The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-23
DOZEN WATER ACCIDENTS
COST DOZENS OF LIVES
Steamer Main Hit BY Sailing Vessel In
New York Harbor-Smaller Steam
ers Are Sunk In the
Great Lakes.

Cherbourg. November 22-rwo big lin
ers, the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse and
the Orinoco, eolided in the English chan
mel last night at o'clock. AS result
thirteen steerage passengers and sailors
were killed, each vessel was seriously
damaged and the two steamers have re-
turned to port for repairs. The Kaiser
Wilhelm der Crosse belongs to the North
German Lloyd Steamship company. She
carried 25S hrst-class passengers, 3S9 IN
the second cabin and 697 in the steerage'
She left Southampton and Cherbourg
Yesterday for New York. The Orinoco,
which belongs to the British Royal Mail
Service company, had cleared from
Southampton for West Indian ports and
New York The passengers on the Ger
man vessel will be transferred and leave
France for New York next Sunday. The
Orinoco's passengers will be sent forward
on November 2S from southampton
Shock Was Terrific.
The shock of the collision was terrific,
and there was a panic ON board each
ship. Order, however, was quickly re-
stored, but not before a small boat low
cred from the Orinoco had been swamped
bv the efforts of the fear-stricken pas
sengers to crowd into it. Those who lost
their lives were killed either by being
crushed by the grinding timbers or
thrown overheard and drowned. AS soon
as the accident occurred a number OF
small boats from Cherbourg put out to
the scene and succeeded in rescuing some
ef Ind sailors mud passengers who were
swinfiing about in she Waves
steaming at Good Rate.
when the collision occurred the Kaiser
wilhelm der Crosse was steaming at
the rate of seventeen knots an hour from
C,herbourg after having touched here on
her voyage out The Ornoco was pouhd
for this port when the accident nap
pened The commander OF the orlhoco
claims that he signalled that he was GO
ing to starboard of the North German
Tjoyd vessel but the latter held her
course across the Orinocos bow, and only
went TO port when it was too late. Ihe
engines of the Orinoco. it is added, were
reversed as soon as 1t appeared nhely
that an accident would occur, but she
crashed into the starhoard DOW OF the
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse, making
breach twelve feet wide. The superstruc-
ture of the Ornoco above the water line
was carried away as the vessels cleared
after the collision. The collision threw
all the passengers on the Kaiser Wilhem
der Crosse to their feet, and the grind
ing of the Orinoco's bow into the steer
age of the German vessel instantly killed
four persons, disembowelng girl IL
years old. ,, 49,.
The captain OF the Orinoco ordered the
hoats to be cleared away, but the panic
on hoard of her was general. some OF
the crew Jumped into and launched two
of her boats, and several frenzied women
attempted to get into them as they We're
being lowered over the side. One boat
was swamped when it struck the wafer
Several Rescued BY Small Boats.
Go soon as the accident occurred
number of small boats of Cherbourg sue
oeeded in rescuing some of the sailors
and messengers who were struggling IN
the waves. but five of the crew OF the
Orinoco are believed to have been
drowned.
some of the bodies of the persons
drowned were recovered during the day.
pilot Lesage had Just left the Kaiser
wilhelm der Crosse when the accident
occurred.
The damage to the Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse is estimated here at 100000.
Paris. November 22.-At the offices of
the North German-Lloyd Steamship COM
pany here it is stated that the injuries
Ia the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse by her
collision with the Orinoco will make IT
impossible for her to proceed. The pas
sengers will be transferred to the Amer
ican liner St Paul and French line
steamer La lorraine, leaving respective
" Southampton and Cherbourg and
IJovre NoveTnher "a