Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-13

are feared by all Sound" navigators, was
sinking with a rapidity that sent terror to
the hearts OF the officers AID crew
While some Of the seamen held back the
frantic passengers by brute strength, others
were preparing TO lower the life boats and
RATS.
shrieks Of pain drowned the roar Of the
inrushlng water. Despite the existing pan
demonium, the women passengers were
placed in lifeboats the male passengers and
the crew selecting the unprotected RATS as
their places OF refuge.
LifeN Boats Launched.
Captain McVey ordered all life boats and
RATS cut away an dbefore stepping into
ais own boat he stood on the upper ceciS
a moment to see that his order was exc
cuted. Then he ordered that his boat the
largest on board. be- cleared away Before
the men had an opportunity to loosen the
tackles the bottom OF the bat rested on top
of the surging sea which was raging yer
tho hurricane deck and for a moment 1t
seemed as though the life boat would be
dragged down before she could be freed
from the doomed steamer.
Every hand I'm the boat was too cold to
handle n knife and cut the ropes, which,
however slipped through the tackles and
set the boat adrift just as the vessel be-
ChInc SuOnleTBeus ne IdSbenHeTS ulSNOH-
fort was increased greatly the moment
they had launched their boats. Every wave
sent it's dash of spray over them. Soon a
thin coating OF ice enveloped every one.
Those who were fully clothed suffered from
frozen faces and number feet. but there
were many who had on only their night
clothes
One man In the captains boat was driven
insane by his. intense suffering. He pulled
big. clasp knife from his pocket and
gashed his throat. Those who sat near him
were too dazed to interfere. The mans
body fell to the bottom of the boat, where
Il remained UNDECIDED ,.:
Fishers Point, the nearest land, was not
quite FIVE miles TO the westward OF the
point where. the steamer went down and
every boat Immediately headed for that
place. But the boats were heavy and the
men at the oars were weak. The boats and
RATS soon became separated and the only
details OF the disaster, which could be
learned here were given when Captain NC
Ney's beat came ashore. Not a man on
board was able TO talk. Their feet were
frozen so badly that the life savers car
ried the survivors bodily to the life saving
station.
Captain McVey, shortly after his arrival.
said he had on board his ship between
$50 and 800 passengers and crew OF nifty
Later, he said there were between nifty
and seventy five passengers on board the
steamer when the vssl wnt down The
latter figure. however, is far below the
estimate made by the officials OF the Joy
line at Providence, who estimate the num-
Der Of passengers at not less than $50. The
exact number OF passengers was given in
list which was handed the purser just
before the Larchmont started on Its fate
full journey, but Il is believed that II was
lost when the ship went down.
Exposed to storm seven Hours.
Captain Mcvey said that had his crew
been able to make progress against the
northwest gale they would have landed at
Fishers island between IL and ! o'clock
The wind however. was too strong to be
overcome, and there was nothing left for
the suffering seamen but turn around and
head for Block island. fifteen miles away.
1t was shortly after IL o-ciock when the
captain OF the boat cut away from the
sinking steamer and II was not until $50
o'clock In the morning that It arrived at
Block island.
Captain McVey declared that the crew OF
the schooner was responsible for the wreck.
He said that had the sailing vessel held
true to the course which II was sailing
Wnen IL was SlBnteO tneTc WOulo nave Dcou
no possible chance for an accident.
The schooner. however. however, suddenly
luffed and crashed into the port side of
the Larchmont almost before the helms
men had ported their wheels.
Haley BIaimes theLarchmOnt.
Captain Frank p. Haley OF the schooner
Harry Khowlton. which was in collision
with the Larchmont. stated that the acci-
LAM x1yaa ant n the Ha
said that his lights were burning and he
held TO his course. with the expectation
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
late to avert a collision. His explanation
of the collision follows:
81 shall never quite understand how
this accident occurred. The night was
dark, but starry. We were bound
for Boston from New York ana
were making fair progress through the
sound A long time before the accident
happened we had sighted the Darchmont
steaming westward. Some OF the crew
were on deck a while and we spoke Of the
picture that the Larchmont made, all
lighted up. Then we saw that the steamer
seemed to be heading directly for us
Il remember that l looked up at our
lights, which were burning all right, and
Of course | expected that the steamer
would lookout for US. But Il kept right on.
Some OF US shouted warning and one
member OF the crew blew a horn con-
stantly. I scarcely knew what to do I
did not dare attempt to tack to clear the
path for the steamer because thought II
would turn out for us. When It was right
ahead there was nothing for US to do but
hit IT, The blow was a very bad one 1
thought we weIs going down at once, as
the schooner quivered and thon 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
Il and then continued on it's way. II did
not seem TO be badly damaged"
FOrty-Three Bodies Recovered.
As soon as news OF the disaster reaeher
the Joy line Ofiicials immediate steps were
taken to care for those who had reached
shore and 70 search the sound Tor victims