The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-14
OVER zoo ID PERISH :. =.
IN ICY WATERS

Block Island, r. l., Feb. ia ma
rine disaster with an appalling loss
of life and entailing suffering almost,
beyond the limit Of human endurance |
came to light today when life boat
of %hS Joy line steamer Larchmqnt,, u
bound; from Providence to New York, |
drifted into Block Island harbor. In |
the boat were several bodies of men,
who had died from the effects of long
hours of exposure to. the death deal 1
ing temperature. In the boat were
eleven men whose sufferings were SO
Intense that they seemed oblivious to
the fact that death was in their midst,
and they had escaped only by virtue
of their ability to withstand the rigor
of zero weather In an open boat The
boat brought tale of disaster that
has rarely been equalled in New Eng
land waters, aid it is believed CtHAt
when the final count is made it will
be found that not less than 15g lives
were lost. r.: ~ = 81
Following in the wake Of the so17
| tary life boat came bodies, life boats
and RATS cast upon the beach by the
angry waters. Owing to the condition
OF the survivors it was impossible to
get from them any estimate of the
loss of life. From rs to $50 persons
went to death, and at a late hour
tonight: 1t was believed that the lat
I ter figifes are nearer Correct. The
steamship officials e. innate that about
100 passengers and crew of SO were
On board the steamer when she left
Providence last night. Forty eight
bodies are reported on these shores
today and q few were alive when
| taken from the life boats. Taking the
estimated figures of the steamship Of
flcials as basis there are still 1873
persons to be accounted for. The only
positive evidence of The steamers
victims is lying at the bottom of
Block Island Sound. The list Of passen~
gers and crew. handed to the purSer
just before the steamer left PreNi-
dence was locked in safe. and it was
not recovered. The cause Of. the ac-
cident has not been satisfactorily ex-
planned. 1t occurred just Oft Watch
Hill about II o'clock last night when
the three mastcd, schooner Harry
Know1ton, bound from South Ambay
for Boston with a~eargo Of coal crash
ed into the steamer,s port side amid
ships. '.... - -
Captain George G. McVey, Of the
Larchmont, declares that the Knowl-
ton suddenly swerved from her
course, futfed up into the wind, and
crashed into his vessel. Captain HaS
ley, Of the Knowlton, declares. the ]
steamer did not give his vessel suf-
ficient sea room. r..
The steamer, with huge hole
torn in her side, was so seriously.
damaged that no attempt was made
to run for shore and she sank to the
bottom in less tina a half hour. The
Knowlton, after she had backed
away from the wreck, began ito fill
rapidly, but her crew manned the
pumps and kept her afloat until she
reached a point off Quonochontaug
where they put out the life boat and
rowed ashore. There, were no fatal
titles on the schooner
A majority Of those on the LaTch~
mont had retired for the night and
when the collision occurred there
were few with the exception Of the
crew prepared for the weather which
prevailed They hurried from the
warm staterooms to the deck Of the |
steamer and into zero weather.
Chilled to the bone, many rushed
nSa1lOnS OelOW TO secure more ClOEiA- |
ing, while Others, barefooted and !
bareheaded, clad only IN night |
gowns, stood on the decks fearing |
that to go below would mean GER |
tain death.
1t now appears certain that the |
loss Of life was heaviest among |
those who had retired for the night |
Despite the efforts which were made |
ITO leave no one on board, It would |
appear to be impossible that OF the |
two hundred souls on board none |
were left behind. Those who had
no opportunity to Clothe themselves
succumbed long before they reached
the shore and even those who were
fortunate enough to be fully dressed
endured suffering Of the most ser
iou5 nature. ~
Block Island, r. J., Feb. 1.-THE
La CbmOnt, side wheel steamer
which was only put into the Joy line
service during the present season.
left her dock in Providence last night
with a heavy cargo OF freight and al
pose enger list estimated at from q 30
10 200. A strong northwest wind was1
blowing AZ the steamer ploWed het}
way down through the eastern passage
Off Narragansett Bay, but. the full sf-
feet Of the gale which was blowingd
out in the sound was not felt until thet