The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1903-05-08
A SCORE Of LIVES LOST.
The Steamers Hamilton and Sagi-
nav in Collision OFF the
Virginia Coast.
LATTER WAS CUT IN TWO AND SUNK.
Boats From the Hamilton Rescued
n Portion of the Passengers and
Crew Of the Saginaw, Hut II II
Believed That at Least Thirty
Persons Perished.


Norfolk, Va, May Ga collision at
sea that cost the lives of twenty or
more people and the sinking of the
Clyde steamer Saginaw by the Old
Dominion Steamship Co.'S liner Ham
ilton, occurred between Winter Quar-
ter lightship and Fenwick Island
lightship, on the Virginia coast, Tues
dey morning. A dense fog settled
along the coast shortly after night
fall, and while going through this fog
at reduced speed the Hamilton
crashed into the Saginaw's side about
twenty feet from the stern. The fog
whistles of both vessels were distinct
ly heard by each other for several
minutes before the collision oc-
CURED. According to Capt Boaz Of
the Hamilton his ship was making
about nine miles an hour and the
Saginaw about ten. The fog was so
thick that objects ships length
away were invisible, and when the
two crafts hove in sight OF each 9TH
er, bow on, there was but a moments
interim before they met.
The Saginaw veered, as did the
Hamilton, but they had not time to
clear each other, and the knife-like
steel PROV Of the south-bound vessel
struck the Clyde ship on the port
quarter about twenty feet from her
stern, cutting the entire rear of the
ship away. The in-rushing water
caused the Saginaw to settle rapidly
at the stern, and the impetus of the
Hamilton took her out of sight of
the crippled vessel There was con-
sternation among the passengers of
the Old Dominion ship, and the first
thought was for their safety, but so
soon as it was discovered that the
ship was uninjured save that some
bow plates were stove in, all efforts
were directed to the rescue of those
on the Saginaw.
When the Saginaw was again sight
ed her stern was under water and her
bow was high in the air. Panic
stricken people rushed over her decks
and scrambled toward the bow. Life
boats were lowered, and into the first
Is colored women were placed, ac-
cortiing to Second Officer w. NJ. Nor
ris, who was in command.
Lifeboat Swamped.
The boat was swamped as it struck
the water and its occupants were
thrown into the sea. All were
drowned save the second officer and
the colored stewardess. The latter
died before the small boat reached
the Hamilton, more from injuries re-
ceived by the impact of the collision
than by drowning. She had been held
up by First Mate Goslee, who sank
himself as the small boat from the
Hamilton reached them. In the mean
time the rush of waters into the
bow Of the Saginaw had caused the
decks to burst from their fastenings
with a roar like the report OF big
guns, and tons of freight of all de-
scriptions soon Uttered the sea. TO
floating wreckage the struggling peo-
pie in the water clung with despera-
tion, and many of them were rescued
by the boats from the Hamilton.
Before the lifeboats of the Hamil-
ton had reached the Saginaw the lat
ter 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, J. s. Tunnel. When he
was taken off il was found that he
had suffered severe internal injuries.
Signs of Life Disappear.
The Hamilton hovered around the
scene of the wreck for more than an
hour, but no sign of life could be
seen among the mass of floating
freight. Two bodies, one of man
and the other of woman, clad only
in night dress, were observed drifting
between bales of cotton and cases of
goods.
Purser Mccormick of the Hamilton
estimates that the Saginaw sank
within ten minutes after the COLI
sion, though there are others who say
that the time was probably longer.
The purser stated that lifeboats were
lowered from both vessels Immediate
ly after they struck. One of these
from the Saginaw, filled with passen-
gers, was overturned in the suction
and all hands were strown into the
water. The passengers and crew of
the Saginaw were rescued in various
ways. Some were taken from the
water and other from the boat just
before she went down.
Capt. j. S. Tunnel of the Saginaw
did not leave his vessel until the last
minute. He was finally taken from
the rigging of the sinking ship, and
when gotten aboard the Hamilton
was found to be badly injured.