Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-22
Eight Persons injured, One
Of Them Very Seriously.
Schooner Rips Up Pilot House
And Deck Staterooms Like Paper.

Boston, Sept. 21.-Thc injury of six
passengers and two of the ships Off
GERS by collision at sea was reported
by the steamer Juniata of the Mer-
chants and Miners Transportation Co.
bound for Boston for Baltimore and
Norfolk, which put into this port, late
this afternoon, disabled, and badly
damaged. The Juniata was rammed.
last night, 80 miles off Chatham, by
the five masted schooner Harwood
Palmer. bound from Baltimore for
Portland. Me- with a cargo OF coal.
The injured:
j. w. Johnson. North Arlington,
Mass. leg broken. head cut and in
juVd internally, condition serious.
Mr. and Mrs. John c. Murray, South
Boston, bruised and badly shaken up
Mr.. and Mrs. F'riedell, Pittsburg,
Penna., bruised.
Corporal j. J. Mattingly. u. S. Ma
rinc Corps.
Captain z. Nickerson. of the Juniata
Quartermaster John Crockett.
No one on board the schooner was
injured.
That the accident did not result in
a general loss of life on the steamer
is considered remarkable by everyone
on board. The steamer had great
hole stove in her Starboard side amid
ship. her cabins from that point for
ward was ripped and torn into kim
ding wood, her pilot house was wreck
ed and the foremost and smokestack
were carried away.
The Juniata returned to her dock
here. this afternoon. and landed her
passengers and arrangements were
made TO transfer the cargo.
The Palmer lost her jibboom bow
spirit and headSear.
The accident occurred at $50 o'clock.
last night when the Juniata was
steaming around Cape Cod. A fog
hung over the vessel and the speed had
been reduced somewhat because of this
fact. A sharp lookout was being kept
and Capt. Nickerson was in the pilot
house personally directing the move
ments Of his ship.
Suddenly the lookout shouted warm
ing to the pilot house that Il big vessel
was to the starboard. Captain Nick
crson ordered that the wheel be put
hard over and the engines reversed. but
even as his order was being executed
tlit IdIHlliS VI huge SAILS ana nOafSe
shouts of alarm were heard and in less
than minute from the time the look
out shouted his warning. the steamer
was struck terrific blow squarely
amidsnipS on the starboard side.
Immediately following the first crash.
the schooner scraped along the side OF
the steamer, her spars and rigging turn
ing the upper deck into a mass of
wreckage. The staterooms and the
pilot house were torn apart as though
made of paper and that any of the pas
sensers. or Captain Nickerson and
Quartermaster John Crockett, escaped
alive. is considered almost miraculous.
The immense bowsprit of the schooner
after unroofing the stateroms and pilot
house became embedded in the upper
works and was snapped off short.
All aboard tie steamer remained
cool and there was not the slightest
evidence of panic. AS Il precaution-
airy measure, the life boats were made
ready by the crew, and sailors not thus
ngagcd went to the assistance of the
male passengers who were vigorously
working OH the mass of debris in
which several Of the passengers. Cap
tain NickerSon and Ouartermaster
Crockett were buried.
1t was soon found that J. w. John