The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-25
Eiqhteen Persons Lose Lives
As Result Of Collision
Of Steamers
THICK FOG ON THE LAKE
IS CAUSE OF DISASTER
According to SURVIVORS When Steamer
Sank the Suction Took Down Many
of the Passengers and They
Never Reappeared

Port Huron, May 24.-Famies and
friends of the missing Is members of
the crew of the i'll fated steamer Frank
II. Goodyear. which sank Monday MORN
ing off Pointe Aux Barques, Lake HUI
ron, after being rammed amidships by
the steamer James B. Wood tonight
practically gave up all hope of any of
the missing passengers having been
rescued.
The steamer Sir William Semens,
which was said to have picked up some
of the missing crew. made no report
of having taken survivors aboard. That
the Siemens could have reported other
wise is regarded as certainly improb-
able. She has not yet reached Sault
ste Marie and it is thought may have
been delayed in Sailors Encampment
channel by the blockade there. Four
of the rescued members of the crew
have gone to the Goodyears headquar-
ters in Cleveland and Mrs. Emma Bas-
sett, the only other survivor, Is still
in Port Huron.
The scene O fthe collision was about
IS miles north of Pointe aux Baraues
and the time between and o'clock,
Monday morning. A thick fog hung
over the water. The Goodyear oper-
ated by Mitch ell & Co., of Cleveland.
was coming down from Lake Superior
laden with ore. The Wood. owned by
the Gilchrist Transportation company
of Cleveland, was going up light. There
was little sea running at the time.
The fog is held responsible for the
accident
News of the Wreck
News reached here today that Is lives
were lost in the collision of two big
steel freight steamers on Lake Huron
north of Pointe aux Barques, in dense
fog Monday morning, and that the
steamer Frank II. Goodyear of C1eye-
land was sunk in AZ fathoms of wa
ter The steamer James B.. Wood of
Cleveland, which struck the Goodyear
bow on limped into Port Huron har-
Dor today with big hole in her bow.
carrying half a dozen survivors from
the Goodyear. The latter carried crew
of % men andsseveral passengers. Capt
F. r. Hemingway of Algona, Mhich.,
who commanded the Goodyear, Chiee
Engineer Gibson, Steward David Bas-
sett. one wheeisman and two passen-
gers, Mrs Thomas H. Bassett and her
daughter of Marine City. Mich, were
saved and brought to Port Huron on
the steamer Wood. The only hope for
the survival of the others who were
on board the Goodyear lies in the pos
sibility of their having been rescued by
the steamer William Siemens. which
was near the scene of the wreck and is
due at Detour and Sault Ste Marie to-
day. The collision occurred In a heavy
fog.
The Goodyear was struck amidships
on the starboard side, while both of
the bows of the Wood were 1punctured
vessel Is Doomed
In moment it was seen that the
GOODYEAR was doomed as she began
rapidly to fill with water. Everybody on
board was supplied with life preserver
and every effort was made to man and
launch the small boats But the water
poured into the hold so fast so that the
heavy matches were forced from their
frames by the pressure from underneath
and shot into the air in every direction.
Falling the matches spread injury and
death among the terrified crew and pas
scngers of the sinking vessel With his
infant child in his arms, Beard Bassett
had almost reached safety In one Of the
life boats when one Of the tumbling
hatc1eS SnaIcneQ tHc DdDy IIoIIi his dTIllS
The little one fell itno the like and was
drowned despite the frantic efforts of its
father to recover It, 81
The cook had just sounded the sec
ond call for breakfast on the Goodyear
when the crash came and many were
in the mess room. Il, Ss
The Goodyear sank rapidly and before
her Anal plunge suddenly parted In the
center and with sound which could
be heard above the whistling of the Wood
for help, sank out of sight
The Wood was kept af1oat by pumping.
Following the accident, Captain Gibson
of the Wood ordered the boats lowered
and gave the crew Instructions to make
every effort to save any of the sailors OF
the sinking steamer. Within snort time
the yawl boat was brought alongside the
Wood and FIVE people, Captain Heminger,
Steward Frank Bassett, Mrs. Emma Bas-
pett, Frank Mollick and George Grant.
were taken aboard all IN an exhausted
condition For more than seven hours
the Wood remained at anchor near the
scene of the collision When the fog
rose there was nothing In sient. ana az
his boat was in danger of sinking Cap
tain Gibson headed for this port.
story Of Survivor
II was standing on deck when l heard
the alarm whistle" said one Of the crew
OF the Wood. IA moment later the two
boats crashed together. Standing amid
ship on the Goodyear were the entire
crew hudled closely together, and saw
first one and then another jump over
board. Suddenly the Goodyear made
lurch to one side and went down, leav-
ing a big hole In the water and the
suction carried many down with It,
Next 4 saw woman come to the
surface with child in her arms. Then
one of the matches bobbed up and struck
her as It descended. was forced to turn
my head from the scene"
Mrs. Emma Bassett Of Algonic, stew
frdess on the Goodyear, told the follow
lng story:
N II was engaged, in the cabin when
! heard the whistles Of both boats. / rar
ON deck. A moment later the crash came
NJ and etai,l1ed nraa 4l,xa lifn x,raao r,.a,z