New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-23
SINK IN THE ST. LAWRENCE
n,s.sTReUs COLLISION BETWEEN I"o
STEAMERS
-uv CYNTHIA, CUT DOWN BY THE pohYNESlAN'
GOES TO THE BoTroM-sEvEN sAlhoN'
DpnwNED.
fay rrIraR,pn 10 TIE TaIBuE


). uou.-osI Nov % For the second time wlthln
.,a historv of the pr.sent generation disastrous
steamship collision has occurred IN 'nV
Iaursnce River opposite Tongue Polnte' oou'e
vsars ago the. steamships ElphinstOne ana feue-
water were in collision OF this polnt' anu "oiS
mo,rino under almost similar circumstances tue
s,oansbin polvnesjan, of the Allan Line, captain
VIII. and the CYNTHIA of the Donaldson LINE
c.u.a;, TavIor crashed into each other Inc
rosy,, was that the Cynthia was sunk anu seven
80 h., crew lost. and the Polynesian hao large
~ s,o,s in her bow, and although she pro-
oandod "a ouebec she will in all probability nave
70 Law I'D for some time for repairs
Ths.o ;s n dangerous curve in the channel a'
49,. - The accident occurred at a 30 q. M
T1'a 80 hr.o vessels came together with crash
a.. I'D ha heard for long distance, and the
-. - ,,a air was filed with the cries OF
..o.,,ua sailors who rushed about the decks
a.. $40 steamers. The sharp changing
=, h.,Is and hurried orders were followed oy
ths fnrious churning OF the water as
tho screvs OF both vessels worked unaer
-. sisnal Full speed aStern," and 1t parted them
yyL. Cv,tb,s backed down as fast as her screw and
.hs on,rsnt would take her. On went the Poiy-
- anon her course, while for the Cyntma IL
,r.s cr,Iv a question Of where she would SINK
,.,h the greatest safety to life. She was already
..s,v down BY the bow. She had been crushed
=, {, she hsd struck an iceberg md the water was
rushing into her in torrents,
The current runs fast where the vessels hao
eomc together. and Just below the point where
they stuck is o little cove, created by an eody
which has scooped out a bay fifty feet broad
There was no alternative with an unmanageaoie
vessel but to head for this, and the Cynthla was
mt head on for the shore. She struck bottom not
more than a hundred feet from land. The cur
rent carried her stern around until her null was
in straight line with the shore. and then
she turned completely over upon her side, throw
ins everything upon her decks into the water
Men were thrown within a few feet OF the shore
Some climbed in the rigging. Steam was rushing
an from below and binding smoke from the smoke
stack and engne.room increased the confusion
to such an extent that the men did not know
what TO do when they got into the water npt a9a
sailors on board, and seven were orowneo Id Sle
cove. =.
no doubt about IL; the blame rests entirely with
the Polynesisn, which came down on the wrong
side of me. / could see the PClyneSian approach
ing, and / wondered as she gpt nearer that shs
have come past me on the port sac.
All of q sudden heard her blow her whistle
TO let me know that II was TOO Ate 10 pass us
on the right side. The warning came too late
Following is list Of those OF the crew OF the
Cynthia who lost their lives: Hugh Irving, CHIEF
cook; Alexander Nichol, sailor; Andrew Vance
and Charles McCracken, trimmers; James
Eerron, boatswain, and David Young,
Blaeist0ck, mess-room boy. Shipping men say
tho Polynesia could only proceed, as the cure nj
was too swift to permit her 70 turn. The Cynthia
was Csyde-butIt steamer. of 2.eO0 tons. and for
several seasons past has been running between
Glasgow and Montreal SIZE brought out this trip
caIge of pig-iron and coal The bulk Of which
win be saved. The vessel is a total wreck.
The Insurance companies interested all foreign.
Quartermsster James Low, of the Cynthia, who
was at first reported drowned jumped on board the
PolyneSian and thus saved his life