The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1907-02-15
ASAD GAlAMITY
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. MEET
AN AWFUL DEATH.
Steamer Larchmont Knocked to
Bottom of Sea by Knowlton-
r. Boats and Life Rats Come
Ashore on Block ISL
and-Other News.


|. Block Island, R. l., Feb. 13.--
A marine disaster with appalling
loss of life and entailing suffering.
ialmost.beyond the limit of human
endurance came to light today,
when a life boat Of the Joy Line
steamer Larchmont, bound from
Providence to New York, drifted in
to Block Island harbor.
In the boat were several bodies of
men who had died from the effects
of long hours of exposure to a
death-dealing temperature. In the
| boat also were II men whose suf-
ferings were SO intense that they
seemed oblivious tosthe fact that
death was in their midst and they
had escaped only by virtue of their
ability to Withstand the rigor of ze-
70 weather in an open boat at sea.
+, The boat brought out tale of
disaster that has rarely been equall-
ed in New England waters, and it
| is believed that, when the final out
come is known, it will be found that
mot less than $50 lives were lost.
Following closely in the wake Of
the solitary lifeboat came bodies,
teast on the beach by the angry
waves.
| Owing to the condition of the
survivors it was impossible to- get
from them an estimate of the loss
of life. From $50 to It's persons
went to their death, and at, late
lhour tonight it was believed that
1.-THE latter figures are nearer correct
The steamship officials estimate
that about $50 passengers and q
: crew OF 50 were on board the steam:
q er when she left Providence last
night. Forty,eight bodies reached
these shores today, and 10 wer,
alive when taken from the lifeboats
There are still 1873 persons to b
B accounted for. The only positive
evidence of the steamers victims j!
Fflying at the. bottom of Block lslanC
Sound. The list of passengers ant
crew, handed to the purser just be
fore the steamer left Providence
was locked in safe and was no
recovered. -
The cause of the accident has no
been satisfactorily explained. !
occurred just off Watch Hill abou
II o'clock last night, when th
three-masted schooner Harry
Knowlton, with a cargo of coal
crashed into the steamers por
amidships. Captain McVey, Of th
Larchmont, declares that th
Knowlton suddenly swerved frcn
her course, lufed up into the win
and crashed Into his vessel Cap
tain Haley, of the Knowlton, as
serts that the steamer did not Civ
his vessel sufficient sea room.
The steamer, with a huge hol
torn In her side, was 80 seriousl
damaged that no attempt was mda
to run for shore, and she sank t
the bottom In less, than half a.
hour. The KnoWlton, after she ha
backed away from the wreck, bega
to fill rapidly, but herereW manne
the .pumpe and kept her ahoat ur
ltilshe reached a point off Quont
ehontaug, where they put out !
1.-The lifeboat and roWed ashore
There were no fatalities on tt
L Eschooner.
| A majority of those aboard, tt
tLarchmont had retired for th
might, and, when the. collision o.
/ curred, there were few, with the e.
II lception' Of the crew, prepared fl
/ 1.-The weather which prevailed. The
4 hurried from the warm stateroon
i to thesd deck Of the steamer and int
! aero atmosphere. Chilled to IL
bone, many rushed headlong belo
: to secure more clothing, while otl
4 ers, barefooted, bareheaded, ar
] clad only in nightgowns, stood G
: the decks, fearing that to go belo
would mean certain death.
I The Larchmont left her dock i
/ Providence last night with heay
! cargo Of freight and d passenger Ii
I estimated from $50 to 200. A stror
Z northwest wind waS hlowino aa III