The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-05-14
Two Steamships Crash In The
Fog.
THE SAGINAW SENT TO BOTTOM.
A Passenger Gives Z Graphic Descrip-
ton Of the Accideut-1he Discipline
of the Wrecked Vessels Crew Al.
m;rab.e.

Steamship Company's liner Hamilton,
occurred between Winter Quarter
Lightship and Fenwick Island Light
ship. On the Virginia coast, at 4:40
o'clock Friday morning. The Hamilton
left New York at 9 O'clock 70: Norfolk
and the Saginaw passed out OF the Vir-
ginia capes at o'clock Monday night
bound from Richmond and Norfolk for
Philadelphia. A dense fog settled along
the coas: shortly after nightfall and
both vessels were going at reduced
speed when the crash occurred. The
scane Of the collision is about l3 or "A
miles OF the shore and between 1S0 and
zoo miles south Of New York or be-
tween 120 and 140 miles north OF Nor
folk.
The fog whistles of both vessels were
distinctly heard by each other for sew
eral minutes before the collision occur
red. According to Captain Boaz, Of the
Hamilton, his ship was going about
nine miles an hour and the Saginaw
about ten. The fog was so thick that
objects a ships length away were in
visible and when the two crafts hove in
sight Of each other there was but &
moment before they met. The Sagi-
now veered as the Hamilton hove in
sight, but they had not the time to
clear each other and the knife-like
steel Prov OF the south-bound vessel
struck the Clyde snip on the port quar-
ter about 20 feet from her stern, cut,
ting the entire rear CT the ship away
The in-rusl ing water caused the Sagi.
nav to settle rapidly in the stern and
the impetus Of the Hamilton took he.
out of sight of the crippled vessel En-
gines, already reversed, were put full
steam to the rear and the Hamilton
circled the scene of the wreck, at the
same time towering two life-boats.
When the Saginaw was again sighted
her stern was under water and her bow
high in the air. Panlc-stricken people
rushed over her decks and scrambled
toward the bow. Life boats were being
lowered and into the first Is colored
women were placed, according to Sec
ond 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 except the second officer and
the colored stewardess, who was caught
by First Officer Goslee and held until
a boat from the Hamilton reached
them. The woman was pulled in, but
the gallant mate sank Immediately.
The woman died before the small boat
reached the Hamilton, more from in
juries received by the impact OF the
collision than by drowning. In the
meatime the rush Of waters into the
bow of the Saginaw had caused the
decks to burst their fastenings with a
roar like the report Of big guns and
tons of freight of all descriptions soon
Uttered the sea. To this the struggling
people in the water clung and many
were rescued by the boats from the
Hamilton and Saginaw.
Before the life-boat 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 clinging,
one of whom was the aged captain OF
the Saginaw, J. S. Tunnel. When he
was taken off it was found that he had
sustained severe, il not serious, inter-
ma! injuries. The Hamilton hovered
around the scene Of the wreck for over
an hour but no sign Of life could be
seen among the mass Of floating
freight. Two bodies. one Of man and
the otner OF woman, both clad l.
night dress, were observed drifting be-
tween tho bales OF cotton and cases c.
goods.
According to Clyde officials the
names of only Is passengers are
known and it is admitted by Second
Officer Morris that Is colored women,
all Of whom are now dead, were in the
Ewamped life boat.
The crew of the Saginaw numbered
26 all told. From the officers Of the
Clyde Company here the following list
Of passengers was obtained: E. B.
Cole, Philadelphia; J. Travor, Phila-
delphia; r. B. Younghead, Chester,
Pa; Geo. B. Hood. Philadelphia; H. F.
Winters, Camden, n. j., all white;
Mary A. Sandersol. Windsor, N. c.;
Morris Payner. Northwest. Va; John
Reese, Norfolk; Miller. Pennell, Nor
folk; Judson S. Wills, Berkley, Va;
David Rowland, Newport News; Mary
robertson, Florence Neby. Edna
Ward. N. E. Jones, p. T. Pen,'leton, A.
Gilmore. S. Jernigan, all colored.
Those known to lie lost are: G. A.
Gilmer, P. L. Penileton. Florence
Newby, Edna Ward, NJ E. Jones,
Mary oRbertsoI. Crew, Edward Cos
Ter. first mate; VIM. Bits, first assis-
tant engineer; Mary Anderson, Stew
ardcss; Cook, cook; VIM. Morris, stew
ard; unknown colored waiter. Peter
Swanson. lame negro of the crew, is
among the missing.
Just how many of the above passen-