New-York tribune., 1911-11-20
TELL Of PANIC ON
10Y LINE STEAMER
Tennessee Arrives in Port. after
Rough Trip, with a Big
Hole in Bow.
NO COLLISION, SAYS CAPTAIN
Passengers Describe Crash at
Midnight, but Skipper Says
a Big Wave Caused
the Damage.

boavv seas and serious INJURY 10 ths
shin followed by such panic that women
tried TO throw themselves oVerpoaro'
while money was stolen and negro
norters ran about the decks clad In MUS
save l.fe preservers, was told by the sea
sick passengers Of the JOY Line steamer
Tennessee. bound from Providence 10
Now York. which crept into her berth
at Pier 10. East River. at y o'clock last
av hing. nearly ten hours overdue ana
with n big hole smashed completeS
through her bow.
Not often does schooner from fsr-on
nlaces stagger into port with q tale more
replete with excitement than that wh'ch
many of the hundred odd passengers de-
cIared WAS tho true account OF the hap
penings Of the twenty hours they hso
spent trying to get 10 New 1ork'
Weather so rough that there was gen
eraI seasickness aboard, details Of ths
terror that followed the striking OF the
mountainous seas. the plesdings OF men
and women to be put ashore end the
drearv. breakfastless morning that fol-
lowed are only a few Of the features.
The Tennessee. a twin screw, thres
decked steel craft, left Providence az
$50 o'clock on Saturday night with about
on hundred and twenty-five passengers
and freight cargo. A heavy west wind
was blowing. and as the hig oratt
worked down Narragansett Bay and
steamed out into the open the rolling and
/ pitching Of the vessel began 10 get the
better of the passengers and as the rem
nessee rounded Point Judith and 10 the
southwest into the gale sessickness
seized all hands.
During the evening the seas hecan1s
rougher many Of the passengers say,
and except for a few hardy Voyagers
who stood huddled in corners along the
hurricane deck watching the Lexington,
tho Colonial Line boat. also out Of PROV
idence for New York, coming up from
the eastward and fast overhauling them.
no one stirred out of the saloons, and
most of those aboard were lying in their
berths. AS the rival boat drew up along
side some Of the men on tho hurricane
deck decided that n race was on, and
FINGERED to watch the Lexington As Il
plunged and heaved in the big waves TO
the starboard.
Mysterious Crash at Night.
II was about 80 o'clock, or Little
Gull Island according to the passengers,
when mysterious crash occurred. Al
bert E.llisburg, of No. llO2 Union ave
nue. The Bronx, who occupied state
room forward with Isidor Wciner, Of Ne.
16J Third avenue, says the bow OF the
steamer seemed to drop suddenly. and
that he was hurled out of tho upper
berth i'm which he was sleeping
Hastily slipping on his clothes Ellis
burg went out on deck. Negro porters.
some Of them with little more Than 2
shirt and all in various stages OF un-
dress were running about the decks no
says. buckling life preservers around
their shoulders and crying out that tho
steamer was going down. In the saloon
and the cabins the panic had started
Men ran through the saloon TO get their
wives and children out Of the staterooms
and cabins, and women came running
with life preservers over their night
clothes. To increase the terror No'-
lume of water poured i'm through the top
of the saloon, flooding the cabins and
driving the occupants out TO join In the
general disorder.
While the stewardess was having a
hard time 10 prevent some Of the terror
stricken women from getting on deck and
throwing themselves overheard, some OF
the men, Ellisburg says, had managed 10
get forward, where they found the crew
trying TO man the pumps. There they gct
n look at the bow, smashed through from
side to side. Through the splintered holes
the ncavy seas were plungng, and
clothes. broken woodwork and furniture
were washing about.
At the moment OF the crash the Ten
nessee had slowed down, and as tlle
waves began 10 wash into the steamer
the terror of the passengers once moro
threw the cabins and saloon into dis
order While the crew was laborinS
valorously to get some of the water ont
of the steamer forward and to patch up
the gaping holes the pumps went on
strike and the fight was given mp. The
Tennessee then moved forward slowly
and at the end Of an nour and half the
lights Of New London began to appear
off the starboard bow. Running as she
was at low speed, the volume of water
forward held the Tennessecs nose into
the sea. but Captain Enos managed TO
get her into New London. where he tied
up at = dock while repairs were at
tempted.
Kent Aboard, Says Passenger.
with the arrival in New London the
fears of the passengers as we'll as their
stomachs were somewhat calmed. Va
rious persons who were aboard say that
, the carpenters from the docks went to
I, work on the smashed bow, although this
is denied by the captain. When, at the
end of two hours. however, no move was
made TO put the fearful ashore, some Of
the passengers Ellisburg says. Went 10
, CAPTAIN Enos and asked to be allowed TO
go on TO New York by rail This request
a., I,IliShuro u.pS refused and