The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-06
TWENTY OR MORE DEAD
Fog Whistles Screaming, the Vessels Loom
Up Out Of the Obscurity and Each At
tempts 10 Swsrye but Too
Late---Lifs Boat
SwamDed.
Swamped.

Norfolk. Va, May "a collision at
sea that cost the lives of twenty or more
people and the sinking of the Clyde
steamship Saginaw by the Old Dominion
Steamship Companys liner Hamilton, oc-
Cured between Winter Quarter Light
ship and Fenwick Island Lightship on
the Virginia coast, at 4:40 o'clock this
morning. The Hamilton left New YorL
yesterday afternoon at o'clock for
Norfolk. and the Saginaw passed out tic
Virginia capes at O'Clock last night
bound from Richmond and Norfolk for
Philadelphia A dense fog settled along
the coast shortly after nightfall, and
both vessels were going at reduced speed
when the crash occurred.
The scene of the collision is about
thirteen or fourteen miles off the shore
and between $50 and 200 miles south of
New York or between 126 and 140 miles
north of Norfolk.
The fog whistles o fboth vessels were
distinctly heard by each other for sew
eral minutes before the collision occur
red. According to Captain Boaz of the
Hamilton, the ship was going about niae
miles an hour and the Saginaw about
ten The fog was so thick that objects
a ships length away were invisible and
when the two crafts hove in sight of
each other, bow on, there was but a
moments interim before they met.
The Saginaw veered as did the Ham
ilton, but they had not the time to clear
each other and the knife-like steel prov
OF the southbound vessel struck the Clyde
ship on the port quarter about twenty
feet from her stern, cutting the entire
rear of the ship away. The inrushing
water caused the Saginaw to settle rapid
ly in the stern and the impetus of the
Hamilton took her out of sight of the
crippled vessel. Engines already re-
versed, were put fun steam to the rear
and the Hamilton circled to the scene
of the wreck, at the same time lowering
two life boats. There was CONSERVATION
among the passengers of the Old Domin-
ion ship, and the first thought We're for
their safety. but sc soon as it was dis
covered that the ship was uninjured save
some bow plates being stove in all efforts
were directed TO the rescue of the Sagi-
naw's company.
When the Saginaw was again
Slgnted Der stern was under water
and her bow high in the air. Panic
stricken people rushed over her decks
scrambled toward the bow Life boats
were being lowered and into the first
fifteen colored women were placed ac-
cording to second officer w L. Morriss,
who was in command The boat was
swamped as ii struck the water and its
occupants were thrown into the sea. All
were drowned save the second officer and
the colored stewardcss, who was caught
by first officer Goslee and held until a
boat from the Hamilton reached them
The woman was pulled in but the gal
liant mate sank Immediately. The wo-
man died before the small boat reached
the Hamilton, more from injuries received
by the impact Of the collision than by
drowning.
In the meantime the rush of waters
into the bowels Of the Saginaw had
caused the decks to burst from their
fastenings with a roar like the report OF
big guns and tons of freight of all de-
scriptions soon Uttered the sea. To these
the struggling people in the water clung
with desperation born of almost des-
pair and many were thus rescued by the
boats from the Hamilton and Saginaw.
Before the life boats Of the Hamilton
had reached the saginaw the latter had
disappeared beneath the waves and moth