Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-03-20
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
Fatal Collision ON the sound.

NcN IOHuOii, OOnH., mdrtu ZO.-
While feeling her way along from
New York to Boston, with her crew and
500 or more passengers aboard, the
steamer Plymouth, one Of the finest boats
of the Fall River line, was struck by the
freight steamer Taunton shortly after
midnight this morning. The Taunton
struck the Plymouth head on, cutting
a huge gaping hole in the starboard side
lust abaft the pilot house, scooping out
eight or ten state rooms, most OF them
occupied. on the main deck and the deck
lust above it, killing two of the occu-
pauts of these rooms and injuring others,
and tearing away large portion of the
underoody of the boat so that the water
was let into the steerage where at least
four, and perhaps more, of the walters
and mess hands of the steamer were
drowned as they were sleeping. A large
number of persons were slightly injured,
but fonly one was so seriously injured
that there are any fears of his recovery.
The Plymouth was proceeding slowly.
She was blowing her whistle and, hear
ing the whistles of the Taunton in close
proximity, she had come to complete
stop. She lay motionless, when out OF
the fog came the Taunton. The lat
ter boat was proceeding at fairly
good rate of speed, blowing her
whistle and ringing Iher bell. With
out the slightest warning which
could be needed the sharp prov of the
Taunton. sunk into the starboard side OF
Plymouth distance of eight or ten feet.
The force of the collision and the i'm
pact shook every inch of the great
steamer to her keel. The Taunton
backed and disappeared in the fog.
When the crash came many passengers
were thrown from their bertbs. They
rushed out on the decks and into the
cabins. Shrieks of terror were heard all
over the boat. From the point of collis-
ion there were groans and cries of those
who we're hurt. The excellent discipline
that prevailed among the officers and
crew alone ayerted panic. Officers
and men were sent about to quiet the
passengers, some of whom supposed the
boat would sink. Life preservers were
distributed The life boats and RATS
we're manned and made ready. The
pumps were started but it was soon dis
covered that the steamer was not IN
sinking condition. The fact that none
of the machinery was damaged and that
the electric lights were kept burning
throughout the accident helped to avert
the fear that prevailed that the boat
would sink. A boat in charge of one
of the mates with a force of men was
sent off in search of the Taunton. 1t
was believed at the time that she had
sunk, so quickly did she disappear in
the fog. The boat returned, however,
without making any discovery and the
Plymouth, order having been restored,
headed at once for this city. Slowly the
Plymouth steamed into the harbor and
made her dock. She came in display
ing signals of distress and blowing her
whistles. The whistle awoke many per-
sons in the city. Tugs at once put Oft
to the Plymouth and as soon as the news
of the collision was learned, went out
into the Sound in search of the Taunton.
The passengers on the Plymouth were
landed at the dock.
At 6 o'clock this morning the steamer
Nashua of the Fall River line came in
to this harbor with the Taunton in tow.
She had encountered the disabled
steamer in the sound and at once took
her in tow. The Taunton was uninjured,
so far as her machinery was concerned,
but had lost eight to ten feet of her nose.
None of the officers or crew of the
Taunton were hurt. They could tell
nothing about the collision, except that
they suddenly saw the lights of the Ply
mouth and felt the crash which was
inevitable, after which they lost track
of the disabled vessel in the fog and fell
their way about until overtaken by the
Nashua. The Taunton was docked in
this city and part of her freight was
taken by the Nashua, which proceeded
to New York.