Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-19

to see what was up. Just as l got on deck on the starboard side saw the bow of a vessel loom up. Almost instantly she struck us. The jib- boom crashed through us just aft of amidships and heeled the Dix over like top. She careened like flash on her port bow and lay there for a minute or two with the water rush. ing in and all over. was thrown against the deckhouse. For an in- stant the wind was knocked out of me and was almost paralyzed. The steam lay for almost two minutes on her port beam. This was exactly at 7:24 o'clock as my watch stopped then. In a moment recovered my breath and sprang up on the house. Just then the steamer heeled back to starboard. There was another rush of water, cries and screams of men, women and children. From below came sounds such as human ears have seldom heard. Many of the passengers were penned below and could not possibly escape. Then the steamed turned her bow up. She filled and her stern slowly went down until the bow was standing straight half out of the water. For an in stant I clung to the railing. The sight fascinated me with horror. Lights were still burning and could see people inside of the cabin. The expressions on their faces were of in- describable despair.
 People on deck slid off into the water, went down shrieking and des- perately clutching at the water or at the Jeanie, which still loomed only a few yards away. Within the sinking steamer pandemonium reigned. There were cries, prayers from men and women. The wall of children min gled with the shouts of those who were fighting desperately to gain the deck.
 What took place in that cabin will never be known, as no person was saved from there. The boat heeled back and went down by the stern. The other boat was only a short distance away from us all this time. Some of the passengers who had been on deck jumped for her
 
 bowsprit) and in this way clambered up to safety. By that time the Dix was standing on end with her bow way up in the air and then she started to go down.
 T leaped into the water and man. aged to keep myself afloat. Others from the sinking steamer were float ing near me. Every once in while one who had been swimming until his strength gave out would throw up his hands and with last despair ing cry. sink. This happened time after time.
 All around were floating heads which called for help and watched the Jeanie as she slowly same to- wards us and dropped boats which moved here and there picking up men in every direction. Finally a boat came to me. By that time was indifferent and did not care whether was saved or not. It must have been at least twenty-five minutes from the time the Jeanie struck us. There were thirty-six of our seventy nine people on the steamship. The rest were drowned. There was no sign of my little steamer. She was gone completely and there Mas not a ripple on the surface to mark where she went down.
 T don't think the vessel was very badly damaged by the collision. It was the heeling over, on her port beam that caused her loss. She filled with water as soon as she went over and this took her down.
 "As to the cause of the accident cannot say. I was not on deck and don't know how it happened. heard my mate signal either one or two whistles, am not sure which. I also heard him ring stop bell. I cannot understand myself how 1t could have happened.
 The night was almost as clear as day and the sea was smooth. This was the first accident that has hap pened on any ship of mine during the l3 years I have been running on the sound"
 Captain Lermon is we'll known navigator and has the reputation of being one of the ablest sound pilots leaving Seattle. He is man of about 46 years of age and has been at sea since a boy. The Dix sank in 100 fathoms of water. Tue Jeanie. the government launch scout and several tugs have gone to the scene of the wreck to search for bodies.