The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-12
in. A COLLISION At SEA
She Writes n Graphic Account of
Narrowly Averted Catastro-
phes of july s.

Mrs. G. w. Wells, who with her daugh-
ter was on board the Priscilla when she
collided with the steamer Powhattsn near
Newport, Ri, the night of July s, gives
a graphic account Of the experience, in
part as follows:
Coming from visit in New Hampshire,
my daughter, Blanche H. Wells, and myself
took the Fall River boat Priscilla from Bos-
ton to New York, July s, about p. M.
After warm day in Boston the airy, pala-
tial steamer, fine breeze, good music and
pleasant passengers gave prospect of happy
journey. Soon after we started a dense fog
settled down and most of the passengers re-
tired early. Our stateroom was on the port
side, midships. At five minutes of Il the
steamer was shaken with great crash, a
great hole was town from the port. side ex-
tending from deck to the extreme depth.
The boats collided almost bow on, each on
the port side, and about twenty feet from
the stem. Our steamer had the bow nearly
cut off, and four of the compartments for
safety torn open. This threw the stern out
of the water and the rudder was useless.
1t Is thought that the blow would have been
fatal except for the calm night. We were
about an hours run from Newport, between
Point Judith and Breton's Reef lightship.
The steamers parted at, once, the Powhat-
tan officers claiming they could not avert
the blow. They were injured. but able to
return 10 newport Inc SIelu VI Luo 1oW-
haitian merchants and Miners Line) pene-
trated fully twenty feet into the hold of the
Priscilla just forward Of the engine room.
The steering engine and sleeping quarters of
the crew were wrecked and one OF the crew,
Joan Monoz, was instantly killed, his body
being pinnioned by the wrecked tinbers The
steel plates were wrenched from the bow, and
the dynamo wrecked SO the great steamer
was at once plunged in darkness
horth
stateroom door, the colored .porters were
knocking at the staterooms as fast as pos
sible, warning all to leave stateroonls at once
They all had on life preservers, and although
they tried to reassure the passengers the
faint light of the few candles, the only light
available until the welcome daylight, gave
very. wierd appearance to everything. Be-
fore retiring we had both tried on our lire
preservers, and when we found the steamer
was sinking and all the lifeboats lowered
no one dressed completely, but put on, hur-
riedly, some garments and the life preservers
and wrapped the bed blankets around them
until the pumping had raised the boat again
about two feet. There was no confusion, no
fainting or screaming, but a scene one would
never want to have repeated. Everyone was
most kind and considerate,: and although the
distress signals blew continually no aid ar
rived until after 3 o'clock in the morning,
when the Puritan, the mate Of the PRISCILLA
came near, and the lighthouse, shipA as the
engine was disabled, as soon as 1t became
light, the other, steamers tried to tow us
into, Newport, but the cables broke three
times, and it was not until nearly noon that
we were brought to port, ..>-. :-...-c !
Captain Simmons and the crew behaved
admirably After the Immediately danger
was over and daylight came, one could almost
be amused at some of the grotesque slghts.
gentleman with life-preserver under MS
overcoat attempted to come through mar
row passageway, carrying his suit case, an
other wore pajamas and carried cane Had
the collision occurred a few feet further art,
the captain said, the boat might have SUNK
= Before: leaving the steamer: the passengers
sang the Doxology. A purse OF $l3o was
raised for the family of the man killed.