The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-23
TWO STEA MERS COLLIDE.
ONE OF THEM SINKS IN SEVEN MIN.
UTEs AFTER BEING STRUCK.
Eight OF the Crew Being Asleep Lose
Their Lives-The Unlnjured Boat
Never STOPS to Lend Aid-Cruel
Neglect


MONTREAL, May pa serious collision
occurred on the river this morning be.
tween the royal mail steamer Polynesian,
OF the Allen Line, commanded bv Capt
Hugh Wylie, and the steamer CYNTHIA, OF
the Donaldson Line, commanded by Can't.
John Taylor resulting in the sinking of
the latter vessel and the loss of eight
oil her crew. The Poynesian left port
shortly after 4:S0 o'clock this morning and
proceeded down the Narennes channel.
Opposite Point Trembler she perceived the
Cynthia inward bound. From the details
obtained it appears that there is a danger.
Gus curve in the channel at this point, and
that through some misunderstanding of
the rules oithe road" the Polynesian was
brought into collision with the Cynthia,
striking her on the port bow and causing
such a gap in her side as to sink her in u
few minutes. Those on deck had barely
time to rush below and warn the members
OF the crew who were of watch and asleep
in their berlhs 10 get on deck and swim
ashore TO save their lives. The Cynthia
carried no passengers. She was from Glas.
gov with n general cargo, chiefly of pig
lion. Following is list of the crew of The
Cynthia who lost their lives
Hugh Irving, chief cook, Glasgow,
Alexander Nicholas, sailor. Glasgow.
Andrew Vance and Charles McCacken,
trimmes.
james Low, fireman, Glasgow.
James Ferron, boatswain.
Charles Blackstock, messroom bow. md
David Young, a stowaway, from Glasgow.
John Coates, chief officer OF the Own.
thia, was seen on board OF the Alcides.
lie was clad in suit OF clothes borrowed
from a brother officer. He was below NJ
the time OF the catastrophe. lie felt tire.
mendous crash and rushed on deck. whore
he found that the Cynthia had been struck
by n big steamer, which he learned was
the Polynesian, and, both vessels backing
from each other, he had barely time TO OBJ,
serve anything, rs tho Cynthia began TO
settle down. IL appeared 10 be about
seven minutes from the time he felt tho
shock until she sank. Capt. TAYLOR was
on the bridge at the time with the pilot
and the Cynthia was on the proper side Of
the river.
The rule OF the sea. which nreyails
likewise in the river. is that vessels shall
pass each other on the port side. Tho no.
sition in which the Cynthia now lies. Mr..
Coates contends, is proof positive that She
was IN her proper cQprsc, and rs the Poly-
nesian struck her onThe starboard side. Le
holds that this shows that somehow or
other she was going out Of her ptopcr
course. lie believes that something wont
wrong with the steering gear of the Poly.
nesian, rs otherwise she could hardlylbnye
gone astray, or that she was being stecrrI
from the stern instead oi from the bridge.
which he considers very dangerous. Tho
Cynthia was being stcerci from the bridgr.
The Cynthia was built by Henderson, Of
Glasgow. Her sister ship, tho Titania.
was wrecked about three years AGO off
Anticosti. The cargo Of the CYNTHIA com.
priscd about $50 tons Of pig iron and 500
tons Of coal.
Mr. Coates spoke in strong terms Of the
lack OF hospitality ON the part OF the Cam
adams. Notwithstanding the fact that
the survivors were dripping wet, no ono
offered them shelter or reireshment ami
they had TO walk all the way to the town
About ten feet OF mast, ons boat half full
OF water and another almost totally sub.
merged is all there is visible OF the Cyn.
thia. The hull has totally disappenrcd
and ia lying at the bottom, not more than
twelve feet from the shore. According Ia
the people IN the vicinity, some of whom
witnessed the catastrophe, tho collision
took place about twenty minutes 10 8 and |
m twenty minutes more the boat had dis. |
The bow, which was struck. |
went down iirst, lifting the screw partly |
out OF the water aud then she Topped over. |
throwing all but three men into the water. |
Most OF these could swim and saved them. |
selves. When boat came 20 the assist. |
ancc Of the men on the hulk, they refused |
TO leave until the pilot, who was in great |
danger OF drowning, had been saved. |
They evidently did not know OF their peril
and when the vessel sunk, one OF them
who was unable 90 swim, became victim
u his hcroism and WIS drowned, together
with several Others, whose retreat from
below had been cut oil by the rushing
wpcrs.
When the Cynthia struck bottom there
was n report like that Of a cannon and
'hock that made window panes SILVER and
'himncys tumble down. Though tho
people ON the Polyncsian must have been
quito aware OF the damages wrought, the
vessel never stopped 10 tender aid.
The sailors OF the Cynthia claim thatthe
Polynesian steamed right ahead, and that
had she stopped she could have saved the
men who were drowned. They also state
hat there were fifteen on shore, who, al.
hough there were boats near by did not
aisc n finger even In an attempt 10 rescue
he drowning sailors.
The Polynesian had big hole stove In
ior bow.
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