Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-12

thought we were going down at once. as
the schooner auivered and then reeled back
ward. with the bowsprit. the jibboom and
the rigging forward carried away. The
water rushed in at once. The steamer
lurched badly to starboard when we struck
her. and then she continued on her way.
She did not seem to be badly damaged"
Capt Haley then proceeded to narrate
the experiences of himself and crew in
working his vessel shoreward. With five
feet of water in the hold and gaining. the
work of manning the pumps was exceed
ingly difficult the water surged about
the men all the time. Finally 1t was de-
cided to abandon the vessel. and after seiz-
ing a few of their personal effects all hands
took to the boat which was launched
Eventually all reached the shore safely
about seven miles below Watch Hill.
The exact moment of the collision is
fixed by Capt. Haley as being 10:4o pm,
and the place of the accident about three
miles off Watch HILL
Only Eight Escaped.
Capt. George McVey of the steamer
Iarchmont said to the Associated Press to-
day that he had on board between 80 and
900 passengers when the collision occurred,
and only eight of these escaped with their
lives At the time he made the statement
fourteen bodies had been washed ashore.
making only twenty-five out of the total
passenger list accounted for.
The passengers met their deaths in vari-
Gus ways Some of them attempted to
launch lifeboats and were frozen to death
on the decks of the laundering steamer.
Others were drowned in the attempt to es-
cape before the vessel went down. and still
others who were successful in launching
a Iifeboat We're frozen to death before the
small craft reached shore.
About $50 Passengers.
Capt. Mcvey said he could not estimate
the exact loss of life at this time. His
steamer left Providence late in the even
ing. and at the time of the collision Capt.
McVey 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 estimate of the
number of those on board agrees, however.
with the estimate made by the Joy line
officials at Providence. who said that the
Larchmont carried about $50 passengers
and crew of 30.
The Inhabitants of all parts of the island
turned out to assist in rescue work. al
though many of them live several miles
from the point off which the steamer sank.
The northwest gale continued. with zero
temperature, throughout the forenoon.
At 1870 o'clock four more bodies were
washed ashore. making a total of eighteen
Dodies recovered, with number of sur
vivors of the accident being cared for on
the island.
Fifteen Dead and Eight Dying.
NEW YORK. February 12-Capt. Mcyev
OF the Larchmont communicated with the
Joy line officials in this city by telephone
from Block Island early this afternoon. He
said that the Larchmont sank within ten
minutes after the collision. After cruising
about in small boat in the icy gale from
IL pm until am. today, he landed on
Block Island. Close behind his boat an
other landed. bringing fifteen dead and
eight dying passengers
No Estimate Of Loss.
BOSTON. Mass. February IA state
hieht given out at the Boston office
oi the JOY line with reference to the
loss OF the steamer Larchmont OF Block
island shortly after noon today made no
estimate OF the number of lives lost 1t
said that Capt. McVey of the I.arcbmont
mad communicated with his New York office
saying that some of the crew and passen.
gers have landed at Block Island and il ia
my opinion that others have landed at
places along the mainland"
The company's officials here stated that
their steamer Kentucky had been rushed
from Fall River to Block Island for the DUR
pose OF rendering any assistance possible
The Scott Wrecking Company of New Lon
don had been requested to send tug I'D
Long Island sound for the purpose of pick
ing up any survivors who might have es-
capped from the sinking steamer, and the
lighthouse board had been requested to
send tenders out in search of possible sur
vivors.
Side-Wheel Steamer
PROVIDENCE. R. l.. February 1.-THE
Larchmont was a side wheel steamer with
three decks and a large freight capacity
Capt. McVey. who was in command Of the
steamer. has been acting master for
about eighteen months. The purser is O.
A. Young of this city, and the steward is
J. b. Harrison of Brooklyn. N. Y. Chief
Engineer Robert Gay comes from Bridge
port. Conn. and one of the pilots. George
Wyman. has family at Taunton. Mass
Captain Wires to Wife
PROVIDENCE. r. l., February 12-The
principal Joy line Office in this city at 10
O'Clock today was without definite informa-
ton concerning the sinking of the steamer
Larchmont off Block Island.
The officials here stated that their only
knowledge of the disaster was a telegram
sent by Capt. McVey to his wife. stating
that he safe. The telegram made no
mention of loss Of life among the passen-
gers or crew. but a private message re-
ceived here from Block Island stated that
fourteen bodies had been washed ashore
Strong Northwest Wind.
BLOCK ISLAND. r. l.. February 12-
The cause of the collision is not known.