The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-06-09
NORTHAM WILL Be SAVED
D1MAGE DONE BY YESTERDAY Y'y
COLLISION CAN BE EREPAIRED,

Captain Hardy of the Steamer Richard
Peck Says That the ColIision WAS Un-
avotdable-Tho Northam Beachcd at
Greens Fnrms-Treight Was Not DAM
agcd-No Passengers Injured.
A collision occurred between the
steamers Richard Peck and c. H. Nor
than Of the New Haven Steamboat
companys line about o'clock yester-
day morning about ten miles off South
port The Northam left Peck slip, New
York, at 11:30 Wednesday night and the
Peck left New Haven shortly after mid
night A dense fog prevailed and the
steamers picked their way along eau
tiously, with foghorns continually
sounding. The officers of the Northam
say that when off Southport they heard
the whistle Of steamer, but owing to
the fog signals could not be exchanged.
The officers of the Northam concluded
from the sound of the whistle Of the APP
preaching steamer that there was room
to pass and consequently the Northam
was not veered from her course.
The first that the dangerously close
proximity Of the oncoming steamer was
| observed on the Northam was when the
lookout suddenly saw looming up
through the fog in front a huge black
bulk. Before signals could be exchange
ed or anything done to avert the inn
pending collision the Northam was
struck on the starboard side. and the
ramming steamer, which by that time
was seen to be the Peck, ploughed
through several feet into the Northam,
having struck her prow-on.
Great excitement Immediately pre-
vailed among the passengers of both
steamers, but the officers of both boats
took their stations and they and the
crews were calm and at once began to
investigate the extent of the damage.
The Peck swung around and soon freed
herself from the Northam. The latter
steamer was seen to be rapidly filling,
and 1T became apparent that unless
something was done at once she would
sink. The two steamers were
lashed and the passengers were trans
ferred from the Northam to the Peck,
15O passengers being transferred in
about half an hour.
The Peck then drew away and the
Northam was headed for the Connecti-
cut shore with all steam on, it having
been decided to beach her, if possible,
before she sank. Her pumps were
working but the water gained. She
was finally beached near Greens Farms
and one of the crew was sent to Green's
Farms to telephone news of the acci-s
dent to the New York offices of the
company. The steamer struck on d
sandy beach, the place being one of the
most favorable for the purpose that
could have been found along the shore.
The Northam now lies close to shore,
about half mile west of the Beach-
wood hotel.
The successful beaching Of the Nor
than at such a favorable place was
managed by Captain Aaron Hardy,
through whose skill the vessel was pi-
Ioted past a rocky island half mile
to the eastward, and a rocky coast to-
the westward was avoided. About day
break yesterday morning the Northam
was lying easily and slowly working
her way up the beach with the incom-
ing tide. Her position is such that She
is protected considerably, and she will
probably not be pounded by the waves
much on that account. The Peck is
commanded by Captain E. j. Hardy and
the Northam by his brother Captain
Aaron Hardy.
The hole in the Northam made by the
prov of the Peck extended for twenty
feet abaft the cutwater, and it was only
the stanchness of her collision bulk
head, which held fast, that kept her
from sinking before she could reach
shore.
The Peck's usual speed is about 211-2
knots, but owing to the fog Wednesday,
night her chief engineer, William Nc
Donald, says that she was slowed down
to about half speed. William Wright
chief engineer of the Northam, says VI
that his boat was running at the rate
of only about eight knots. An officer
Of the Peck stated yesterday that the
officers of the Peck heard the Northam's
about five minutes before the
collision occurred, and that Captain
Hardy of the Peck in answer gave one K
blast of his whistle to indicate that he
would take the starboard course, on the
side next to the Connecticut shore. The
officer stated that the whistle was an
cWclSo ny Two DIttSlS Ii IOIl lite NUT
ham, meaning that she was shaping her
course in the same direction.
1t is said that the screws of the Peck
md the Northam were reversed at the
lime the collision occurred. The steel
BROW Of the Peck plunged into the Nor
hams side, making a breach which
below the water-line With
'ew exceptions all the passengers on
both boats were asleep. Mate Thomp-
son of the Peck was bounced out Of
lis berth by the concussion, and scores
If the passengers suffered like fate.
Everything was in an uproar and the
officers had to resort to force in one or
wo instances to prevent panic. Hun
lreds of articles Of personal property
we're thrown about and misplaced and
many OF the passengers were SO uenlol-
lized even after arrival at the pier that
hey walked away without claiming the
property that was found in every nook
md corner when the Peck reached New
York yesterday morning. Colored stew
rds were bringing these personal eff
ects into the company's offices on the
,ier head for several hours after the
Peck docked at Peck slip. The latter
las only a few ugly scratches and one
If two dents in her forward plates to-