Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-13

Block Island, r. l.. Feb. ia ma
rine disaster with an appalling loss of
life and entailing suffering almost be-
You'd the limit Of human endurance,
came to light today when lifeboat
Of the Joy Line steamer Larchmont,
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 tf
long hours of exposure to 4 death deal
ing temperature. In the boat also were
II persons whose suffering was so in
tense that they seemed cblivious Of
the fact that death was in their midst
and they had escaped only by virtue of
their ability to withstand the rigor of
zero temperature. The boat brought a
tale of disaster that has rarely been
equalled in New England waters and it
is believed that when the final count is
made it will be found that not less than
1tG lives We're lost.
Following closely in the wake Of the
solitary ljfeboat came bodies cast up
on the beach by angry waves. Then
came lifebOats and RATS. Each of them
bore burdens of grim death as well as
4 load of nalf frozen humanity and
each brought a tale OF sorrow, of suf-
fering and of death.
Owing to the condition Of the sur
vivors of the tragedy it was impossible
to get from them an estimate of the
loss of life. Anywhere from IS to 100
persons went to their death and at a
late hour tonight it was believed that
the latter figures are nearer correct
than the former.
Tho steamship officials estimate that
about $50 rassenges and a crew Of so
were on board the steamer when she
Left Providence last night. Forty
eight bodies reached these shores to-
day, and 70 wore alive when taken from
tie Nfeboat. Taking the estimated fig
ures of the steamship officials as a
basis, there are still 13S persons TO be
accounted for. The only possible evil
dence of the steamers victims is lying
at the bottom OF Block Island sound.
The list of passengers and crew, hand
cd to the purser just before the steam
er left Providence, was locked in a
safe and it was not recovered.
The cause of the accident has not
been satisfactorily explained. 1t oc-
CURED just off Watch Hill about IL
O'Clock last night, when the three
masted Schooner Harry Enowlton
crashed into the steamers port side
amidships Captain George McVey of
the I.archmont declares that the
Knowlton suddenly sWerved from her
course. luiled up into the wind and
crashed into his vessel.
Captain Haley Of the Knowlton as
serts that the steamer did not give
his vessel sufficient sea room and that
the collision occurred before he could
take his schooner out OF the path of the
oncOming steamer.
The steamer, with a huge HE 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 than half an hour. The Knowlton,
after she had backed away from the
wreck, began to sink rapidly, but her
crew manned the pumps and kept her
aflOat until She reached a point OF
QuonOchontaug where they put out in
the life boat and rowed ashore. There
were no fatalities on the schooner, but
the men suffered from the extreme
cold.
There was no comparison, however.
between their experience and those of
the passengers and crew of the steam
er. A majority Of those on the Larch-
mont had retired for the night and
when the collision occurred there We're
few on deck. With the exception Of
the crew. who were prepared for the
weather which prevailed. Members OF
the shipmrecked people hurried from
the warm staterooms to the deck of
CT. int
Literally chilled to the bone many rush
ed headlong below to secure clothing
while others, barefooted. bareheaded and
clad only in night gowns. stood on the
decks. fearing that to so below would
mean certain death.
1t now appears certain that the loss Of
life was heaviest among those who had
retired for the night. Despite the eff
forts which were made to leave no one
on board, it would appear to be impossi-
be that of the 100 souls on board none
were left behind Those who had no op-
pOrtunity to clothe themselves succumb-
ed long before they reached shore, and
even those who Were fortunate enough to
be fully dressed endured suffering and
frost bites of such a serious nature that
in many instances fatal results are
feared.
An investigation of the wreck will be
instituted by the United States steam
boat inspectors of the Providence dis
trict.
Block Island. Feb. 1.-The Larch-
mont side wheel steamer, which was
only put onto the Joy Line service dur
ing the present season, left her dock
| in Providence last night, with a heavy
cargo of freight and a passenger list
estimated at from $50 to 200. A strong