The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-02-20

said that his lights were burning and
he held to his course. with the ex.
Dec:ation that the steamer. having
sighted him, would pass him with
plenty Of sea room. When he found
that the steamer would not turn
out. Captain Haley said it was too
tate to avert collision.
The impact was so terrific that
!hs big, clumsy bow of the sailing
craft forced its way more than hall
the breadth Of the Larchmont, The
schoone! temporarily remained fast
N the steamers side, holding in
caeck for a moment the inruShing
water. But the pounding sea soon
separated the vessels, and as they
backed away the water rushed into
the sap!ns hole in the steamer with
velocity that could Only mean the
swift doom OF the passenger vessel.
AS the iapouring water struck the
boiler rooms CLOUDS of steam arose
and the panic stricken passengers.
al! Of whom had been thrown from
their buuks when the collision oc-
CURED. were at first under the i'm
preston that a fire had broken out
on board.
..e passengers rushed to the
decks. Few of them had waited to
elothe themselves. Their fear was
so great that the first penetrating
blast OF the zero temperature was
but the suffering from
the cold and water soen became so
intense thatpe rsonal safety was
forgotten in q general effort to keep
the blood in circulation. Those
who had not stopped to clothe them !;
;elves now found it impossible to
,eturn below and do so.
Their rooms were flooded soon !
after they had been deserted and
he steamer was sinking with ra-
,idity tina sent terror to the hearts |
Il the officers and crew. While !
;ome Of the seamen held back the :
rantic passengers by brute strength .
'thers We're preparing to lower the
ife boats and RATS. The women I
more intensely than the
oen, were placed in lifeboats, the
aad passengers and members fthe
rev selecting, the unprotected RATS
S the vehicle of escape.
Capt McVey remained on the up
'er deck directing his officers and
rev until every one on board APP
eared to have been caredf OF. He
rdered all lifehoats and RATS cut
nd before he stepped into his boat
e stood on the upper deck a moment
0 see that his order was executed.
hen he ordered that his boat, the
argest on board. be cleared away.
Very hand in the boat Was too colo
0 handle knife and cut the ropes.
ihicn, however slipped through the
acSles, and set the boat adrift just
S the vessel became submerged.
he pitable condition of the passen-
ers and crew was increased hun
red fold the moment they had
aunched their boats. Every wave I.
ent its dash Of spray over boats
nd their contents
Soon a thin coating Of ice envel-
red every one. One man in the
aptains boat. although dressed ;
,armer than many others was rdiven
lsane by his intense suffering. He
ulled a big Gasp knife from his {
ocket and gashed his throat. Those
tho sat near him either were too ;
azed to interfere or looked upon
be act Of self destruction as Justi-
ed. The unknown mans body fell
, the bottom Of the boat. +
Fishers Point. the nearest point
{ landing. was not quite five miles
, the westward Of the point where
,e steamer went down and every
oat Immediately beaded for that (
lace. A 6fty-mile sale blew on
heir backs as the men strained at
be ice-covered oars in a hopeless
adeavor to overcome the handicap
gainst which they were struggling. {
he boats and RATS soon became
and; he only details OF
be terrible disaster which could be :
earned here were given when Capt.
lcVey's boat came ashore.
Not a man on board was able TO
-alk. Their feet were so badly frozen {
ably that the life savers carried the
urvivors bodily to the life saving
tation. Shortly after his arriva!
ere the captain SAID he had on
oard his sup between $50 and 2oV
assengers and a crew of fifty.