The Red Cloud chief., 1907-02-15
$50 PERISH N ICY SEA
CoAsTWlsE VESSELS COLLIDE
OFF BLOCK ISLAND.
4s BODIES FLOAT TO THE SHORE
But Nineteen Of the Two Hundred Per.
sons on Board Steamer Larchmont
Escape With Their ~Lives-Survi.
vors Badly Frozen.

botc Nv SSofe
Escape With Their Lives-Survi-
vors Badly Frozen.
Block Island, X. l., Feb. 13.-About
$50 persons went to their death in
Block Island sound As a result OF a
collision between the three.masted
schooner Harry Knowlton and the Joy
line stean"r Larchmont, bound from
Providence to New York. 1t Is esti-
mated that, including the crew, there
were nearly 200 persons on board the
steamer when she sailed from Provi-
dencc. or these. only nineteen appear
to have survived the disaster, ten
members OF the crew and nine passen-
gers.
Awakened from their slumbers in
their state rooms, the unfortunate pas
sengers were at the mercy OF the
fates. Many, it is believed, went down
with the ship. Others, temporarily
thankful that they had escaped drown
ing, prayed that they might be re-
lieved of the terrible pain caused by
their frozen bodies, and one unknown
passenger plunged n knife into his
throat and ended his sufferings.
The few who survived were in a pitt
full condition. In almost every case
their arms and legs hung helplessly as
they were lifted out of the boat" in
which they reached shore. During the
day forty-eight bodies came ashore,
either in boats or thrown up by the
sea. Only six of the forty-eight bod.
les were identified
The bodies identified were: Stew
ard James b. Harrison, First Assistant
Engineer Jasper Hest, Assistant Engi-
neer Edward Logan, First Waterman
Jacob Zandrus, Waiter George Smith,
Providence; Harry Eckels, Block Isl.
and.
Large Passenger List.
The Larchmont left her dock III
Providence Monday night with a
heavy cargo of freight and a passen.
ger list estimated at from $50 to 200.
A strong northwest wind was blowing
as the steamer ploughed her way
down through the eastern passage OF
Narragansett bay, but the full effect
OF the gale which was blowing out in
the sound was not felt until the
Larchmont rounded Point Judith
Captain George McVey was preparing
TO retire after a turn around his ship
when he was startled by several blasts
of the steamers whistle. He rushed
into the pilot house, where the pilot
and quartermaster pointed out a three.
masted schooner sailing eastward be.
fore a strong wind.
The schooner, which proved to be
the Harry Knowlton, coal laden, from
South Amboy for Boston, had been
bowling along on her course. when
she seemed suddenly to huff up and
head straight for the steamer. Again
several blasts were sounded on the
steamers whistle, the pilot and the
whirling their wheel hard aport in 8
mad endeavor to avert a collision.
But as the Larchmont was slowly
v~eering around, the schooner came OF
with a speed that almost seemed L
equal the gale that had been pushin!
her towards Boston. Before anothe
warning could be sounded, the sChoon
er crashed into the port side of thu
Larchmont and the impact of the BIZ
vessel was so terrific that the bow O
the sailing craft forced its way NOR
than half through the breadth of tn
I%archmont. When the force of the i'm
pact had been spent the schooner ten
porarily remained fast In the steam
er's side, holding in check for "A me
ment the in-Tushing water. The pound
ing seas soon separated the vessels
and the water rushed into the hole l
the steamer with tremendous force
AS the water struck the boiler ROOF
great clouds OF steam arose and tn
passengers were first under the in
preston that a fire had broken out o
board. Captain McVey could not con
municate with his subordinate officer
below deck, the signal apparatus bein
wrecked.
Passengers scantily Clothed.
The passengers, meanwhile, rushe
10 the deck. Few Of them had waite
10 clothe themselves. The intens
cold made them want to obtain the
clothing, but they found it impossible
to return below and do so. The
rooms were flooded soon after the
had been deserted, and the steame
fioundering around in the high sea
was sinking with. a rapidly that ser