The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-14


mont wreck Ia Long Island Sound, near
Block Island, is in progress. Under orders
issued by the Supervising Inspector Cen
eral of the Steamboat Inspection Service.
the local officials at Providence and New
London have been instructed 10 interview
the survivors and report the results TO
Washington.
The officials here desire to be informed
whether the JOY liner had aboard defect
i've equipment of any kind, and whether
her master had in any way evaded the
laws governing steamboats, of her class.
The government has no jurisdiction over
sailing ships of less than 7C0 tons burden,
and for that reason no attention will be
paid to the officers or men Of the schooner
Harry KnOwlton which collidcd with the
LaTchmont
Inquiry Starts at Providence.
Providence. r. l., Feb. I3.-An investi-
cation into the wreck of the Larchmont
was begun by the United States govern
ment here tonight All incoming surviv-
ors We're met 10y government inspectors
and their addresses taken.
A hearing is to begin at New London at
Ii O'Clock tomorrow morning. but il is
doubtful if any witnesses from among the
survivors can be present then. The inves-
ugatlon is being held there because the
accident happened i'm that district
The investigation is TO be made very
rigid. It is partly the intention Of the in
spectors to find out how thr crew acted
and what was done TO save life. The wit
nesses at to-morrow's hearing are ex-
pected to be members of the crew Of the
schooner
Vessel Lands Survivors.
With her flag at half-mast. the steamer
Kentucky sister boat Of the wrecked
1-archmont reached this city at O'Clock
this evening from Block Island bearing
eighteen Of the survivors of the steamer
Larchmont which went down i'm Long
Island Sound night before last, and forty
nine bodies Of the victims OF the disaster
One survivor Of the wreck. Miss sadie
Gallup, Of Boston was left on Block ISL
and. There was one body left there
when the Kentucky sailed from the ISL
and this afternoon. but later fishing
boats brought to the island twenty-five
more bodies. making the total list Of
known dead now seventy-two.
IL Men and ? Women saved.
OF the total number Of persons aboard
the steamer it is now almost certain that
only nineteen have been saved. and of
these only two are women
All day fishing boats and tugs have
secured Long Island Sound in the hope
tnat a boat or raft might be discovered
that might contain some sign Of life
They failed 20 find anything but bodies
TO bear back 60 Block Island Only
few bodies were washed ashore on the
island during the day. and after the tide
turned. the natural course for them would
have been out to sea 1t is, therefore.
doubtful whether many more bodies will
be recovered.
In all probability it viii never be known
now many lost their lives in this dis
asteT.
PurseT Young Makes Low Estimate.
Purser Young, who arrived on the Ken
lucky this evening, and who gave -pret-
~ lucid account of what happened on the
steamer after she began 10 go down. said
that the passengers numbered anywhere
between 100 and il. He was inclined 70
think that the smaller figure was nearer
correct There were forty-five members
of the crew. This would make the min
imum estimate of the total loss of life
10. Purser Young said that there were
thirty staterOoms in all on the vessel
All of them were taken. and a few OF
them had two occupants The greater
number of the passengers. many of them
poor people did not have staterooms,
and had been assigned 90 hunks in the
cabin.
Die within Sight of Land Lights.
The story brought in by the Kentucky
tonight was a story OF tragedy such as is
difficult for the Imagination TO picture as
occurring in a comparatively narrow strait
through which vessels are constantly
passing. The lights from Block Island
and from the Rhode Island mainland were
visible when the ship went down. CARRYING
with her many Of the passengers The
same lights could be seen by the Others.
who had managed 10 get into the boats
only TO sUccumb in the icy sea.
So quickly did the vessel 20 down that
there was no time for a single signal OF
distress TO be gtyen. which might have
told the hfe-savers on both shores of the
tragedy that was happening so near to
them.
Scene of Fearful Struggle.
The survivors who reached here told
stories of what happened aboard after the
ship received her death blow from the
schooner that makes the picture even
more terrible one. Men. women. ana chill
dren. it appears. fought to get up the
stairway from the main deck TO the hurri-
cane deck, where the boats and riffs
We're. One Of the survivors. failing to get
up by the stairway where men were fight /
ing for their lives. succeeded in climbing
through port hole and UD on the outside
Of the steamer How many failed to get
up the stairs and reach the deck before
the ship went down viii never be known. /
All of the stories agree that the boat sank |
not more than ten minutes after the col |
lision. This was about six minutes after
the captains boat had left the ship.
Departing ship Hears Victims Cries. /
According to Purser Young, who was on |
this boat. the ship seemed to go down /
stern first As her lights disappeared be- |
meath the waves those in the boat heard /
heartrending cries coming from her that 4
told of the awful struggle for life that was /
going on, They saw no other boats
though a few. apparently. got away from /
the steamer only TO be swallowed uo in 1
the sea that was running
OF the nineteen survivors. eight. includ- !
ing the two women. were rescued from n /
CONTINUED on THIRD PAGE.