The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-06
In Collision m a Dense Fog Twenty Souls Are Sent
 to the Bottom
HEARD THE WARNING BUT
 COULDN'T PREVENT CRASH
Steel Prov of the Hamilton Struck the Saginaw on Port Quarter and Cut Entire Stern of the Old
 Ship Away.

Entire Stern of the Old
 Ship Away.
 Norfolk, Va. May 5.--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 eompany's liner Hamilton oe- cured between Winter Quarter lightship and Fenwlck Island lightship on the Vir- ginia coast at 4:4o o'clock this morning.
 The Hamilton left New York yesterday afternoon at o'clock for Norfolk and the Saginaw passed out the Virginia capes at o'clock last night bound from Richmond and Norfolk for Philadelphia. A dense fog settled along the coast short ly after nightfall. and while going through this fog at reduced speed the Hamilton crashed into the Saginaw's side about twenty feet from the stern. The scene of the collision is about thirteen or fourteen miles off shore and between 1so and 200 miles south of New York and between 125 and 14o miles north of Nor folk.
 The fog whistles of both vessels were distinctly heard by each other for sey- eral minutes before the collision occurred. According to Captain Boaz of the Hamil- ton his 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 a pfoment's in terim before they met.
 Prov Cut Like Knife.
 The Saginaw veered, as did the Hamil- ton, but they had not 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 twenty feet from her stern cutting the entire rear of the ship away. The inrushing water caused the Saginaw to settle rapidly i'll the stern, but the impetus of the Hamil- ton took her out of sight of the crippled vessel. Engines, already reversed, were put full steam to the rear and the Hamil- ton circled to the scene of the wreck, at the same time lowering two lifeboats. There was consternation among the pas sengers of the Old Dominion ship, ana the first thought was for their safety; but so soon as it was discovered that the ship was uninjured, save that some bow plates were stove in, all efforts were di- rected to the rescue of those on the Sagi- naw.
 When the Saginaw was again sighted her stern was under water and the bow was high in the air Pane stricken people rushed over her decks ar.d scrambled to- ward the bow. The fife Loats were low cred and into the first colored women were placed according to Second Officer w. L. Morris, who was in command The boat was swamped as 1t struck the water, and its occupants were thrown into the sea. All were drowned save the second cook and the colored stewardess. The lat ter died before the smallboat reached the Hamilton, more from injuries received by the impact of the collision than by drown ing. She had been held up by First Mate Gosle, who sank himself as the small boat from the Hamilton reached them.
 Tons of Freight Uttered Sea.
 In the meantime the rush of waters into the bow of the Saginaw had caused the decks to burst from their fastenings with roar like the report of big guns and tons of freight of all kind soon filtered the sea. To floating wreckage the strug- gling people in the water clung with des- peration and many of them were rescued by the boats from the Hamilton. Before the life boats of the Hamilton had reach- ed the Saginaw the latter had disappear ed beneath the waves and nothing but her topmasts were visible. To these sev- eral men were clinging one of whom was the aged captain, J. S. Tunnel. When he was taken off, it was found that he had suffered serious internal injuries.
 The Hamilton lowered around the scene of the wreck for more than hour, but no sign of life could be seen among the mass of floating freight. Two bodies, one of a man and the other of a 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 IGHTIEu dI OlQ I1OlDls WHtIt lut I1dIHlllDll stopped for few moments on her way to Norfolk.
 She arrived at her pier in this city about o'clock this afternoon. Her bow plates are stove in and much wreckage stili clung to her. All damage, 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 a collection was taken up among the passengers to be dis tributed among them.
 List of Dead Difficult to Obtain. It was some time before any definite statement could be secured from the off, cials of either line regarding the real number of people lost and saved, and even now, after official lists have been given out, there Is a great discrepancy between tho statements of passengers and the company statement.
 According to the Clyde line officials, the names of only eighteen passengers are known, and 1t Is admitted by Second off. cer Morris that fifteen colored women, all of whom are now dead, were in the swamped life boat.
 The crew of the Saginaw numbered twenty-six all told. From the officers oi | the Clyde company here the following | list of passengers was obtained; E. B. Cole, Philadelphia; J. Trevor