Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-26
VESSEL WAS SUNK
Fall River Liner Commonwealth Struck sn UuEDown Early
 Today.

ed Long Island sound early to-day the Fall River line steamer Common wealth collided with an unknown vessel, off Race Rock, sinking the lat ter and sustaining considerable dam age herself, while proceeding on her regular trip from Fall River and Newport to New York. The crew of the unknown vessel was taken on board the steamer Maine of the New Bedford line which answered the Commonwealth's wireless message of distress, and continued to New Bed ford afterward.
 The accident happened about 2:30 a. m. The Commonwealth was pro- ceeding slowly because of the thick blanket of fog which had obscured everything from the time she left Fall River.
 The unknown craft was proceeding at leisurely rate of speed, when Captain Williamson of the Common wealth sighted 1t coming in his di- rection The siren blasts which fol- lowed however. were sounded too late to prevent the collision and the un- known vessel, after remaiing above water short time, rapidly settled, forcing the crew to take to the water from wheve they were rescued by the crew of the steamer Maine.
 Following the collision, Captain Williamson ordered the wireless op- orator toNsend general message of distress along the sound. and within an hour five vessels had answered and volunteered their assistance. The steamers Maine, Providence and Priscilla stood by the Commonwealth until she started on her journey as sisting in caring for the members of the unknown vessels crew and in Captain Williamson's hasty exami- nation of the damage sustained by the Commonwealth. It was found that the injuries were not serious enough to prevent the steamer con tinuing to New York under her own steam and the start was made about 4:30 a. m, after she had remained off Race Rock for nearly two hours.
 In the meantime the officials of the line in Fall River and Newport had been notified of the accident, although the details were lacking and it was unknown to what extent the Com monwealth had been damaged. The steamer Puritan of the Fall River line, docked here for repairs, was or .dered ready to proceed to the scene to give what assistance was possible to the Commonwealth and her large number of passengers. The Puritan had gone part of the distance up the sound when she was recalled by wire- less it ebing believed that the Com monwealth already had a sufficient convoy to care for the passengers in case of any accident before New York was reached.
 The accident to the steamer Com monwealth cafne as the continuation of long day of sound navigation, made hazardous by the encircling shroud of fog which permitted of but little warning in the case of ap- preaching vessels. Leaving New York at 6 o'clock yesterday morning, the Commonwealth arrived at New port about D. III. and immediately proceeded for Fall River from which place she returned on the trip back to New York about o'clock. The journey up the sound was necessarily slow one, and one requiring much watchfulness but despite all the care the Commonwealth was unfortunate in running down the equally unfor- tuate craft which was sunk.
 New Bedford, Mass, Sept 26.- The steamer Maine of the New Bed ford line, which arrived here to-day from New York more than two hours behind time, was in the im- mediate vicinity of the Fall River liner Commonwealth at the time that steamer ran down and sank the Norwegian bark Volund.
 The fog at the time was exceeding ly dense and as the Maine was ap- preaching Race Rock her comman- der, Captain Webber, heard four blasts of steamers whistle, sig nal of distress. The Maine at that time was little more than half a mile distant from the Commonwealth and as soon as she was able to pick her way through the fog she ap, preached the Commonwealth and stood by that steamer until Captain Williamson, in command of the Fall River liner, notified Captain Webber that the Commonwealth would be able to proceed to New York unas- sisted.
 At no time was the Maine near enough to the Commonwealth to carry on communication by other means than wireless telegraph. At times the lights of the Common wealth would glow through the murk, but the outlines of the craft could not be discerned in the fog.
 From the fragmentary wireless messages sent out from the Com monwealth, Captain Webber was given to understand that all of the crew of the Volund were saved and were taken on board the steamer Providence, which. like the Common wealth, was bound for New York.
 Wants to Recover Bonds.