The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-22
DROWNED VHILEASLEEP
Fearful Collision Between Two
italian Passenger Steamers.
HUNDRED AND FIrTY-EIaHT LOST.

The Steamer ortigia Crashes Into the Ma
ria r. and the Latter Vessel Sank in Three
Minutes - Only Twcnty-eight Persons
Survived the Disaster.
GENOA, July 22-The italian steamers
Ortigla and Maria p. collided Of Isla del
Pinto, at the entrance Of the Gulf of &C.
nos. The latter sank and 14s passengers
were drowned.
The Maria p. was bound from Naples to
La Plata There was q crew Of seventeen
and the passengers numbered l75. She
was calling here en- route to her destina-
tion. She was entering the Gulf Of Genoa
ut 1.80 O'Clock yesterday morning, when
abe met the ortigia, outward bound.
They only noticed each other when col
iision was inevitable.
The blow Of the Ortegia crashed into
the starboard side of the Maria P. ,penetrat-
ing six yards, and ripping up the Maria P.
like matchwood. The water rushed in
through the hole, and the Maria P. sank in
three minutes.
The majority Of the passengers were
asleep at the time of the accident, and had
no time to escape after the alarm was
given. They were engulfed with the YES
sci. The Ortigia remained ON the spot
until 9 o'clock in order to pick up the sur
vivors. She rescued fourteen Of the crew
and twenty eight Of the passengers OF the
Maria p. Other steamers have been dis
patched to the scene of the disaster, and
are now searching for further survivors.
The Ortigia's bow was smashed for q
space Of twelve feet along the water limo
There Is some comment upon the fact
I..,, i. a. a L. ktxaA 4
Ortigia once collided on the same spot
with tho French steamer Uncle Joseph.
At the conclusion of the sitting of the
chamber yesterday at Rome, the minister
of marine announced the news of the dis
ton, adding that an officer, seaman, n
stoker and 144 passengers Of the Maria p,
had perished
The Ortegia had twenty-five passengers
on board. The Maria P.'s captain was
named Ferrara.
The chamber has ordered an inquiry
into the disaster.
The sky was overcast at the time of the
accident, and there was little see. Both
captains were asleep. and the third officer,
Revello, was on watch on the Ortigia and
Second Officer D'Angelo was on watch on
the Maria P. The Ortigia was going at the
rate Of eleven miles an hour and the Ma
ria P. ct the rate Of eight miles. Both ves-
sells saw the lights of the other and con-
tinued on their proper roads till the mis-
take was made, 1t is not established by
whom, which brought the Maria P. broad
side towards the drtigia Third Officer
Revello of the Ortigia, saw the danger
and ordered the engines reversed, but the
order came too late.
All the boats Of the Ortigia were low
cred, and the crews rescued all they could
of the survivors The latter, for the most
part, remain in such a state of terror since
the rescue that they are unable to give o
single detail Of the disaster.
Captain Ferrara, who was saved, said
that he was sleeping in his cabin when he
was awakened by cries and shouts and q
great noise. He rushed upon deck and
saw the Ortigia backing off, while his own
ship was sinking. Seeing that all was
lost he jumped into the sea, where he was
picked up by tho Ortigia's boat
A passenger named Balena, jeweler,
was on board with his wife and three
young children. He said that he had not
turned in when the collision occurred. He
seized two Of the children, and his wife
caught up the third, and they ran upon
deck and jumped into the sea- The chill
dren weighed him down and he sank
after hard struggle. When he came to
the surface his children had disappeared.
His wife had managed to cling to piece
of wreckage till the Ortigia's boat saved
her. They lost everything.
Second Officer d Angelo, of the Maria p,
who was on watch on that ship when she
was struck by the Ortigia, was drowned
Among the saved is q child Of years,
who is the only survivor of family of
seven who went down with the i'll fated
ahin