The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-12
Struck by Admiral Farragut
Sinks in Thirty-Five Fa-
thoms of Water
PASSENGERS SAVED
AND NOW ON WAY TO
PORT OF NORFOLK
Battleship Iowa Stands by,
Assists in Rescue and is
Now Acting AS a
Convoy

NEW YORK, May IA wireless
dispatch received here says that the
Ward line steamer Merida, bound to
this city from Progresso, Yucatan,
WAS cut also In two and sunk in 35
fathoms OF water while off Cape
Charles early to-day by the United
Fruit Companys steamer Admiral
tarragut.
All ON Board Saved.
IL is stated that all on board the
Merida were taken of by her own
and the Farragut's boats and landed
on the latter vessel. The Admiral
Farragut Is now making her way to
Philadelphia The extent of the dam
age to the Admiral Farragut Is not
known, but her commander said she
would be able to make port all right.
To Land In Norfolk
Later Vice President Alfred c.
Smith, general manager of the New
York and Cuba Mail Steamship Conn
pany, which controls tine Ward iine.
said that he had received word that
the passengers and crew of the Meri
da Will be landed al Norfolk. The
collision took place at 1856 this
morning. he said. and the only news
received by the line vas that all on
board were safe.
Battleship Gives Aid.
The Ward liner had lS1 passengers
on board. twenty-five of whom had
boarded her at progresso. eighty-eig
at Vera Cruz and seventy seven at
Havana. the last port visited. The
transferring OF the passengers from
the sinking Merida was aided by boats
from ths United States battleship
Iowa, which WAS In the vicinity.
A. soon as the passengers had been
placed on board the Admiral Farra-
gut- the commander Of that steamer
wireieased to the captain OF the Old
Dominion steamer Hamilton. which
had arrived in the meantime. to stand
by. as IL might be necessary to trans
fer all OF the rescued people to the
Hamilton, the fruit steamer being
damaged about the hows.
Later the Farragut. conveyed by
the Hamilton and the Iowa. started
for Norfolk
FarraGut Ia Damaged.
The Farragut's forward buikheads
gave way under the pressure OF the
water that came in through ths big
cash in her hoks and she sank con-
siderably by the head.
The Merida was almost three times
the size of the steamer that sent her
to the bottom, She was built for the
Ward Line at Cramps. in Philadei-
phh. six years ago, and was con-
structed OF steel, her tonnage being
$500. The Admiral Farrxgut was OF
800 tons and was a twin-screw ves-
rel. She was also steel craft built
in 1898.
Sticks 10 His Ship
The Merida was due tn New YORK
to-day. The Admiral Farraxut re-
ported to her owners the bare facts OF
the collision. saying that she was flied
NTH water forward, but would prosy-
ably be able to make port In addi-
ton to the Iowa and Hamilton, half a
dozen other craft are reported In the
vicinity OF the Farragut and will es-
cort her TO Norfolk.
A wireless from the captain OF
the revenue cutter Seneca, which Is
hurrytng down the coast to aid, II
necessary. says that Captain Robert
son. OF the Merida. his first officer and
four members of the crew. who stay
ed on board the Merida until she sank
at $50 this morning were rescued
Just before the steamer went under
they launched small boat and were
rowed to the Hamilton, where they
we're taken on board.