The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-01
SUNK WHILE AT ANCHOR.
steamer Ailsa Sent to the Bottom by
La BourEoSne.

La BourEogne.
NEW YORK, Fe5. 29.--The Atlas line
steamer Ailsa was run down at 2:30 o'clock
to-day by a French line steamer, supposed
to be the Bourgogne, while anchored in the
channel off Fort Hamilton. The steamer
which struck the Ailsa pulled away from
the vessel and disappeared in the mist.
The Aisa carried a crew Of forty men, and
there were fourteen passengers on board,
three of whom were women. All escaped
without injury, owing to the prompt arrival
of large tug belonging to the Merritt
Wrecking Company.
The Ailsa left her pier in this city at
noon, bound for Kingston, Jamaica. She was
heavily laden with freight. A dense fog pre-
vailed in the bay. and Captain j. w. Nor
rs, az a precaution against disaster, decided
to anchor his vessel until the fog lifted.
He came to a standstill about half a mile
or the Fort Hamilton shore. A pilot was
on board, and both the whistle and the
fog bell OF the vessel were kept going at.
short intervals as warning. The passen-
gers had just finished dinner when the crash
came There was absolutely no warning.
The big black null OF the French liner
suddenly loomed up out Of the mist and
struck the anchored ship about forty feet
from the bow, on the port side. The great
est confusion prevailed among the passengers
and crew. Captain Norris decided
that he wonld try to beach his
vessel. which comr1erced to fill rapidly.
While he was preparing to do so the res
cuing tug came, In answer TO the Ailsa's
whistles Of distress and took off the pas
sengers and crew, who had taken refuge
in the rigging. 1t was at first reported
that one Of the crew had been killed by
the collision, but this was found to be un-
true. Ten minutes after the last person
had left the injured vessel, and twenty min
utes after the collision, the Ailsa sank.
Only her smokestack and spars are now
visible. Some of the passengers were land
ed at Fort Hamilton, and returned to this
city by way of Brooklyn. while the re-
rainder came to New York on the tug
and were landed at the barge Office.
Following IL a list of the passengers:
George H. Pierce. Postmaster-general of
Jamaica, who was homeward bound, accom-
panied by mis- wife; j. p. Cantrell and wife,
Newark, N. j.. G. N. Douglas, Newark, n.
j; ]. w. Dey. Newark n. j.; Watson Ryno,
Newark; N. j.; ]. p. Cumming. st. Louis; p.
II. Hoyt. Washington. d. c.; A. L. z.
Cavasciti, Washington, d. c.; Mr.. and Mrs
Il Miller Ilrsrv BTfokyn Miss Anna Ftz
York; Harry Sugallo, c. B. Wheeler and
r. III. Hoof.
The chief engineer of the ship was J.
Wernerspoon, CT Newark, n. j., and the
purser was r. p. Luzmore. Captain Morris
was not to be found when a reporter called
at the office of the steamship company.
Purser Luzmore was in the Office, but was
rather uncommunicative. He was unable to
give an exact account of the collision, he
was not on deck when 1t occurred. All he
could say was that the Ailsa was struck
and sunk in twenty minutes.
THE COOKS STORY.
The only member of the crew that could
give connected story of the disaster was
the cook, George Murray, an intelligent
Englishman of middle age. He said that
the Ailsa had proceeded early to sea- but
was fearful of meeting disaster in the
heavy fog, which was very thick in the
Narrows. The Ailsa anchored, and every
now and then the blowing of the steam fog
horn took place. The head OF the Ailsa
swung around 50 that it pointed northeast
In that position she lay" said cook MUIR
ray, when / went on deck TO see the lay
OF things. 1t was raining cats and dogs
and rot a passenger was on deck; no one
but the captain and the man on watch were
there, and the fog was dense. Some time
on the port bow that sent all things shiv-
ering and dancing below. Such a scattering
was there then to get on deck. Every man
tried to get up the companionway at the
same time. When ne did get up he saw that
a big steamship was looming up over the
side. But We had no time to waste. 1t was
plain to see that the Ailsa could not last
long. The water poured in the gap made
by the French ship, as 1t does through a
canalway when the gates are opened. TIE
Ailsa quickly listed over, and all this time
the crew and passengers were preparing
10 leave the Ailsa and go aboard the nu-
merous tugs that were putting and blowing
IN the Narrows. Thank heaven, all were
A. l.. z. Cavasciu was passenger on
the Ailsa. When seen tonight at the Astor
House ,n.on ne SAID: o,. II am % on my way to South
ing first to Jamaica. took passage on the
Ailsa. There We're fourteen passengers and
tine we ran into dense fog and came to
anchor off Fort Hamilton. We rang bells
ana gave warnings at intervals. Suddenly
there was a terrific crash and the shin
trembled. We had been run into by one
OF the French liners. We found that six
to ten feet Of our bow had been cut on
alright compartments we did not sink al
once. A tug. the Haroid. lying of Fort
Hamilton, started to come to our rescue
began to founder. We all took to the rig.
ging. The women acted admirably. There
was no screaming. out they were nearly
the llfeboat and went ashore at Fori
| Hamilton. One lady and one gentleman
jumper OVefDoaru ana were rescued. The
rug Harold p.aye1 about US twenty-five
yards distant, not daring to come nearer
for fear OF the suction. In three minutes
more the Aiisa was under water. Then the
Harold came alongside and all with the
exception OF three were taker
safely aboard and were rescued
by another tug. The captain and
| officers OF the AHsa were as kind as
postible to al on board. After running
into Us the French liner backed or and
disappeared In the fog. She sounded nc
warning and we knew nothing OF hcI
| presence until she struck us. Had our shir
turned over at the time she sank nothing