The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-05-16
BIC SHIP SINKS
WITH 319 ABOARD
In 50 Fathoms of Water
Near Cape Charles
EVERY SOUL WAS SAVED

ALI the Passengers and Crew Landed
in Norfolk Last Night-Only One
Person ON Board Was Injured
Thrilling Story Of Disaster, Which
Was Caused by Big Steamship Me
rida, Being Rammed By the Fruit
Steamer '.Earragut"-Much Person
al Property Lost.
(By Associated Press.)
Norfolk, Va, May IA near
tragedy Of the sea filled with many
thrilling narratives Of human rescue
and escape occurred off this coast ear
ly today when the splendid Ward Line
steamer Merida bound from Ha-
vana, Cuba, for New York, with 319
souls on board. sank in thirty-fve
fathoms of water. ffty-fve miles
northeast of Cape Charles after she
had been rammed by the fruit steamer
Admiral F~arragut," bound from Phil
adelphia for Port Antonio.
Every person aboard the Merida"
was rescued and but one was seriously
injured. This was the wife of A. PeOn,
a land proprietor Of PrOgresso, Mex
leo, who with his entire family was
bound for Paris to await the end Of
Mexican hostilities. Mrs. feoH, occu-
plying a room imme diately next to
where the "Farragut" struck the Me
rida," was crushed and it is feared that
she has suffered internal injuries.
How Thu Accident Occurred.
The Merida was struck by the
Admiral Farragut" during a dense
fog at 1880 o'clock last night after
the former had enjoyed q most de-
lightful voyage from Havana with fine
sion came to the sleeping passengers
like a thunder bolt out OF skies Of
blue.
In five hours the Merida" was at
the bottom of the sea, but all her pas
sengers and crew were then safely
aboard her much smaller antagonist,
the Admiral Farragut."
By ear Of wireless telegraphy
flashed from wires that for several
hours had been out Of commission as
the result of the severe compact, the
old Dominion Steamship Company's
steamer Hamilton" bound from New
York to Norfolk and summoned by
the admiral Earragut," and taking
aboard the rescued passengers, and
crew of the Merida" landed them
in Norfolk at 7 o'clock tonight.
The Admiral Farragut" which car
ried but one passenger. this a Phila-
delphfan whose name was not obtain
ed, proceeded for the Delaware Break
water under convoy, it is said, Of the
United States battleship Iowa, which
arrived early on the scene in answer
to wireless appeals for assistance, and
which was standing by the "Farragut'
when the steamer "Hamil,on' left
with the rescued passengers and crew
for Norfolk.
The Admiral Farragut," after ram
asr- 49, "
times her size, staggered away with
a bad hole In her port bow and it was
feared for a time hat she, too, might
sink. The '~Farragut" crashed into
the Merida with great force, not
only disabling the latter's engines, but
w%recking her electrical dynamo and
leaving the ship in total blackness with
her wireless apparatus also wrecked
and the steamer helpless. except for
the aid that the "Farragut" was sub
~sequently able to herself give.
The Merida Is described as havins
been AT feet long; SO feet beam, 35
feet deep with a displacement of ap-
proximately 10000 tons. The vessel
is only about five ears old. Its ton.
nag vas $4,000. Previous to the
wreck last night, the Merida had made
splendid progress on its trip to New
York.
Wednesday 355 miles we're covered
"nlle on 4nuTSOdy the Merida mac
gone 43S miles, making a total of 7SS
miles within two day The distance
from Havana to New York by the
route taken by the Ward Liners is
LILO miles.
According to the passengers on the
Merida, the accident occurred during
L dense fog, but quiet sea.
There are said to have been amons
he Merida's passengers fully TIVE
tccre Mexican refugees who, fearine
The present revolution there, were
leaving the country for the United
State and European points Amons
these are said to have beer a Roman
Catholic archbishop, on his way te
Rome.
One woman said that she lost no,