The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-06
Leads all North Carolina Daies i'm News % Circulation

CURED and the first officer of the Old
Dominion ship was also at the wheel OF
his vessel.
From all accounts obtainable the dense
ness of the fog made high speed peril
Gus and both ships were going al reduced
rates. Their fog whistles were kept
blowing regularly and were distinctly
heard by each other before the crash.
Passengers and most Of the Grew on
both ships We're asleep below when the
disaster happened and when the terri
Bile shock and grinding noise awakened
them panic-stricken rush for safety
took place.
The discipline of the crews was ad-
mirable and women first" was the ini-
tial command of Captain Tunaell after
the life boats had been prepared for low
ering The frightened colored women
piled into the first boat of the Sagi-
nav and all lost their lives.
The first two boats from the Hamilton
first made a brief survey of that vessels
condition, and seeing that no serious in
jury had been sustained, fastened to the
Saginaw.
The following statement was made to
the press representatives by Captain
Boaz, of the Hamilton, this afternoon:
1T was clear when we left New York
yesterday afternoon, but we ran into
a fog bank four miles north of Egg Har-
Dor, the fog lasting until we reached
Cape Charles this morning. 1t was about
4:40 this morning and we were proceeding
at about 8 knots an hour. We had been
under reduced speed since encountering
hn {
length ahead, when we heard whistle
On the starboard bow two points ahead
stopped the Hamilton and then 1 heard
another whistle. Suddnly the Saginaw
lcomed up three points on the bow and
the Saginaw attempted to run across of
the Hamiltons bow. We backed at full
speed but struck the Saginaw on the
port quarter. In a very short time she
went down. When the Hamilton backed
off she was settling. We lowered two
boats but meanwhile the Saginaw had
lowered their boats and raft. l picked
up two of these boats and raft. The
third was probably sunk
Purser Mccormick, of the Hamilton,
estimates that the Saginaw sank with
in ten minutes after the collision, though
there are others who say that the time
that life boats were lowered from both
vessels immediately after they struck
One~~of these from the Saginaw filled
with passengers was overturned in the
suction and all hands were thrown into
the water. The passengers and crew OF
the Saginaw We're rescued in all ways.
Some We're taken from the water and
others from the boat just before she
went down.
Captain j. s. Tunnel, of the Saginaw,
did not leave his vessel until the last
minute. He was finally taken from the
rigging of the sinking ship and when
gotten aboard the Hamilton was found
to be badly injured. At this writing he
is now on the Hamilton under the care
OF a physician. His injuries are serious,
but not fatal.
Engineer Seller, of the Saginaw, re-
ported the Clyde officials here this af-
ternoon that the Saginaw lies in fifteen
fathoms of water. First Mate Goslee,
of the Saginaw, is among those missing
The CLYDE estimate of the missing is SIX
of the crew and nine passengers. This
is the report that the Clyde officials sent
their home office in Philadelphia.
The Hamilton was in command of Cap
fan r B. Boaz No one on the Old Do
minion boat was hurt and the vessel was
only damaged about the bow. This dam
age is comparatively small "heh al
things are considered.
C K. Berwin, of New York. who Is
stopning at the Monticello Hotel, was one
O fthe passengers on the steamer Hamll-
ton which was in the collision. His ac-
count of the wreck is most graphic He
said:
Fog settled down like pail on the
ocean about seven o'clock last nlght'
Suddenly when we were two hours late
this morning, six bells rang and l knew
something was wrong. The crash came
next and a grinding which made the snip
shiver. Nothing had happened to our
ship below But then came the terrible
sight AS l stood there gazing out TO
sea, the Saginaw appeared with twenty
feet of her stern torn completely away.
So cleanly was this part cut OH, that
could look right into the steamer at that
time she was still afloat but she ulcly
disappeared in the dense fog and sank
lust seventeen minutes after the crash
The first thought was for our own safety
and our own boats were lowered and the
null examined. When it was found not
injured then the captain and his crew
turned towards the other boat hoping to
same some human lives. When the Ham
ilton circled and we again saw the
steamer through the fog and mist only
her two masts were showing as she was
scuttled and resting quietly on the bot
TOM 1t was providential that the sea
was quiet. Our boats brought off 16 peo-
pie, four of whom were white. The cap
tain was lashed to the mast with on White
passenger, but two of his ribs were
were broken. So great was the confu-
sion that one man put life preservers on
his feet and when seen later drowned
floating feet up.
| f. R. Cole. of Philadelphia, who was
saved from the Saginaw, had just sold
out his business in Newport News and
was enroute home. He placed $500 and
a diamond pin beneath his pillow before
retiring. When the crash came all
thought of valuables was forgotten and