The Penn's Grove record., 1907-02-15
PENIS GROVE, N. j., FRIDAY. FEBRUARY Is. 1907


in their delirium of fear. Others
rushed for the lifeboats, shelved high
on the hurricane deck of the steamer,
and the rush of those attempting to
find a way to the upper deck was
frantic. Many were so hurt in the
struggle that they were unable to
help themselves and rolled off into
the water.
Some died in attempts to launch
the lifeboats. They were frozen to
death as they struggled vainly on the
decks of the 1oundering steamer.
Others were drowned. pushed over
board in the mad panic to escape be-
fore the steamer went down. Still
others, hopeless and unable to steel
themselves for the ordeal of waiting
for the steamer to sink. flung them
selves overheard into the water, in
sane with fear. Manv were so injured
in the collision that they were unable
to even escape from their staterooms.
The great hurricane deck was
broken into fragments by the up-
rush of water as the Larchmont sank.
Happily for seven of the passengers
and crew. a large portion of the after
deck f1oated free, and sixteen nersons.
several of them women, found a pre-
carious foothold upon it. Almost
instantly three o" the party. two men
and a woman, were washed over
board.
First, the women were placed in
lifeboats, the men passenger and
members of the crew selecting the
unprotected RATS as their vehicle of
escape. Captain McVey remained on
the upper deck. directing his officers
and crew. until every n on board
appeared to have been cared for. He
ordered all of the ~lifeboats and RATS
cut away. and before he stenped into
his own boat he stood on the upner
deck a moment to sec that his order
was executed.
Then he ordered that his boat, the
largest on board. he cleared awav.
Before the men had an opportunity
to loosen the tackles the bottom of
the boat rested on top of the sea rag
ing over the hurricane deck, and for
a moment it seemed as though the
lifeboat would be dragged down be-
fore she could be freed from the
doomed steamer. Every hand in the
boat was too cold to handle a knife
NA S"b IN iOpCos HUI, uOWSNGI,
slipped through the tackles and set
the lifeboat adrift just as the vessel
became submerged.
The pitiahle condition of the nas-
sengers and crew was increased a
hundred-fold the moment they had
launched their boats. Every wave
sent it's dash of sprav over the boats,
and soon a thin coating of ice envel-
nnnH
fully clothed suffered from frozen
faces and numbed feet, but there
we're many who had on only their
night clothes.
+ One man in the captains boat. a
member of the crew, was suddenly
driven insane by his intense suffer-
ing. He pulled a big cla7p T-Dife
from his set and pesia5 his
ta1o2t No VII. stayed his SAND. and
aE9in he plugged his knife INFO his
throat. The mans oody fell 10 the
bottom Of tie boat, where it re-
NAMED until Block Island was
reached.
Fisho~'- c'nt is t1e nearest point
of 42LH 0 tne westward of where the
5fs@De vent down, and every boat
neaaed for Tia place. But the ats
werc heavy and the men at the cars
werAwe ak A ffty-mile gale blew on
their backs as they strained at the
Recovered oars in their hopeless en-
deavor. The boats and RATS soon
became separated.
Tho wins was Toe strong 10 be
overcome, All there was nothing left
for the seanen TO 10 but turn about
and head Cor Block Island, fifteen
miles away II vas just after II ..
II. when the captain cut away from
The s~inbins a.soneg. ami il was noe
Eati' ~ a tne morning tHs
When Captain McVey's boat, which
had four passengers and six of the
crew. came ashore, not a man on
board vas able to walk. Their feet
were frozen so badly that the life
savers carried them to the %life-saving
station.
The fishing schooner Clara e. had
landed, just before at Block Island,
after picking up a life raft. There
were upon it seven persons, barely
alive, and n mar frozen stiff. All
the living ones were far gone from
exposure.
The hands of nearly every one
among the saved we're frozen and
their clothing was frozen stiff.
The northwest gale, in the midst
of which the disaster occurred, con-
tinued during the morning, with zero
temperature.