The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-25
CORNINGSUNK OFF NORWALK
STARIN LINE STEAMER BREAK
 ING UP ON THE ROCKS

Heavy Seas Last Night Causes yVrscksr
 to Abandon Her work-Dsnse Fog
 Caused the cornIng's Departure from
 the Course-AiI Passengers Saved and
 Freight Taken from the Vessel Intact.
 South Norwalk, Dec. 24.-A heavy sea, kicked up by a high southwest wind, breaks over the stranded Starin line steamer Brastus Corning, which is on the rocks off Copp's Island, opposite Norwalk harbor, and it is believed like ly that the vessel will break up before morning. On account of the heavy weather the big wrecker which was sent to the Corning's assistance was compelled to abandon the work this af- ternoon and withdraw under the shell ter of Goose Island for the night No small boats dared remain in the dan gerous vicinity of the wreck during the night. Apparently the timbers of the steamer, which were greatly weakened by the shock, are weakening, and the hull appears to be slowly settling deep- CT into the water.
 The Erastus Corning left New Haven at 10:15 o'clock last night. She encoun- tered thick weather in the sound, and was proceeding slowly under the direc- ton of the pilot, W. w. Dabol, who was on watch, when at 2:10 o'clock she sud- denly went on the rocks. It was not until nearly daylight that her comman- der, Captain A. H. Thompson, and the other officers were able to tell exactly where they were located. They were surprised to find the vessel lying on Copp's Island, about mile off her usu- al course.
 The full list Of passengers on board the Corning, as given by Purser Mat tlleWs, is as follows:
 V. M. Clark, J. Fenton, J. MacCor-, mack, H. Bird, P. Schipiro, Frank Fas- ulo, Mrs. c. Shepard, J. w. Swift, MT. Walker, E. Reisback, J. McCaush MT. and Mrs. A. Fisher, B. Klenn MT. and Mrs. Edward Wilson, Mr. and Mrs An tonic Credel, Mrs B. Scoville, Miss H. Schipiro, J. Schipiro and Mrs. Kane.
 The Erastus Corning was built in 1857 in Brooklyn, N. Y. She is of 250 net tonnage, IF feet long, and draws eight feet of water.
 In the very dense fog which hung over the sound like pail early yester- day morning the Starin line steamer Erastus Corning went out of her course on the trip to New York. and at about 2 o'clock in the morning ran on the reefs of Copp's Island, just outside of NorWalk harbor. A hole two feet square was stove in the starboard side of the steamer amidships, and she quickly filled with water and sunk in about fifteen feet of water.
 5 While there was an exceptional amount of confusion among the thirty five passengers, and one woman, Miss H. Schipiro, jumped overheard, none of the passengers was lost and all reached a place of safety in a short while. Miss Sehipiro was picked up by Frederick Delaney, one of the members of the crew, and both were taken from the water unharmed by one of the lifeboats which had put out from the wreck A small boat put from the boat with six persons in her, and in the confusion this boat was lost to view and much apprehension was felt for the safety of the occupants. Late yesterday nlorn- ing. however, they managed to reach the shore and four of them returned to New Haven, while the rest went on to New York. On board this boat were H. Bird, J. McCaush, Miss Schipiro, Mrs. F. Wilson, Mrs. c. Shepard and Mrs A. Fisher, all of them being from New Haven.
 Immediately after the accident, and as soon as Captain A. H. Thompson realized where the steamer had gone ashore and that she would not sink en- tirely, he dispatched several members of the crew to Norwalk in q steam launch They immediately secured the Addie V., a large tug, which took off al, the remtining passengers in safety. Some of them in their hurry for the decks left their personal effects In the statereoms and were Tn consequence thinly clad. Most of them on reaching, dry land once again, and accompanied by the purser, E, E, Matthews, of New Haven, boarded the next train for New York city.
 The passengers cared for, the officers next turned their attention to the freight and a nasty inspection seemed! to show that everything would be wa ter-soaked, but the encouraging and gratifying news was received here last night that all of the freight had been taken from the steamer intact and un- injured by the water, and had been for warded to New York city by several other smaller steamers. Among other shipments of freight was a stock of powder and cartridges, the property of the Winchester Repeating Arms con- pany, of this city, valued at $5,OO0. This freight, it was last night reported, was also taken from the vessel undamaged.
 The William E. Chapman, of the Merritt & Chapman Wrecking compa- ny, was, shortly after the occurrence, dispatched to the scene of the wreck and immediately proceeded to work to raise the sunken vessel.
 The steamer Glen Island has been laid up for some time having her boil CTS repaired, and as she is about ready she will be pressed into service, conl- mencing the run from New York to- night.
 The exact damage to the Corning cannot be estimated