The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-13

1lne disaster WIFI an dppdlllHS lOsS u
life and entailing suffering almost be-
yond the limit of human endurance came
to light today when a 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 meu who had died from
the effects of long hours of exposure to
a death-dealing temperature. In the boat
also were eleven men whose sufferinss
were so intense that they seemed obliV-
ious to the fact that death was in their
midst and that they had escaped only
by virtue of their ability to withstand
the rigor of icy weather in an open boat
at sea
The beat brought a tale OF disaster that
has rarely been equalled in New Eng
land waters, and it is believed that when
the final count is made it will be found
that not less than $50 lives were lost.
Following closely in the wake of the sol
itary lifeboat came the bodies. boats and
RATS. washed upon the beach by angry
waves. Owing to the condition Of the sur
vivors it was impossible to get from them
an estimate of the loss of life. From sew
enty to 150 persons went TO their death,
and at a late hour tonight ii was be-
lieved that the latter figure is nearer cor
rect.
The steamship officials estimated that
about $50 passengers and a crew of fifty
were on board the steamer when she left
Providence last night. Forty-five bodies
reached these shores today and nineteen
were alive when taken from the boats.
Taking the estimated figures Of the
steamship officials and the known list of
missing as a basis, there are still many
persons to be accounted for. The only
positive evidence of the steamers VIC
TINS is lying at the bottom of Block
Island sound. The list of passengers and
crew handed to the purser Just before the
steamer left Providence was locked in
safe, and 1t was not recovered.
Cause of Disaster.
The cause of the accident has not been
satisfactorily explained 1t occurred just
off Watch Hill about IL o'clock last
night, when the three-masted schooner
Harry Knowlton, bound from South Am
boy for Poston with cargo of ccal,
crashed into the steamers port side amid
ships. Capt. George McVey, of the
Larchmont declares that the Knowlton
suddenly swerved from her course, luffed
Into the wind and crashed into his ves-
sci. Capt. Haley, of the knowlton, de-
clares the steamer did not give his ves-
sci sufficient sea room. The steamer,
with large hole torn in her side, was
so seriously damaged that no attempt
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 fill rap
Idly, but her crew manned the pumps
and kept her aioat until she reached d
int xxrhR hnx nut in q
and rowed shoreward. There were no IA
talities on the schooner.
majority of those on the Larchmont
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 hur-
ried from the warm staterooms to the
deck of the steamer and into zero atmos-
phere. Chilled to the bone many rushed
headlong below TO secure more clothing,
while others, barefooted and clad only
In night gowns, stood on the 6eAks, fear
ing that to go below would mean certain
death.
IT now appears certain that the loss OF
life was heaviest among those who had
retired for the night. Despite the efforts
which were made to leave no one on
board. II would appear to be impossible
that of the 200 souls on board, none was
left behind Those who had no oppor-
tunity to clothe themselves succumbed
long before they recahed shore, and even
those who were fortunate enough to be
fully dressed endured suffering of a most
severe nature,
List of Persons Saved.
The following is a revised list of per-
sons saved and landed on Block Island:
Passengers:
Harris Feldman. Providence
Mrs Harris Feldman.
Richard Hall. Providence.
Davis Fox, Bridgeport. n ].
s. L, Conlbe, Manchester. N. Fl.
Miss Sarah Gallup, New York.
Antonio Raison.
Oliver Janvir.
Frederick Hiergsell.
Mannert Took.
Officers and crew:
Caut George w. McVey, Providence.
Purser Oscar A. Young, Providence.
Quartermaster James Stables, Provf-
dence.
Firemen James Warn, Martin Liebert.
John Logan. Providence.
Walter Louis Mcfarland. Welling. N. Y.
Two other names not given. Total, nine
teen.
The following is a revised list of persons
missing:
Passengers:
r. r. Perkins. Boston: Fl. Hulgren.
Boston: Antonio Ainetti. Providence:
- Riccardi -: Joseph Muligan.
woonsocket. r. T.: Rev. Phillip Murfeo.
pastor Italian Methodist Episcolap church.
Providence: Harry Feldman. Providence;