Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-29
LINER IN COLLISION.
Red Star Ship Finland Smashes
 Nose on a BreakWater.
PASSENGERS ARE RESCUED.
Vessel Burns Rockets to Summon Help and Gets Quick Response From Tugs and Life Savers-Stove In Her Bows In Terrific Impact.


 and Life Savers-Stove In Her Bows
 In Terrific Impact
 Dover, England, Oct. 29.-Seventy- four cabin passengers narrowly escap- ed death when the Red Star steamship Finland smashed on the southern breakwater in an attempt to enter this port without accepting the assistance from tugs usually welcomed by ocean liners. The steamships crash was so terrific that it stove in her bows for twenty feet and broke the thigh of a man who was at work on the break water. A fearful shock ran through the vessel, and the cry, Were sink ing" followed swiftly.
 In an instant scores of passengers, keenly eager for the touch of land, were thrown into panic by the belief that they were to be drowned in sight of their destination, nor were they alone in their dread The ships off cers thought the passengers were in great peril, and they immediately be- gan firing rockets calling lifeboats to their assistance. It was feared it would be impossible to get all the ships company ashore in safety. No steamer, it seemed, long could survive the crushing impact with which the Finland struck.
 Nasty inspection disclosed the dam- age to the Finlands bows was below the water line. That increased the anxiety of the officers and the frenzy of the passengers. Women ran scream ing about the decks, men rushed for life preservers, and officers and crew were at their wits end to control tho swelling panic. The steamship reeled backward from the breakwater after it bit many yards into her bows, and every one expected to see the ocean rush through the break and swamp her before aid could arrive. It look ed as if the vessel would not respond to her stecrsman, although her screws were whirling at lightning speed. The sensation was as if she was settling to go down by the stern.
 The fright of the passengers was in- creased by the rapid fire of the rock cts. Flare after flare revealed blanch- ed faces and trembling limbs. As surances that the ship would not sink were spread consistently by the officers and seamen. but they were disregard ed, the one thought of every passenger apparently being to get to shore at all hazards and without moments de- the breakwater, although by that time the Finland had recoiled many yards from the giant barrier.
 What perhaps averted loss of life was the promptness with which two tugs that steamed out to take off the passengers for England went to the rescue of the disabled liner So quick ly were passengers taken off the by the smaller vessels that the lifebOat captains. though respond ing readily enough to the rescue. did not make the trip from their station to the Finland. It was hazardous work to transfer the passengers under such but the task was achieved and in short time the scared men and women were safe on land
 Among the first cabin passengers taken ashore in the tugs were: Mrs. [. Barrett and sister, w. D. r. Bliss, Mrs. Bliss, Mrs. Emma Bliss. F.. k. BOwne, w. D. Brunig, Miss Beatrice Elliott, Miss H. Fillebrown, T. T. Fish er. w. NJ. Guillout, Mrs. Guillout, R. W. Hale, Mrs. Hale, Mrs. F. l.. Hall, Miss Autumn Hall T. Huffman. D. B. keeler. Miss \. Macdonald, Dr. r.. NJ. Pond. Mrs. Pond, Miss Adela Pond. Dr. NJ. F.. Pond, Joseph Rufgraber. Captain A. D. B. Snead. Mrs. Snead. | Miss Jane Snead. A. C. White. Miss l I. W. White and maid and Miss Anne l Williams.
 No excuse for the collision appears ! possible. The night. though dark. was lear. and it must have been out of the question for lights or other signals to 1 70 mistaken. Why the Finland blum tered into port under her own steam Instead of waiting for aid from tow 'Oats is not explained.
 How she could run so close to the without the obstacle being cen also is incOnceivable. The fore with which she hit it showed she WAS .oing at brisk speed Had her pace cen a little quicker she almost certain Y would have damaged herself sufIi- iently to sink before rescuers could each the passengers. As rapidly as lines from the plSSen- er tugs could be passed to the steam r the Finland was lowed hack tO the reakwater and nOOred to it. It was ecOgnizp,l it would be suicidal to at smpt further progress in her present tate The big hole in her bow ba- cath the water line was such a men ce to her safety that even experienced liIOrs were alarmed for her.
 Mutiny Started To-day.