St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-23
Eight Of the Cyntia's Crew,
Asleep in Their Berths,
Are Drowned.
The Officers Of the Polynesian
Charged With Criminal
CareleSsness.
Two Fishing Vessels, With 175
Men on Board, Reported
Lost.

ing between the royal mali steamer
Polynesian. of the Allan line, COM
manded by Capt. Hugh Wylie, and the
steamer Cynthia, OF the Donaldson line,
commanded by Capt. John Taylor, re
sulting in the sinking of the latter YES
sci and the loss of eight Of her crew.
The Polynesian left port Shortly after
4:3O o'clock this morning and proceeded
down the Varennes channel. Opposite
Point Trembles she perceived the Gym
thia. inward-bound. From the details
obtained, it appears that there is a
dangerous curve in the channel at this
point, and that through some mis-
understanding of the ''rule of the
road'' the Polynesian was brought into
collision with the Cynthia, striking her
on the starboard bow and causing such a
gap in her side as to sink her in few
minutes, the vessel filling with great
rapidity. Those on deck had barely
time to rush below and warn the MEM
bers of the crew, who were off
watch and asleep in their berths to
get on deck and swim ashore to save
their lives. The Cynthia carried no
U1ooOHSClSs Ol0 Woo mum 0AooSVW,
with a general cargo. chiefly of pig
iron. Following is a list of the crew of
the Cynthia who
LOST THEIR LIVES:
HUGH IRVING, chief cook, of Glasgow.
ALEXANDER NICHOLAS, sailor, Glas-
ANDREW VANCE. trimmer.
CHARLES M'CRACKEN. trimmer.
JAMES LOW, fireman, Glasgow.
JAMES FERRON. boatswain.
CHARLES BLACKSTOCK, mess room boy.
DAVID YOUNG, stOwaway, from Glasgow.
John Coates, chief officer of the Gym
thia, was seen on board the steamer
Alcides. He was clad in suit of
clothes borrowed from brother officer.
He was below at the time of the cataS-
trophe. He felt a tremendous crash
and rushed Oh deck, where he found
that the Cynthia had been struck
by big steamer, which he learned
was the Polynesian and both vessels
backing from each other, he had barely
time to observe anything. as the Gym
thia began to settle down. 1t appeared
to be about seven minutes from the
time he felt the shock to the time she
sank. Capt. Taylor was on the bridge
at the time with the pilot and the Gym
thia was on her proper side of the river.
The rule of the sea, which prevails
likewise in the river, is that vessels
shall pass each other on the port side.
The position in which the Cynthia now
lies, Mr.. Coates contends, is proof posi-
tive that she was in her proper course,
and. as the Polynesian struck her on the
StarbOard side, he holds that this shows
out of her proper course. He believes
n n h0
steering gear of the Polynesian, as other
wise she could hardly have gone so
as.ray or that she was being steered
from the stern instead of from the
bridge. which he considers very danger
Gus. The Cynthia was being steered
from the bridge. The Cynthia was
built by Henderson, of Glasgow.
HER SISTER SHIP,
the Titanla. was wrecked about three
years ago, off Anticosti. The cargo Of
the Cynthia comprised about $50 tons of
pig iron and 500 tons of coal. Mr..
Coates spoke i'll strong terms OF the lack
of hospitality Op the part of the Cana
dians. Notwithstanding the fact that
the survivors were dripping wet, no one
offered them shelter or refreshment,
and they had to walk all of the way to
the town. About ten feet Of mast, one
boat half full of water, and another al
most totally submerged is all there is
visible of the Cynthia. The hull has
totally disappeared, and is lying at the
bottom now. more than twelve feet
from the shore. According to the
people in the vicinity. some
of whom witnessed the catastrophe, the
collision took place about 4:4O. and In
twenty minutes more the boat had dis
appeared. The bow, which was struck,
went down first, lifting the screw partly
out of the water and then she
Topped over. throwing all but
three. men into the water. Most
of these could swim and saved
themselves. When boat came to the
assistance 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 YES
sci suddenly sank, one of them, who was
unable to swim, became victim of his
heroism and was drowned, together
with seven others. whose retreat from
below had been cut off by the in-rush-
ing waters. When the Cynthia struck
bottom there was a report like that of
a cannon. and shock that made WIN
dow panes shlver and chimneys tumble
down. The sailors of the Cynthia
claim that the Pofynesian steamed
right ahead, and that had she
stopped she could have saved the
men who were drowned. They also
state that there were fifteen men on
shore, who, although there were boats
near by, did not raise finger even in
an attempt to rescue the drowning
sailors. The Polynesian had big hole
stove in her bow.
WITH ALL ON BOARD.