The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-12
Passenger Steamer LarchmOnt
Sunk Off Block Island.
In Zero Weather Two Vessels
Collide.
. FREEZE IN THE BOATS.
Frsnzied People Fight In vain
for Their Lives.
Only Eight Survive the Fright
full Calamity.
CAPT. HALEY'S STORY.
Thought Doomed Ship Would
Change Course.
Sank Ten Minutes After the
Vessels Struck.
CAPT. HALEY'S STORY
Sank Ten Minutes After the
Vessels Struck.

Block Island, r. l., Feb. 12.-Only Is
out of an estimated total of from Isl
to 200 persons survived the sinking OF
the JOY line steamer I4archmont, in
Block Island sound last night, accord
ing to an estimate made at p. m, to-
day. OF those saved. eight were pas
sengers. six men and two women, and
the rest were members of the crew
including Captain McVey.
The Larchmont which was bound
from Providence to New York. went
down after colliding with the schooner
Harry Knowleton. The survivors
reached this island in small boats.
Captain George McVey, of the steam
er Larchmont said to the Associated
Press today that he had on board be-
tween $50 and 200 passengers when the
collision occurred and only eight of
these escaped with their lives. At the
same time. he made the statement IA
bodies had been washed ashore, max
ing only % out of the total passenger
list accounted for.
Many F'roze to Death.
The passengers met their deaths in
various ways. Some of them attempted
to launch life boats and were frozen to
death on the decks of the fioundering
steamer. Others were drowned in the
attempt to escape before the vessel
went down and still others who were
successful in launching life boat were
frozen to death before the small craft
reached shore. Captain McVey said he
could not estimate the exact loss of
life at this time. His steamer left
Providence late In the evening and at
the time of the collision, Captain Nc
Vey had not had an opportunity to ex-
anime the passenger list which had been
handed to him just before his steamer
left Providence. The CAPTAINS estima te
10 q n those hoard a
however, with the estimate made by the
JOY Line officials at Providence who
said that the Larchmont carried about
$50 passengers and crew of 80.
The inhabitants of all parts of the
island turned out to assist in rescue
work, although many OF them live sew
eral miles from the point off which
the steamer sank. The northwest gale
continued. with zero temperature
throughout the forenoon. At II 80
o'clock, four more bodies were washed
ashore. making a total of IS bodies re-
covered, with eight survivors of the
accident being cared for on the island.
Captain McVey. of the Larchmont.
communicated with Joy Line officials in
this city by telephone from Block Is
land early this afternoon. He said that
the Larchmont sank within 10 minutes
after the collision. After cruising about
in a small boat in the icy gale from II
p m. to d. m. today, he landed on
Block Island. Close behind him boat
landed bringing Is dead and eight dying
passengers.
In the boats which carried the sur
vivors were the bodies of several pas
sengers who had frozen to death dur
Ing the trip from the wreck to the land
1t was impossible this afternoon to fix
the number of those lost Captain Nc
Vey estimated the number of passen-
gers as $50 and the crew as fifty. On
the basis of these figures the numbers
of those who perished was placed at
49, The bodies of the victims of the
disaster were constantly being washed
ashore. BY noon IS had been taken
from the water. The collision between
the Larchmount and the schooner oc-
Cured at 1O;45 last night about three
miles off Watch Hill, r. 1. The Harry
Knowleton, which was bound from
South Amboy for Boston with coal.
foundered a few hours after the acct
dent, but her captain and crew of six
men escaped in the ships boats and
reached shore at Watch HILL
All the Crew Saved
Including Captain McVey, eight of
the officers or crew of the Larchmont
have been saved.
Survivors expressed the opinion that
all on board the Larchmont had Sc
cured places in boats or RATS, but that
many of the boats were Swamped and
many persons were swept away by the
seas. or had fallen overheard overcome
by the cold.
1t was said at the Joy line offices
here that word had been received there
that a fishing schooner had picked UP
one of the LarchmOnt's boats contain
ing five passengers and the body of an
other who died from exposure.
According to Captain McVey of the
Larchmont the steamer remained
afloat barely 10 minutes after the coll
lision. Boats and RATS were hastily
launched and in them passengers. and
crew waged a desperate battle with
high seas and strong gales. The night
was extremely cold and many died
from exposure Five boats and four
RATS carrying 19 survivors and the
bodies of IL managed to reach Block
Island at a. m.
The passengers and. crew from the
steamer took to the boats, but il is
feared that some may have lost their
lives either by being drowned or freez-
Ing. as the temperature was below
zero.
Tue schooner's bow was cut away
and her captain ran her ashore west of
Quonochontaug to prevent her sinking
The crew of seven men, including Cap
tain Haley. reached shore safely in
their own boats.
Tie cause of the collision is not
known. The night was clear but there
Eas a strong northwest wind and the