The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-05-06
In the Collision Yesterday of
the Coast Line Steamers.
Captain of the Inflated Ship Remain
ed at His Post and Was Taken
on After She Had Sunk.
PASSENGERS PANIC sTRloKEN


sea, that cost the lives of twenty OF
more people, and the sinking of the
Clyde Line steamer Saginaw by the
Old Dominion Steamship company's
liner Hamilton, occurred between Win
ter Quarter lightship and Fenwick Is
land llghtship, on the Virginia coast,
at 4:iO O'Clock yesterday morning.
A dense fog settled along the coast
shortly after nightfall, and while 60
ing through this fog at reduced speed
the Hamilton crashed into the Sagi-
naw's side about 90 feet from the
stern.
The fog whistles Of both vessels
were distinctly heard by each other
for several minutes before tho collis-
ion occurred. According to Captain
Boaz of the Hamilton, bis ship was
making about nine 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,
bows on, there was but moments in
term before they met. The Saginaw
veered, as did tine Hamilton, but they
had no time to clear each other and
the knife like steel Prov OF the south
bound vessel struck the Clyde ship on
the port quarter about go feet from her
stern, cutting the entire rear Of the
ship AWAY. The inrushing water
caused the Saginaw TO settle rapidly in
the stern and the impetus of the Ham
ilton took her out of sight of the Grip
pied vessel.
When the Saginaw was again sighted
her stern was under water and her
bow was high in the sir. Panic
strioked people rushed over her decks
and scrambled toward the bow. Life.
boats were lowered, and into the first
fifteen colored women were placed &C
cording to Second Officer W. l.. Nor
ris, who.was in command. The boat
was swamped as It struck the water
and its occupants xsere thrown into
the sea. All were drowned save the
second officer and the stewardess. The
latter died before the small boat reach
ed the Hamilton, more from injuries
received by the impact OF the coils.
ion than by drowning. She had been
held up by First Mate Goslee, who
sank himself as the small boat from
the Hamilton reached them.
/ Before the lifeboats of the Hamilton
had reached the Saginaw the latter had
disappeared beneath the waves, and
nothing but her topmasts were visible.
To these several men were olinging,
one OF whom was the nged captain, j.
s. Tunnel. When he was taken off il
was found that he had suffered serious
internal injuries.
The Hamilton lowered around the
scene of the wreck for more than an
hour, but no sign of life could be seen
among the mass of floating freight.
Two bodies. one OF man and the 9th
or of woman, both clad only in night
dress, were observed drifting between
bales of cotton and cases of goods.
The first news OF the disaster was
learned at Old Point. where the Ham .
ilton stopped for few moments on
her way to Norfolk.
She arrived at her pier in this city
about 3 O'Clock in the afternoon. Her
bow plates are stove in, and much
wre,ksge still cluug to her. All dam.
age, however, was above the water
line.
The survivors Of the Saginaw on
board the Hamilton, had been given
clothing by the passengers and seamen
Of the more fortunate vessel, and q col
lection was taken up among the pas
sengers to be distributed among them.
According 20 the Clyde line officials
only IS passengers are known, and it is
admitted by the second officer. Morris,
that 1 8 colored women, who are given
mp as lost, were in the swsmped life
boat.