Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-03-21
MANY DEATHS FROM
COLLISION OF BOATS
Crowded Steamers Crash In
Dense Fog.
BOTH VESSELS MAKE PORT.

Believed that Death List VIII Be
swelIed When steerage compart.
ments Are Examin ed-Party v. S.
Marines Have Close Call.
New London, Conn, March 20.-In
the fog which descended on the waters
of Long Island sound last night the
big Fall River passenger steamer Ply
mouth from New York for Fall River,
with 800 passengers and a crew of 200
men, was run down while passing
through the Race by the freight steam
er City of Taunton, or the same line,
bound for New York.
full 100 feet of the starboard of
the vessel was mashed in as if 1t had
been paper, the state rooms of the
second cabin were entirely cut away,
while down in the hold members of
the crew who were asleep in the steer
age We're drowned by the torrent of
water which rushed through the great
gap made by the bow of the freight
steamer.
The shock greatly terrified the peo-
pie aboard the ship, but they exaEfss>
ed remarkable self-control, and there
was no panic.
The collision occurred after the ves-
sci had slowly made her way up the
sound through the fog until she reach
ed a point east Of Gull Island. The
City of Taunton drove up out of the
fog and when she was sighted by the
officers of the Plymouth was too close
to avoid the collision.
There was quick exchange of sig
nails and then the crash. The bow
of the City of Taunton penetrated 10
feet into the hull of the Plymouth,
and as she backed away she raked the
upper works Of the passenger vessel,
tearing out the second cabin and rip
ping the state rooms to pieces. Water
poured into the hold and drowned the
men IN their bunks. The Plymouth
was Immediately headed for this city.
1t was thought at one time that the
ships company would have to take
to the boats, but the closing of the col
tision bulkheads prevented the water
from gaining, and the boat gained the
harbor and wharf unassisted.
There was no way of telling imme-
diately how many persons perished.
Six are dead certainly, and in the mass
of debris from the wrecked cabin and
state rooms there may be several more
bodies, while in the steerage, it Is
thought there are bodies of others
drowned besides those reported.
AS the Plymouth was being made
fast to the wharf there was seen to
be hole 10 feet square in her hull
on the starboard side, about 35 feet
from her bow, while for 100 feet her
joined work had been carried away, in
Guiding the entire second cabin and
seven state rooms on the saloon deck.
The known dead are:
John Mccarthy, watchman, head cut
off
Snow Coleman, negro pantryman,
drowned
julius Dawson, negro mess man,
drowned
John Bristol, negro waiter drowned.
John Williams, negro barber,
drowned.
Jonathan w. Thompson, of Wilkes
barre, Pa, skull shattered.
The injured are:
Patrick Dale, coal trimmer, of New
York, arm torn off.
Michael Kilduff, passenger, of Bos.
ton, right foot cut.
Unknown man, severe scalp wound
Unknown man, cut on cheek.
Italian emigrant, cut on forehead.
- Samuelson, slightly injured.
OF the injured, 1t is thought Pat
rick Dales cannot recover.
Captain Davis, of the Plymouth, de.
clined to make any statement concern
Ing the accident at this time.
Captain T. r. Lowe, of the United
States marine corps, with Lieutenant
w c. Hartney and 75 marines, occu
pied the second cabin on the side
where the crash was felt All OF the
marines carried their spare clothes
and their knapsacks and most of TIE
latter are thought to be lost. None OF
the marines were killed or injured.
The City of Taunton made this port
at :45 o'clock this morning with her
bow stove in and her pumps working
Her bulkhead saved her from sinking
Hrs. Black-Sam Johnson done left
ais wife bout six mont's ago.
Mr.. Black-Do she tink he am neb-
hah comm back?