Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-03-27
CRASH DUE TO A FOG.
Big Steamers in Collision on Long
Island Sound.
Freighter City of Taunton Runs Into
Passenger Boat city of Plymouth
six Lives Lost-Both Vessels
Belong to Fall River Line.

travelling at moderate rate of
speed through Long Island sound
early Friday morning the big pas
senger steamer Plymouth, of the
Fall River line, bound for Fall River
from New York, and the freight
steamer City of Taunton, of the same
line, came into collision in the fog
just east of Plum Island, the bow of
the freight steamer raking the star
board side of the Plymouth and
causing the death of six of those on
board the Plymouth and serious in
jury to a number of others.
The known dead are: John Nc
Carthy, watchman, head cut off;
Snow Coleman, negro, pantry man,
drowned; Julius Dawson, negro, mess
man, drowned; John Bristol, negro,
waiter, drowned; John William, negro,
baker drowned; unident flied passen-
ger, thought to be G. II. Marston, New
York.
The responsibility for the accident
has not been determined and will
be the subject of an investigation. 1t
is said by the officers of the two YES
sells that both were going at fair
speed considering the fog, and that
there was not time after the warn
ing whistle which followed the look
outs discovery of the danger to avert
collision. The steamers apparently
were under good headway when they
met, the bow of the City of Taun-
ton, which was proceeding towards
the west, bound from Fall River to
.,..- 4o,~ s,.4.
the hull of the eastbound passenger
boat. AS the vessels pulled apart the
bow of the freight steamer raked the
upper works of the Plymouth, tearing
out the second cabin and ripping out
state rooms like card board. Seven
cabins in all were swept from the
starboard bow of the big passenger
boat.
AS soon as the disabled Plymouth
came into this port shortly after 3
o'clock Friday morning ambulances
were summoned to bear the injured
| to the hospital, where the passengers
were cared for until special train
could be made up to convey them
| and their effects to Boston, and the
work of searching for bodies of vic
| tins, members of the ships company
who were in the flooded forward
compartment, was begun. At 8 o'clock
| in the afternoon there remained one
| body in the lower cabin of the Ply
| mouth. that of John Briscoe. the
missing waiter
The number of passengers was
| larger than usual at this season,
about 550 and that more people did
not lose their lives is considered lit
| tie short of miraculous. A detach-
ment of United States marines, un-
! der the command of Capt. Low, who
were passengers on the Plymouth,
had peculiar experience. Awakened
from a sound sleep the soldiers
rushed from the lower cabin where
| they were quartered without outer
clothing or shoes. They were large
| ly instrumental in averting panic
among the other passengers, and
while engaged in this laudable work
their clothing and effects were lost.
| The soldiers made outer coverings of
blankets and even cut the blankets
into strips and wound them around
their feet to replace their shoes. In
| this condition the marines boarded
, special train for Boston.
The Captains story.
| Later, Capt. Davis, of the Plymouth,
| gave brief version of the accident. He
said he was in the pilot house and was
particularly alert because of the
dense fog. "As the vessels neared
each other" he said, 81 quickly rang
| for full speed astern and l heard the
bell of the City of Taunton give the
same signal. The accident occurred
| just east of Plum island. The City
of Taunton was heard to sound the
distress signal as she backed off and
| pulled away from our vessel. We
could not see the other vessel, be-
cause the fog was so dense. but from
the fact of her sounding distress sig
nails we assumed that she had received
serious injuries. Our forward bulk
head saved us, but l thought the only
and safest course was to make for the
nearest port"
| The Fall river freight line steamer
| City of Taunton, the craft that col
lided with the Plymouth, was pro.
ceeding, according to her officers, at
somewhat reduced speed. Her whis.
tie. was frequently sounded. 1t was
not until the Plymouth's huge sides
! loomed up in the mist that her close
proximity was even dreamed of. The
, City of Taunton's bow was crushed
I n, but the hole was, fortunately,
.bove the water line and there was
danger of sinking. Continually
1unding whistles of distress the
Taunton slowly made her way into
this harbor. The tug Harriet went
to the Taunton's assistance and aided
the crippled steamer in making her
wharf.
Murderer COnfcsses.
| Charlotte, N. c., March 21.-A spe.
| cial from Reidsville says: Thursday
| night Sidney Blair, a farmer, aged