The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-03-31
FATAL
COLLISION.

New Castle, March 2l.-The me
who we're on the river yestcrda
for pleasure reported that III
oyster Schooner Edna Ear! ha
gone to the bottom near Reed
Island.
| Late on Saturday night as til
little craft was picking her wa.
through darkness toward Green
wch, N. j., she was struck amid
ship by the Norwegian steamship
Romsdal, inward bound, and IN a
few seconds after the collision til,
schooner had gone down.
Eleven men, including the mas.
ter, Captain Henry Kohl, were
aboard the Edna Earl. Three Of
them, Dennis Ford aud his son.in.
law. William Smith, OF $50 South
Water Street, Philadelphia, and
Patrick Nolen, Of Baltimore, were
asleep in the cabin. The others at
tempted to rouse their mates, but
before this could be accomplished a
rush Of water came over the Edna
Eari's sides. carrying away all
those on the deck and Ford, Smith
and Nolen were drowned where they
slept.
After they had been tossed over
board, Capt. Kohl and his seven sea-
men SWAN around Tor a consider
able time. Then they located the
tcpmast heads OF the schooner aud
there they took refuge until picked
up by boats sent out by the Roms.
dal's commander. Captain Hirssh.
A dispatch from Philadelphia.
says
After the .ac survivors, practic-
ally without clothing, had been
landed here yesterday by the Roms.
dal, Captain Il obi told ,he story Of
the wreck.
about go o'clock Saturday
night he said, ave saw the lights
Of the Romsdal loom up ia front If
us. We had our lights out, Of
course, and naturally supposed that
the commander Of the on coming
steams hip, noting that We were
schooner, would follow the rule of
the road and navigate around US.
For that reason we kept TO our
course, and by the time we discover
ed that the Roms dal was doing like.
wise there was no possible way 10
steer clear Of the steamship.
ut was olly few seconds
before the collision. BUTT was an
agonizing period. Theu came the
impact. The Komsdal caught us
amdship and almost cut cur craft
in two. Save your lives, shout
ed 10 the men. Then some OF the
scamen and myself recalled that
three men were asleepin the cabin.
We called to them, but got no re.
ply. Then we were all dashed
overheard, as the Romsdal backed
away.
Il wonldn't 60 through such an
cXeeriense again for hundred
thousand dollars. In the water we
feared TO turn lest we should be
drawn under the big steamship
which we could hear and not see.
Then there was the thought of the
men in the cabin who had drowned
like rats. Finally, when we were
all nearly exhausted the mastheads
were located aud thus we were say
ed.
"Ths was the first trip l had
taken on the Edna Earl. She had
been purchased recently for $1,000 |
b. Michael Hewlett, my employer,
and was not insured. We were
bound Tor Greenwich, N. j.. and we
were to plant oysters IN the beds
there
A short time after he reached
this city Captain Kohl went TO $50
South Water Street and notified the
relatives Of Ford and Smith tha the
Two men had been drowned. Mrs.
Ford was overcome when she heard
that both husband and her son-in-
aw had gone down with the Edna
Earl. Beside several children of
her own, she will have to support
sight belonging 10 Smith, whoes wife
lied about year ago.
Late IN the evening Lizzie Ford,
a sister OF the man drowned, became
les spondent and tried to Jump into
he Delaware from the ferry Schultz
She was prevented from ending her
ife by Edward Fowler, a deck
land on the boat.
Ford wasabout so years old, and
lad Leen employed OIL fish and
'ystcr schooners in the Delaware
or nearly twenty five years. Twcn.
Y years ago he saved an entire
rev on an oyster schooner from
leaths such as he met on Saturday
light. lie was the only one OH the
leck Of this craft when twas truck
y steamer, and at the risk OF his
wn life he reused the other sailors,
'ho were asleep, and enabled them
o swim away from their sinking
eSscl.