The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
Five Hundred and Sixty-Nine Souls
are Carried Down to
Death.
Terrible Scenes Were Witnessed
on Board the Ill-Fated Ship
Utopia.
Within HailIng Distance OF Two Great
War Ships the Vessel Goes Down
THE Cause.

GInRALrAR, March 16.-Another account
Of the Utopia disaster attributes it to the
fact that the British war ship Anson was
drifting before the gale and rammed the
Utopia abaft the funnel. The Utopia was
inpaled on spur Of the Anson's ram and
almost Immediately sank. Everything
possible was done by the officers and sea
men. Four seamen were washed overheard
and drowned from one of the war ship's
steam launches while taking part in tho
rescue. The scene after the collision was
frightful one. Inside the sinking steam
ship were crowded 700 immigrants, shriek-
ing with terror. Right and left of the sink
ing vessel were the monster battle ships
Rodney and Anson pouring the light of
their powerful electric reflectors upon the
disabled steamship. Here and there
were the war ships small boats manned by
blue jackets who strained every nerve a.
they bent to the oars in the heavy sea,
striving gallantly to reach the drowning
passengers. The rescued passengers were
estimated to number about 200 and poasi-
bly, more. They were cared for on the war
ships or taken ashore and housed in the
government buildings.
Petersen, the Swedish quartermaster, who
had been steering the Utopia short time
before the collision, says that just before
the vessels came together he went below.
While there he felt the shock OF The colli-
sion and rushed above deck. Just before
he reached the main deck the Utopia had
gone broadsids upon the spar OF the An
sons ram. the commander of the Utopis,
Capt. McKeague, according to Petersen, WAS
on the steamships bridge until the last mo-
ment. Petersen adds that IL the Utopia
was crushed by the Anson's -am he clam
bered up the davits of one of the steam
ships boats and caught the rope holding it.
He had no time, however, to lower the boat
away, as the bows of the Utopia had passed
beneath the war-ship and it was evident the
passenger steamer was rapidly sinking
Soon after, the boats of the Anson having
been promptly lowered, one of the man-of-
vars cutters ran alongside the Utopia aud
Petersen managed to jump into her. He
says that while on board the Utopia, after
the collision, he was surrounded by a terri
BILE mass Of human beings, fighting their
way desperately and savagely, regardless OF
sex or age, towards the bosts. Men. women
and children tumbled and climbed over
each other in that horrible fight for
life and a chance of escape from drowning.
One poor woman, who was rescued
by the Anson's blue jackets. went ravinp
mad when she was convinced that her chill
drep we're drowned There were similar
distressing incidents by the score, the most
awful of all occurring when the Utopia with
a final desperate lurch, sank with her hui
man freight clinRing about her, and draw
her.
Many of those who sprang into the sen as
they saw the steamship could not float
many moments longer we're then also drawn
down in the awful whirlpool caused by the
Utopia's disappearance. Some came to the
surface again for few moments before
sinking finally in their watery tombs.
Others, more lucky, were able to cling to
pieces of the wreckage. floating spars oars,
gratings, hatchways, boats, fe-belts, etc.,
and this kept them above water until res
cued by the warship's boats. But, as usual
in such cases, the weaker succumbed
the more readily. ShriekinR, praying women
sank to rise no more with their terrified
offspring clasped to their breasts. Children
clung to their parents SO desperately as to,
in several cases, cause death to both, where
they might have escaped had better judR-
ment been used. At eight p. m. it was an
nounced tnat the official report of the
number of persons OH board the Utopia
shows that when she left Naples the steam
ship had $50 souls on board, including
and crew. OF this number only
311 were saved. Thus $50 of the passengers
and crew are either drowned or missing.