Middletown transcript., 1886-03-19
Steamer Oregon Sunk.

1
York city from Fire Island yesterday
afternoon that the Cunard steamship
Oregon had been sunk by collision
with a schooner. Later large steam
ship, which proved to be the Fulda,
came to anchor outside the bar and
signalled to the Associated Press look
out at Sandy Hook that she had the
Oregon's passengers aboard. A fleet
of tugs was Immediately sent down by
the Cunard Company's agents to meet :.
| the Fulda.
It was learned that the accident by
which the magnificent steamer was lost
took place at 20 O'Clock in the morn
ing, about half way between Shinne-
cock and Fire Island The Oregon
was inward bound and was expected to
arrive at her pier on the North river
at noon to-day. As she coasted along
the Long Island shore yesterday morn
the first faint suggestion of dawn was
appearing in the East. The morning
was clear and the sea and wind calm.
The first officer was on the bridge.
Suddenly schooner was seen COM
| ing up from the southwest. and hold
| ing her course as if to run across the
Oregon's bow. Then the collision
came, the unknown schooner striking
the huge steamer on the port side and
| crashing through her iron plates. The
shock of the collision Immediately
awoke the sleeping passengers and that
portion of the crew who were having
their watch below.
The passengers at first were thrown
into great confusion, but the calmness
of the officers and the fact that the day
was just beginning to break over a
tranquil sea reassured them. At the
time the collision took place pilot boat
No II wasabout to put pilot on board,
and the schooner Fannie A. Gorham of
Boston was passing near. The pilot
boat and the passing schooner, on
witnessing the accident, Immediately
bore down to the scene and lay by,
ready to offer assistance. An exami-
nation of the Oregon showed that she
had two holes in her port side below
the water line, as if the schooner had
rebounded from the first blow and then
struck the steamer second time.
All efforts to stop the leaks were un-
availing, and the great steamer began
to settle in the water. The boats had |
bee n lowered when the accident first |
occurred. 1t was evident that the
Oregon would keep afioat for some |
hours, but that it would be impossible |
to bring her into port. The work of |
ferrying its passengers to the waiting
schooner and pilot boat was begun at
once. The women and children were
first, the captain leaving the ship last.
1t was eight hours from the time of the
collision to the time when the captain
of the Oregon reached the deck of the
pilot boat.
The Oregon had settled low in the
water, and soon after the captain had
gained the pilotboat he saw his mag
niicent ship 60 down before his eyes.
Then large four-masted steamer was
seen coming in from the sea. It was
the North German Lloyd steamship
Fulda. bound from Hamburg for New
York, and as soon as she was near
enough she was signalled to stop and
take the Oregon's passengers on board.
This she did, and in the evening an
chored outside the bar to wait for the
tide.
The Oregon had on board 1856 first
cabin, sixty-six second cabin and 3S9
steerage passengers. Her crew num-
bered 205 men all told. One of the
passengers said last night that the hole
made by the schooner in the Oregon's
port side was large enough to drive a
team through. He said also that the
sound of the collision was like the re-
port of cannon, and that the blow
and the noise at once awakened every
body on board. The fact that the pas {
sengers as soon as they rushed on deck
saw in dim light that a pilot boat
and schooner were bearing down for
the Oregon treasured those who at first | /
were in panic. The officers and crew I
of the Oregon worked hard, and main !
tanned an admirable GOODNESS and good I
dicipline. The transferring of the 6
large number of passengers from the
sinking steamer to the schooner and ,
pilot-boat was accomplished without !
confusion. None of the passengers i
were able to save their luggage, and {
only portion of the mail was rescued. j
The passengers and crew who were !
crowded on the decks of the little 7
schooner and the pilot boat could i
scarcely realize that the great ship on .
which they had expected to sail up the
harbor was going down before their
eJes. Some of the emigrants bemoaned
their fate in losing their baggage, for to
some of them the goods which went S
down on the Oregon were all they
owned.
The unknown schooner which struck ]
5he Oregon was large three-masted L
one. She was so heavily laden that
she was deep in the water and she hit
The steamer full square blow. At
she time of the collision Captain Cot
5ier, who commanded the Oregon, was
below, the ship being in charge of the
first officer. There was some difficulty ,
1T first in lowering the boats, but it
was soon overcome. The schooner
Fannie A. Gorham, which helped =
rescue the passengers and crew of the :
Oregon was from Jacksonville, Fla, V
and was bound for Boston. Captain
who commanded her, when
be saw the collision, Immediately bore o
1own on the Oregon and offered assis- p
;ance. The Fulda passed Sandy Hook p
1t 1 O'Clock this morning coming in. q
1t has always been the boast of the I
Cunard company that it has never g
ost life." There is not on record a 4
single instance Of any one having been 9
ost or killed by an accident to any of
;he company's steamers. 1t has al
ways had the greatest good fortune in
his respect, though it has not been free
rom accidents to its ships.
Third Officer Taylor said that the
oregon sailed Sunday, March 7, at 2
o'clock in the afternoon. They had
,ood weather during the whole voy-
Lge. ;
kk r LII