The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-05-08
WAS ABOARD
The Hamilton in the
Fearful Collision at
Sea Tuesday
NOW IN THE CITY
Er. William Marshall Arrived Last
Scene-Interyiewed by n Messenger
Representatiye-He Gives Graphic
Description.

One of the passengers on board the
liner Hamilton when the fearful diSas-
ter, that caused the loss of many lives,
occurred on the Virginia coast Tuesday
morning between that ship and the
Clyde line steamship Saginaw, arrived
in the city last night from Norfolk. He
is Mr.. William Marshall, secretary and
general manager of the Anglo American
Yarnish Company, of Newark, n. J.,
and is here to see officials of the At
Iantic Coast Line. His name appears
as the first on the list of those on board
the Hamilton, published in yesterdays
Norfolk Virginian-PiIOt. He has been
and is now quite an extensive traveller,
and consequently his description Of the
collision is valuable as a matter Of cor
rect information and valuable for It's
entertaining nature.
Mr.. Marshall is a gentleman of most
interesting and pleasing address and a
Messenger representative spent a thor
on ushly pleasant hour in his company
The story given of the disaster by Mr..
Marshall is both graphic and enter
tanning. He says:
1T was an awful sight, and yet. I
suppose, it was one of the very quiet
est tragedies that has ever occurred to
have been attended with such a fear
full result. 1 was a passenger on the
Hamilton, bound from New York to
Norfolk. and our ship was moving
h 7iCrLt Of h1
the fog was heavy and thick. 1 retired
to my stateroom about II o'clock and
went to sleep. About 4:1O O'Clock j
was awakened by the furious blowing
of the ships whistle. I ascertained
the time and. after perceiving that the
fog was still dense, I went back to
sleep. y second time I was awakened
by the ringing of the bell, which 1
knew was Il signal for the engines to
reverse. This meant that something
was wrong. I also felt the vibration of
the ship. Immediately 1 arose and peered
out Of the portfolio. From this ship
window l had an excellent view Of
what was transpiring outside, as my
staterOom was located about midships
on the saloon deck. 1 saw the stern of
=. large steamship crossing the Ham,
iltOn's bow. At the time L thought the
ships would clear each other, but such
was not the case, as the next moment
the Hamilton, which was going very
slowly. struck the other ship about five
feet astern. The upper works of the
latter ship I saw fall when the collision
came but so gentle was the shock and
as 1T caused no apparent excitement, L
though nothing serious had resulted.
However. I, of course, dressed at once
and was on deck about seven minutes
after the collision occurred. When l
arrived on deck the Saginaw had drift
ed past the HamiltOn's port side, and
was aStern to the StarbOard. The snip
was about 1000 feet away and her
stern was we'll down and her bow we'll
up. On board the Hamilton We still
thought there was no Immediate dan
ger menacing the Saginaw. and. from
an examination made. we knew that
our ship was perfectly safe Then
came n whistle of distress and two
boats were immediate launched from
the Hamilton, which had not Circled
around the Saginaw. as was reported.
but which had always stood by ready
to help. Three boats were also launch
ed from the Saginaw. The Hamilton
life boats had hardly been launched
and were only about % feet away when
the shocking finale came. 1t was q
most spectacular and appalling S1ght
and carried anguish to every heart.
From the Saginaw there came across
the water a united dismal wall Of
mental agony and then the Saginaw
Iurched forward and sank. Nothing
was left visible save the mast5. TO
which were Clinging some of the hair
clad passenger. One of the trio OF life
boats launched from the Saginaw met
an awful fate. AS the i'll fated steamer
settled and sank the great suction drew
under and capsiZed one of the boats.
which contained the first officer of the
Saginaw and fifteen colored women.
and all save one of the women. were lost
Another one of the women. the stew
ardoss of the Saginaw. was picked up
in n diving condition. She died just as
she was being taken aboard To her
eycitable action is attributed thn cap
sizing OF the boat. as IT IS SAID she
clung. in her excitement to one OF the
sides OF the boat and as she was W0-
man of huge size her weight was TOO
much for the boat to overcome the
suction. Our two boats afforded rescue
TO = number and brought them safely
to the Hamilton, where. with those
saved by the Saginaw's uwO boats. they
were Immediately cared for. The saved
included both members of the crow and
= number of passengers. All were soak
ing wet and nearly all of the latter
only half clad. All were furnlShei win
dry clothing and thoroughly adnin1S-
tered to within fifteen minutes after
they arrived on board The Hamilton
remained on the scene for some time.
ready and looking for an opportunity
to give aid. but all earthly aid had
been given"
Mr. Marshall will remain in Winning
ton until tomorrow. when he goes di-
rectly from here to Savannah. HIS
company is one of the largest and most
we'll known in the country.
Welcome Visitors.