The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-22
TWO STEAMERS IN COLLISION.
A MIDNIGHT SCENE OF DEATH,
WRECK AND TERROR.

The Passenger Steamers OrtiEa ana
Maria y. Crash Together In the
Darkness of spezzia-DetaiIs of the
CnInmity-Many Lives LOst-Fren-
ztcd Passengers Cry Out for the
saints 60 save Them and Many Are
Thought to Have Jumped Over
board In Their Fright.
La spezzia, Italy. July 21.-A terrible
accident. resulting in the loss of is3
lives. occurred near the mouth Of tho
Gulf Of Spezzia to-day. At I:SO O'Clock
this morning the Oruga and Maria y.
ran into each other. and the latter ves-
sci was so badly damaged that she sank
IN a very short time. The Maria p. had on
board. in addition TO her crew. us pas
sengers, bound from Naples for the River
Platte, by far the larger part OF whom
were emigrants.
The night was pitch dark when the
collision occurred and the scene on board
the sinking steamer almost defes descrip-
ton. Most Of the passengers were asleep
I'm their hunks at the time, and wera
awakened by the crashing OF the steam
er's plates, deck beams and deck planks-
They were panic-stricken and rushed peli-
nell on deck, where they ran hither and
thither, calling upon the saints to save
them.
From the reports OF the disaster received
here It is impossible TO determine whether
any attempt was made by the Maria p
to clear away and launch her small boats
to attempt TO rescue the passengers, bus
Judging from the accounts given by this
excited survivors, II Is surmised that the
steamer went down too quickly TO allow
Of this being done, though one boat got
away. The blackness OF the night added
IN ha ~ pp
understood that some Of the passengers
crazed with fear, jumped overheard.
The force Of the collision was terrific.
TheaOrtiga struck the Maria p. squarely
on the starboard side, and her stem pens
etrated the Inflated steamer for a distance
Of eighteen feet. When she backed out. a
great volume of water poured through
the orlfice. and the vessel began almost
Immediately to settle. No mention Is mada
Of the Ortiga lowering her
boats to attempt to rescue ths
imperilled people on the Maria Z. Whether
the former vessel was damaged or not Is
not known. The survivors are In such a
mental condition that II is impossible as
yet to get any connected story from them,
but from the statements of some Of the
crew II appears that the disaster was the
fault of the Ortiga. The crew OF the Maria
p numbered seventeen. OF this number
fourteen were saved in the boat that got
thirty passengers who escaped drowning.
The Ortiga on her previous voyage col
lded in this same spot with a French
steamer and this fact adds strength TO tho
belief that she was responsible for this
mornings disaster.
Admiral NORM, minister Of marine, has
ordered an inquiry 20 be made into the al
fair to place the responsibility.
The collision occurred off Isola Del IT,
no. The Ortlga left Genoa at O'Clock last
night. The Maria =. was bound for Genoa
where the emigrants on board her were
to have been trans-shipped to the steam
er Sudamerlca, which was to convey them
to the River Platte.
1t was learned that the outlook man
on tho Ortga saw nothing of the other
steamer until Il was too late to avert a
collision The officers of the Ortiga say
that no boats were lowered by the Maria
r., and that their vessel saved all the sur
vivors. Tho Ortiga remained in the VIZ
cinity of the accident for several hours
hoping that she might be able to rescue
others The bows of the Ortiga have in
them a rent four yards long just above
the water line.
Admiral NORM, minister Of marine, ans
nounced the disaster TO the Chamber OF
Deputies this afternoon and the news cree
ated deep impression. Many OF the deps
uties expressed sympathy with the fami-
lies of the victims. Capt Ferrara was the
master of the Maria p. Later information
Is to the effect that all her passengers
vvera arnfPrants