New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-31
500 IN PERIL As
STEAMERS CRASH
CITY of RockIand and Collier in
Collision in Fog Off New
Hampshire Coast.
NEW YORK GIRL HEROINE
Dorothy Lockett, Ten Years
Old, Saves Grandmother
When Both Are Thrown
from Lifeboat.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

by Telegraph to The Tribune.
Boston. July 90-More than three hun
dred persons returning from Maine re-
sorts went through a startling experience
off the New Hampshire coast amid fog
and darkness early this morning, when
the paddle-wheel steamer City Of Rock
land, from the Kennebec River for Bos-
ton, had her bow crumpled in collision
with tie collier William Chisholm.
Stanch bulIheads kept the Rockland
afioat, while a smooth sea and the fact
that the Chisholm swung alongside imme-
diately after the collision enabled the
passengers TO be transferred to the COL
Her without loss of life.
The steamer Belfast came up at dawn,
and, taking the City of Rockland's pas
sengers off the Chisholm. landed them IN
Boston. The City of Rockland, although
sunk to her guard rails remained afioat
and was lowed. stern first, to a dock yard
at East Boston.
Dorothy Lockett, ten years old, OF No.
100 Riverside Drive, New York, proved
herself the heroine Of the collision. With
her grandmother. Mrs. william n.
Thompson, she was returning from va
cation in Maine. Dorothy is slender
little miss and apparently was undis-
turbed by the trying time through which
she passed. She clearly explained her ex-
perience to a reporter.
Grandma and | were In the state
room," she said. when We were sud-
denly awakened by a terrific bump. We
, Immediately got up and jumped into what
clothes we could find. | got sweater
and a long coat and we fastened on life
belts. We were then ordered to the
upper deck and placed In a lifehoet
went In first and grandma followed. II
was terrible, exciting women were scram-
ing and the officers were shouting orders
everywhere.
"The boat was lowered half way down
when the bovine, l think you call IT,
drew taut Tho boat swung for while
and then tipped, throwing every one into
tho water I can't swim. but | got along
all right with the life belt, and the water
was not nearly so cold as II was M In
Maine. Soon the men who were lowering
the boat got 1t Strengthened out and low
cred IL TO the water. / was placed In the
boat first. but | asked the men to put
grandma in after me and they did. then
began TO bail out the boat, which was
filling.
I'VE were then rowed 10 the collier
climbed up ladder and got state
room where We could change our wet
clothes for dry ones"
Six lifebosts Launched.
A few Of the passengers suffered minor
injuries from the collision. A score, most
of them women and children. Wcfo
dropped into the sea when tn. bow OF tho
lifeboat fell from it's davits. while another
lifeboat was swamped by the stream
from the steamers condenser. Six life
boats were launched during the few min
utes of excitement following the collision,
but most OF the passengers scrambled
of the Rockland.
When the boat fell from tho davits Miss
Thompson lost her gold watch so In
money and suitcase overheard.
The City OF Rockland was laden 10 her
| full passenger capacity when she ran out
of the mouth OF the Kennebec about gun
set last night and steamed directly into
a big bank Of fog on Seguin Island. The
steamers speed had been reduced when
about midnight n whistle was heard d.
rectly ahead. Captain Blair. OF the Rock
| land, and Captain Calhoun, Of the CHS
| holm, disagree somewhat regarding the
position of their boats. but a few min
utes later the two came together, tho
Rockland ramming the Chisholm on the
starboard side near the bow.
Both boats recoled from the blow The
| Chisholm had a big dent in her side.
while the Rockland lost twenty-five feet
| Of her bow as clearly as n had been
sliced off with knife.
1t took about an hour to transfer the
passengers to the collier. The officers
| and crew of the City OF Rockland re
manned on board while whistles We're
blown frequently for assistance. Dawn
was breaking wnen the Belfast appeared.
and In half an hour she had every one
of the collier.