The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-05
THIRTY DROWN.
Ocean Steamers Collide in a Fog
at Night.
Passengers Were Thrown Out Of
Bed by the Shock.
SAGINAW CUT IN TWO
BY the Impact of the Dominion
Liner Hamilton.
Disabled Vessel Sank in a Few
Minutes.

NeW OIk, May "a dispatch from
Norfolk reports that the Old Dominion
liner Hamilton and the Clyde liner Sag
inaw were in collision and that a num-
Der of passengers were drowned.
A long distance telephone report to
the Evening World places the number
of drowned at 20. The collision occur
red at 12:4O a. m. off Hog island. The
Saginaw was bound for Philadelphia
from Norfolk. She carried a crew OF 20
men and 20 passengers. The Hamilton
carried a full crew and more than 100
passengers. Soon after passing the
Jersey coast, the Hamilton ran into
fog which lasted all night. 1t is believed
that this fog was responsible for the
accident. The Hamilton was going at
three-quarters speed off Hog island
when the passengers We're suddenly
thrown from their berths and in an in
stant all was confusion and as the pas
sengers managed to reach the deck
they learned that there had been q col
lisiOn- In the fog could be seen dlmly
across the bows of the Hamilton.
steamer about her own size.
Those on board the other steamship
shouted that they We're sinking and III
reply to questions answered tnat their
boat was a Clyde line steamer and that
the name was the Saginaw The Sagi-
nav had been struck about 20 feet from
the stern on the StarbOard side and he-
stern had been cut through as cleanly
as If it had been done by men in a dry
dock. The stern sunk almost immedI-
ately, and the forward part drifted sew
eral hundred yards. AS soon as possible
the boats OF the Hamilton, which had
been made ready after the collision.
were Lowered. The thick fog made il
impossible Cor the crew of the Hamilton
TO work. and IN a few minutes before
the boats reached her the Saginaw was
going down She settled slowly anu
then went down with suction tha
almost drew the boats of the Hamilton
after her. In the darkness could Be
heard the cries of those on the Saginaw.
In the water and ciinging to WreckaEs
was number of persons and as many
as possible OF these were pulled into the
boa is of the Hamilton When the sur
ViVOrs were taken on board the Hamii-
ton they were made comfortable AMI
after waiting around to pick up any one
that might have clung TO wreekage the
Hamilton proceeded on her way.
She was only slightly damaged. The
Saginaw was sunk in ten fathoms Of
water and her masts We're sticking out
Of water According TO a dispatch from
Fortress Monroe the number of persons
rescued by the Hamilton was 20. This
report places the number of drowned at
80
Hog island, off which the wreck oc-
CURED. is on the coast of Virginia, a
SDOIl NAcNdnGt dDORC AdiG A-46IAGZs
A report to the Old Dominion line
office here says:
The collision occurred at 4:30 today
in a thick fog off the Delaware Capes
near winter quarters lightship. Ten or
twelve people are missing, supposed to
be drowned. They were passengers and
two members of the crew, all of the
Saginaw The Saginaw was struck on
the port aft. the quarter which was cut
off. leaving a big opening in her mold
The sea ran in and she sank within
half an hour after the collision Only
the body of the steWardess of the Sag
inaw has been recovered
The Hamilton of the Old Dominion
line, was only slightly damaged having
her stem and a few plates twisted She
proceeded on her way and arrived AT
Norfolk Va, today.
Philadelphia, May Sat the office OF
the Clyde line in this city it was stated
that no official information had been
received Of the loss of the Saginaw. the
Norfolk agent of the company not hav-
ing been heard from.
The Saginaw is a freight steamship
with accommodations for about forty
passengers. and she had been in service
I between this port and Richmond and
Norfolk for about two years She was
commanded by Capt. James Tunnel. of
this city, and nearly all Of her crew OF
about 90 men were shipped here.
Washington, May 5--A special to the
Star from Newport News says % of the
passengers of the Saginaw were
drowned and that nine We're rescued.