The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-05
Run DOWN IN THE FOG
The, Steamer AlIsa, of the Atlas, Line Is
Sunk by The Steamer LaBOurgeyRe.
WHILE At ANCHOR III THE HARRoWS
After The Collision, thc French StcnH,.
or BACKS Away u Continues Her
Course-The Aiisn Fills and Sinks
Shortly Aiterward-crSw md Pas.
scngers fscscIied by ~ Tag.

New York. Feb. 29.-The steamship
Ailsa of the Atlas Line was sunk about
$50 o'clock this afternoon by the steam
snip LaBourgOgne of the General
Ifans-AtlantiHue Line. bound for
Havre. The Ailsa had sailed from New
York Ell route to Kingston, Jamaica.
Owing to the dense fog the Ailsa came
to anchor at the south mouth of the
Narrows. The strong tide that was run
ming at the time swung the vessels head
50 that at the time Of the collision
she was pointing toward New York.
According to the statements of several
OF the crew the vessel had been at an
chor put n few minutes when n huge
steamer hove in sight. and although.
according to the Ailsa's crew. a con-
inuou ringing of her bell had been
Kept up since she came To anchor, the
vessel cam" on and struck the Ailsa
tuli on the port bow. tearing out n large
portion of her side. Immediately after
STRIKING the Ailsa the Collil1ng vessel.
which was learned to be the steamer
La BourEosnc. backed out. and after
diseilsasing herself, proceeded OH her
way without making the slightest offer
to render assistance to the Ailsa.
Captain ]. w. Morris. OF the Ailsa.
was on the bridge at the time TN" col
lision occurred and he Immediately
gave orders 10 weigh anchor. This was
instantly done and the vessel was
headed for the Fort Hamilton shore.
i3efore she had gone far. however. she
itlled and sank. The captain. passcn-
gers and part of the crew took to the
ringing. from which they were rescued
BY the tug Harold. which happened To
be in the vicinity at the time. The
Harold, to make the rescue. steamed he
tween the masts and directly over the
DECK OF the sunkcn steamer. The IIar-
old also picked up later a part of The
crew from Il small boat belonging to the
AiIsa.
According To III crew only n few min
uteS elapsed from the time the vessel
was struck until She went down. AS
lar as can be learned the L~aT!ourgngnp
suffered little or no injury from the i'm
Pact. Tho crew and passengers OF the
steamer We're brought mn to the
city by the tug and LANDED at the ship
news Office of the United Press.
In interviews with the passcnccrs ns
the Inflated vessel II was learned that
inc crew OF the Aiisn behaved in a most
brutal and cowardly manner. II is
asserted that when the L"aBourgoCnc
STRUCK the Ailsa the crew. instead of
trying to assist. seemed In be insured
with only the desire To save themselves
Ihey seized the only available boat
which they quickly lowered. and. jump
ing into IL. pushed III. leaving the Das-
scnEers Ia their fate. There were "A
cabin passengers on board the Ailsa.
among them several women. The latter
we're verslnE on MYSTERIES when seen at
me pier OF the United Press shin news
Office. Some of them looked as though
they had been subjected to some hard
usage.
The officers of the Inflated vessel deny
,n,l ne crew abused the passengers or
were guilty Of ay cowardicc. MI. Nor
rs. OF the AilSa. refused to make any
statement with regard to how tho acri-
dent occurred.
D., W catherspoon, tho chief engineer.
spok" freely ab0u The accident. lie
declared that the L~aEourgogne was 10
blame. and said that the Ailsa's bell
WIS ringing continuously while SHE lay
at anchor. He was rather indignant n,
the manner in which tl. French steamer
penaffd, lie denied in toto the passcp-
gers statement that the crew had seiznd
the only available boat and
me passengers to their fate. He asserts
tIal the passengers refused to go into
ne siiaii t2at and sought refuge in the
rlSSihS He SayS uInti tho reTlsa, or
the passengers To enter the boat the c,n-
tam ordered the crew to null for t1,c
shore. lie says the vessel iiIJad ond
went down so rapidly that neither tho
passengers nor crew were able to save
'iiS pi lEtlG tlitCtS.
The Ailsa now lies sunk To her lower
yards and lies ON n hard bottom.
me crew numbered 81. includin,r c,n
.din MOTIFS. II was composed of SDan-
iards. Cubans and Italians.
The Ailsa is a British screw stea,,o,
40 feet i'll length, beam 3i.2 feet. dantb
~, tonnage 1871. She was huilt NJ
Glasgow and was owned by the At,os
Steamship Company. She had a gen
eral cargo. "
1t has been learned that the Ia Honr-
gogne proceeded but u short disionn
after the collision ana came To anchor
but 1t Is not positively known whether
she sustained II injury. She has for
ty-iivr cabin passengers on board.
Following Is the list of PASSENGERS
fourteen in number:
George II. Pierce and wife. of Kinr-
ston. Jamaica; John p. Cantrell and
wife, OF Newark. y. j.: Mr.. Tin,ionos
OF New York: II. Ingalls,. Wesley Day
OF Newark; c. Il. Miller and wife, OF
BROOKLYN: a. /. v. Carachristi. OF Rich
mond. Va: Mr. Hoff, r. J. Cummings.
OF Newark: Watson Ryan. of Newark.
Everybody on the Ailsa. passengers
and crew. We're saved. though Mrs,
Pierce was slightly bruised.
The croH consisted of thirty-seven
persons. commanded by Captain !. w
Morris. Mr.. Cummins. with three otl-
ers OF the passengers, was i'm the smok-
Ing room when the crash came. Rush
ing to the bow. he instantly saw how
serious me danger was. and shouted
Firing up the women first"
rms was done and they were sent