The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-07-25
STEAMERS BOW CUT OFF.
The Yacht Wild Duck Runs into the Steamer
fremont.

The Yacht Wild Duck Runs into the Steamer
NEW LONDON, CONN, July II. In
fog on the sound between Cornfield
light and New London at II As last
night, the Joy line steamboat fremont,
with 800 passengers and IS in her crew,
from Providence to New York, was
run down and almost cut in two by
Gen. Francis V. Greene's auxiliary
yacht Wild Duck. Other sound boats
saved all on board.
The yachts cutwater so nearly sliced
off the nose of the steamer that it
hung only by thin strip, 80 feet aft
| the bow.
There was wild panic on the Ire
mont, the first impression being that
the boat was on fire.
Capt. d. L. Wilcox of the fremont,
his officers, and c. L. Dimond, general
manager of the Joy line, who was a
passenger, directed the removal of the
passengers. Nearby were the Fall River
liners Priscilla and Puritan, the old
Providence liners Plymouth and Con-
necticut, the new Providence liners
Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the
Stonington liners Maine and New
! Hampshire, the Norwich liners City of
Lowell and City of Worcester tow of
barges and the Joy liner Penobscot.
Most OF the passengers were trans
ferred to the City of Lowell, which, be-
run up alongside One passenger taken
to the Massachusetts wore only night
shirt.
Didn't know but there might be
some swimming to do he said, land
thought | would be prepared"
| Capt. Wilcox and his chief officers
stuck to the fremont, which was towed
| by the New Hampshire into New Lon
don harbor and beached.
Capt. Wilcox says the night was pre-
fectly clear, and the steamer was pro-
ceeding on her usual course, when II
miles west of Confeld light schoon-
er-rigged steam yacht was made out on
the port bow. The officers of the IRE
mont supposed the yacht would pass
astern Of their vessel, as her course
seemed to be on line diagonal to that
of the fremont.
No danger was thought Of until the
yacht had approached within a quarter
of a mile, when she was hailed from
the fremont and no answer was re-
ceived. When too late, the fremont
attempted to change her course to avoid
the impending collision. The sharp
prov of the yacht struck her about 30
feet back of the port bow and sheered
diagonally across, coming out on the
starboad side
The force of the impact was sufficient
| fn tbrbyN no from, OF
and caused the greatest excitement
among them for time, but the officers
of the fremont, with admirable cool
| ness maintained discipline, and aid was
| quickly at hand.
| AS soon as the extent OF the Tire
mont's injury was known the City of
Lowell ran alongside, and the transfer
of passengers from the disabled boat
was quickly effected. The City of Low
ell was bound to New York, and resum-
ed her trip as soon as it was seen that
the fremont had all the assistance
/ necessary.
Tie crew of the fremont remained
Oh board their vessel and accepted an
offer of the New Hampshire for assist
ance to New London
Immediately after the accident the
steam yacht backed away from the IRE
mont and left Immediately, coming into
New London harbor this morning
From shore it appeared that she had
sustained considerable injury to her
| stem.
Capt. Wilcox insists that it was
fairly clear night, and that if proper
lookout had been kept on the yacht the
collision would not have occurred.
Capt. G. R. Strahan of the yacht
Inc h s1nl l.
the local custom house. In his sworn
statement Capt. Strahan says that when
| about one-quarter of a mile east of
Corntield light vessel thick fog shut
in. Capt. Strahan Immediately slowed
down to half speed and kept the whis-
tie blowing every minute. When 25
minutes east of Cornield light the
lookout reported a white light one
quarter point off the starboard bow.
Hearing no answer to the blasts Of the
whistle, Capt. Strahan signaled to the
engine room to full back speed astern''
Before the Roadway of the yacht
could be checked, however, she crashed
into the approaching vessel, the Ire
mont.
Capt. Wilcox, in his statement, says
that at the time of the collision Plum
island light was in plain view, the fog
having lifted after the Race was passed.
Capt. Wilcox was in the pilot house
with the pilot when the steam yacht ap-
peared. They first saw red light, and
blew one blast of the whistle to signify
that the vessels were to pass to star
board. No response being heard, an
other blast was sounded, followed by
several long toots. Finding no atten-
ton was paid to the signals, Capt. Will
cox says he ordered the wheel hard
aport, but it was impossible to avoid a
collision, and the steam yacht, accord
ing to Capt. Wilcox, ran into the Ire
mont at full speed The pilot and the
lookout on the fremont both say that |
they heard no response to the IRE
mont's signals.