Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1907-02-20
SUNK BY A SCHOONER
STEAMER LARcHMoNT- RAMMED
BY THE HARRY kNoWLToN.
MORE THAN 100 GO DOWN.
Impelled by Fierce Gale, Crashed Into
Steamer With Terrible Impact
Estimated Dead, 1850.

Black Island, r. l.: The Larchmont,
side-wheel steamer which was only
put into the Joy Line service during
the past season, left her dock in Prov
idence Monday night with heavy car
go of freight and a passenger list esti-
mated at 150 to 200. A strong north
west wind was blowing as the steamer
plowed 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,
Capt, George McVey, who had re-
manned in the pilothouse until the yes
sci had been Strengthened out on her
course was about to retire, when start
led by several blasts of the steamers
whistle. He rushed into the pilothouse,
where the pilot pointed out a three
masted schooner sailing outward be-
fore strong wind.
eBefore another warning signal could
be sounded the schooner, which was
the Harry Knowlton, laden with coal,
crashed into the port side of the
Larchmont more than half her bredth.
When the force Of the impact had been
spent the schooner temporarily re-.
manned fast in the steamers side hold
ing in check for a moment the in
rushingS water But the pounding sea
soon separated the vessels, and as they
backed away the water rushed into the
gaping hole in the steamer with a We
locity that could only mean the swift
doom of the passenger vessel.
There were no water tight compart
ments to be closed and therefore the
flood could not be confined to the dam
aged section, and it poured over the
cargo and down into the hold. AS the
water struck the boiler room great
clouds of steam arose which created
the impression of fire.
The passengers rushed on deck. Few
waited to dress, but none could return
below 1t was a physical impossible
ity for any but the most hardened TIC
withstand, the cold, which turned ears
and noses white with frost.
Shrieks OF pain drowned the roar OF
inrushing water, Pandemonium reigned
but in spite of 1t the women on board,
suffering wpr9 intensely than the men,
were placed In lifeboats, the male pas
sengers and members of the crew Sc
4 lecting the unprotected rats as their
mode Of escape. A coating of ice coy
cred everyone.
One man in the captains boat al
though dressed warmer than the 9th
ers, was suddenly driven insane by his
intense suffering. He pulled big
knife from his pocket and gashed his
throat. Those who sat near him were
either too dazed to interfere or looked
upon the act as justified. The mans
body fell to the bottom of the boat
where it remained until he died
In the first lifeboat which drlftet
ashore were seven men whose SUI
boat were also seven men whose sui
ferings were SO intense that they
seemed obliyious to the fact that relic
was in their midst. The bodies of sew
eral others lay in the bottom of thu
! boat.
Forty-eight bodies reached shore
Tuesday, and nineteen We're aliv'
2 when taken from the lifeboats.
The list of passengers and crew wa
, locked in safe aboard, but it is est
mated at $50 passengers and crew o
so.