pilot could see but a
| few feet ahead, although after striking the
fog lifted and land was seen less than the
steamers length ahead.
Steamer Monahansett, Capt. Smith, from
Cottage City, Oh arriving at Woods Holl this
morning, found the mate of the Gate CITY
there. with boa,'s crew. Capt. Smith TOOK
them on board and steamed along the sound in
the direction of the wrecked steamer. On the
way they passed Capt. Hedge and another
boats crew bound to Woods Hol bui did not
stop to pick them up. When the Manohan
sett got alongside the Gate City the remaining
passengers, IL in number, with their baggage
were transferred and taken to New Bedford
where they took the 1885 train for Boston.
Capt Smith says the Gate City has five COM
partments and three of them are closed and
all tight. The damage is under the engines
about midships and two of the compartments
are damaged 50 that they are flooded with
water. The crew remained on board the
Gate City and nothing can be done to get her
off until steam pumps arrive She lies on
of which is the easterly Naushon Island, one
of the Elizabeth Islands, and six miles to the
west of Woods Holl.
WooDs HoLL, Mass, July 49,
Capt. Hedge of the wrecked Gate City,
SAYS:
On Sunday afternoon dense fog prevailed
with smooth sea. We made the VINEYARD
sound lightship on Sow and Pigs ledge all
right, passing right alongside, and | then
shaped my course down the sound, pur-
posely hugging the north side. l intended
to feel my way along carefully until made
land. Then there would be no trouble
About 7.l5, while sounding along from time
to zine, aud running slowly under the
bell, the last report of fourteen iathoms hav-
ing just been made, I discovered land and
had got the wheel hard aport when the leads
man came running with the report of shoal
water. The ship struck Immediately. She
was heading east northeast, the proper
course, and single length of vessel would
have cleared the point. She struck rock
which crushed through her bottom in the
middle compartment about under her boilers,
and the fires were put out. We started the
pumps but 1t was impossible to free her. The
position of the ship was dangerous one but
the sea was smooth and the passengers could
at any time be safely landed. This tended TO
quiet their fears. Immediately boat under
charge of the mate, was sent to report the
disaster, but after several hours of wandering
about on that island failing to find any signs
| of habtation, they returned to the ship. The
mate was then dispatched by boat to endeavor
to reach Woods Holl. with dispatches. At
midnight the tug George w. Brown of New
Bedford, on the way to another wrecked
steamer, happened along and was chartered
to return to New Bedford with as many of
our passengers as she could carry, some
thrty-fve. The accident was occasioned BY
fog. The ship was being navigated with the
utmost care. 1t is possible that the tide had
something to do with it. The locality of the
accident is one well known to ship owners
and mariners about Vineyard sound, and it is
called the Graveyard"
United States steamer Albatross, Captain
Tanner. returned from Gate City at 8 o'clock
this afternoon, where she had towed Capt
Davis wrecking scow. The diver exaniued
the steamers bottom and reported her keel
forward split and broken One piece six feet
in length was sentup. Her cardboard Is start
ed and two holes in the ships bottom. A
big boulder, which the diver says is higher
than his head ia directly under the ship, near
amidships, and has penetrated the ships bot
tom The after compartment is filled with
water. but is believed to be tight and filed
by running in from the deck. There is "a
feet Of water under the vessels stern, and she
draws but IS feet. 1t is Capt. Tanners opin-
ion the ship can De saved only by the promp'es st
action i,tr pu u,iiiJn : n cIog gerous one
Should h sFa remain smooth Enii team
pumps arrive she can b. saved. Four steam
pumps sud ample wrecking Appliances are
now or their way from Boston, and will be
on hand tomorrow forenoon. The wind is
southwest blowing moderate breeze this
afternoon, with an occasional thunder squall
1t is expected that the 80 900 melons on board
will have to be thrown overheard.