Evening journal., 1897-07-29
A COLLISION AT SEA.
Steamer Scandinavian Sinks the
Barkentine Florence.
FIVE LIVES LOST BY THE ACCIDENT.
fs<-s BSASc During a Dense Fog or Cape
p.Aee-story of the Disaster as
Told by the Captain of the
Wrecked Vessel.

barkentine Florence, Captain Olsen,
which was sunk in a collision with the
Scandinavian last Saturday while in
dense fog 20 miles south of Cape Race.
-Four members of the crew were drown
ed together with the wife of Captain
Olsen. The Florence was bound from
Sydney, c. b.. to ST. Johns N. f., with
a cargo of coal.
The names Of the men who lost their
lives were Noah Norris, cook, aged 81
years. of st. Johns, n. F., who leaves
an invalid wife and two children; VIII
liam Yabsley, aged 20 years, a nephew
of the captains wife. single; James
Norman, seaman, aged 80 years, single,
both of st. Johns, N. f., and William
Fry. 33 years of age, seaman, belonging
in Poole, England.
The story Of the sad disaster is best
told In the words Of Captain Henry OIL
sen. He said: I'VE left port on Tues
day the Goth inst, for st. Johns, N. f.
Saturday, after being nearly three days
in the fog and standing all that time
in the direction of Cape Race, think
ing that we were approaching land,
ordered the vessel put about on the
starboard tack. At 1920 p. m. the shrill
blast Of a steamers whistle was heard
away there loomed up. making directly
for us, the huge hull Of an ocean
steamer.
Il was below when the first intima-
ton came of the steamers approach,
but was hurriedly called on deck by the
lookout. On the way out Of the cabin
I called to my wife and she in turn
aroused First Mate Edward Brodnick,
who had come off watch at noon and
was asleep in his bunk. Hardly had he
reached the deck when the steamer,
which proved to be the Scandinavian,
was upon us.
Went Half Way Through the Barkentine.
She struck us on the port side be-
tween the main and mizzen rigging, and
before her headway was stopped she
went half way through US.
while the vessels were locked to-
gether we were in no immediate dan
ger, except from falling spars, which
were dropping all about us on the decks.
The order to reverse the steamers en-
gines, which had been given when we
were first sighted soon had the effect
of breaking her away from us, and in
about three minutes after she pulled her
sharp bow out of the gaping hole in the
side of our vessel the Florence went
down. stern first, in 80 fathoms of wa
ter
"Of the vessels crew Norris. the cook;
Yabsley and Norman were never seen
after the vessel struck us. and they
were probably asleep in the forecastle.
when the impact came, ole Olsen.
the boatswain, and Seaman Robert Es-
sens jumped into the main rigging and
We're soon followed by Mate Brodnick.
and all three swung themselves on to
the steamers deck by means of the
lower guard, being assisted in doing so
by the carpenter of the steamer. Poor
Fry appeared at the side of the vessel
Just before she went down. A rope was
thrown to him by his shipmates on
board the steamer, and he was pulled
half way up the steamers side, when
he relaxed his hold. fell back into the
water and was never seen again"
The captain was too much overcome
to tell of the drowning of his wife. and
Mate Brodnick took up the thread of
the captains narrative. After telling of
his being summoned from his bunk by
the captains wife and jumping on deck,
clad only in his shirt and trousers, he
said:
Immediately after reaching the deck
Of the Scandinavian got a coil of rope
and threw 1t to Captain Olsen. who at
this time was standing near the galley
on the barhentine with his arms around
his wife. Mrs. Olsen was crying, and
heard the captain say that If need be
they would die together.
Tried to Save His Wife.
1.-THE captain secured the end of the
rope and attempted to make it fast
about his wife, but the rope was not
long enough, and the steamer, just ther
backing away from the wreck, pulled
the line from his hands. 1 called tC
those on the steamer to lower the life
boat and Olsen, Essens and myself tool
hold and assisted the crew in getting
the boat out of the chucks. In the ex
element and confusion no one seemed
to know Just what to do. No knife
could be found to cut the lashings o.
the lifeboat, and finally the carpente
was obliged to sever the grips with I
hatchet. All this was valuable tim
lost, and before the lifeboat had go
into the water the vessel had gon
down.
when the vessel took her last plunge
the captain became separated from hi
wife. They were both drawn into th
vortex caused by the sinking craft, an'
Mrs. Olsen never reappeared above tn
water. The captain soon came to tn
surface and swan to a life buoy thrown
from the steamer, and this, with If
belt which he afterward secured AM
adjusted, kept him afioat until the life
boat, manned by the second officer o
the steamer. three of her crew and my
self. reached him.
'He was completely exhausted an
inconsolable at the loss Of his wife
When II was found that there was n
hope for the remainder of the crew, tn
steamers bow was headed west. an
she continued on her way to Boston,
The Florence was rather small for
barkentine. She registered 1879 tons ne
and her dimensions were 114S fee
breadth 24.5 feet and depth of hold 10
feet. She was built at Brixham, Ems
land, in 1873 and at the time Of her los
was valued at $4,000.