Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-13

New LONDON, CoEN., Dec. 5-The Brit
ish steamer Dorian, Captain Henry Berm-
pohl bound from New York to Halifax,
N. S., light, ran into and sank instantly
the schooner Clara Il. Simpson. of Ports
mouth, N. H., Captain John Q. Hontvet,
NJ IL o clock last night, off Eaton's Neck,
in Long Island Sound. The Simpson was
bound from Somes Sound, Me-, for New
York, with paving stones, and had been
out but few days. Yesterday she came
through from Dutch Island harbor and
proceeded up the sound as far as Eatons
anchored in shore to await an opportunity
to proceed. After shutdown the wind in
creased, and, early in the evening, Captain
Hontvet made sail, leaving shortly before
II o'clock, in clear weather that enabled
him to see the light at Oldfeld on the
shore, and across the sound.
THE COLLISION.
The Simpson went out by Eaton's Neck,
when big steamer doomed up, Captain
Hontvet seeing her lights plainly as she
came down the sound toward him at q
speed of about II knots. The Simpson
proceeded to point two or three miles
northwest from Eaton's Neck, when the
steamer hit her forward of the mizzen-
mast, and sent her to the bottom as quickly
as though the bottom had dropped out of
her. Captain Hontvet saw collision was
inevitable, and yelled to those of the crew
near enough to hear him to take to the
fore-rigging.
This course he and two of The sailors
took and their lives were saved but the
mate, steward and one sailor had not time
to obey the command and went down
with the vessel. The Dorian crashed into
the schooner nearly amidships on the star
board side, striking her a glancing blow
that opened up the side of the vessel and
sent the mizzenmast upon deck and into
ntr- .Nn... L..
steamers short jibboon struck the mizzen-
mast of the Simpson, thus preventing the
steamer from hitting the schooner with
full force, else it would have sent the
steamer TO the bottom also.
WENT DOWN IN TWO MINUTES.
When the crash came everything seemed
to be going to pieces, and in two minutes
the Simpson had gone down. Captain
Hontyet ran across the deck to the rig
ging, but had only got to the shear pole,
when the deck of the vessel was under
water. He climbed up the rigging, as did
two sailors, Thomas LAUREL and Alfred
Hlngrem. to the foretopmast, where they
chung to the hanks, the vessel settling in
the water all the time, until finally the
men were afloat.
A terrific sea was running, and the water
was exceedingly rough, SO the men could
not hold on and finally let go, clinging to
drift stuff to keep atloat. Captain Hont-
vets brother Hans of Portsmouth Steward
w. Williams of East Boston, and John
Aikland, made an effort to get the boat
from the davits, but, before they could do
it, went down with the vessel or were
struck by the falling mizzenmast and were
killed. Their bodies were seen after the
vessels collided. Mate Hontvet leaves a
wife and seven children, Steward Williams
a wife and one child in East Boston, and
Aikland was single.
THE SURVIVORS PICKED UP.
As, soon as possible after the vessels
struck, the Dorian was stopped and put out
boat to pick up the crew of the Simpson,
and waited about the scene Of the collision
nearly four hours before she started East
to this port Captain Hontvet, the
first of the survivors picked up, had
been carried a mile from where the vessel
went down. His head and ear were badly
cut when his body was thrown against the
sharp bow of the Dorian. LAUREL was next
found clinging to pieces of timber held
under his arms, between which he kept
atioat. Hingren, the last ma:i picked Up,
managed to keep on the top Of the water
door on the other was not rescued for an
hour after his companions, and was almost
exhausted.
THE CAPTAIN WAS AT THE WHEEL.
On board the Dorian all possible was
done for the survivors, and they speak in
the highest terms of the kindness of Cap
l}ermpohl and crew of the Dorian. Cap
tain Bermpohl was at the wheel when the
collision occurred. The pilot had been
below and just came up before the vessels
came together. The captain said he saw
the lights on the schooner, but supposed
he could cross her bow all right, but she
was too near, and the disaster came.
LANDED AT NEW LONDON.
The men suffered great deal from the
intense cold, after being chilled through
in the water, and stimulants were neces-
sary to revive them. The Dorian brought
them into this port at 3. 80 this afternoon.
when Captain Hontvet noted protest at
the Custom House, and, with the survivors
of the crew. was sent to the Marine Hos
pital. The Dorian remained but a few
minutes, when she proceeded on her way
to Halifax. She received slight damage.
The Simpson was ST. tons. Her master
was part owner, and had been on the
vessel 10 years. She was uninsured.
The Dorian is n tj67,ton craft, and form
erly belonged to the Anchor line. She is
now owned by J. i. Kerr IL Co., IL Beaver
street, New York.
Arthur A. Zimmerman won the bulk of