South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-31
WRECKAGE OF
MONROE DANGER
TO NAVIGATION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)


a low speed Roadway and continual
use of fog horns.
2-Whether the terrible death rate
among the passengers on board the
Monroe was due in any way to lack
of discipline on board the wrecked
ships crew.
3-Whether the two vessels were in
their proper positions prior to the
collision.
AS soon as the message telling of
the disaster reached Washington the
officials of the steamboat inspection
service got into telephone communi-
cation with Robert Tapley, inspector
of hulls. and Edward Brey, inspector
of boilers in Norfolk. At 4 o'clock
the department of commerce re-
ceived word that the investigation
had begun.
According TO all information now in
possession of the government officials
the two ships were Of splendid con-
struction. They stated Friday that
the impact of the Nantucket when
she struck the Monroe must have
been terrific to tear a cash that would
sink the ship in 20 minutes. Despite
the reports that have been received
from Norfolk describing the slow rate
of speed at which the two ships were
running, the officials are inclined to
believe that the Nantucket must have
been exceeding the limit of cautious
Roadway when she ran down the
Monr
Figures in the possession of the
department of commerce show that
the Monroe was much finer and a
larger ship than the one which sank
her, which was little over half her
tonnage and was only PA feet long.
Capt Johnson Of the lost ship Mon
roe told this story of the disaster:
1T was a disagreeable. fOgSy night
when we left Norfolk. Thimble Shoal
light in Hampton Roads could not be
seen 80 yards away. Six hours were
Point wharf to where we were
wrecked, little less than forty miles.
The Monroe went down IS miles north
Of Cape Charles.
Siren Kept Going.
THE siren was kept continuously
in action. At the time the Nantucket
struck us we were lying to- The Nam
tucket was moving at a slow rate. All
at once there was a terrible crash. We
were struck amidships. the bow Of the
Nantucket rending a fearful hole in
tf e side of the Monroe. / was on the
bridge at the time. The first mate
was dispatched below and other Off
GERS were sent to care for the passen-
gers. Practically all on board were
asleep except those on duty. We had
been struck on the starboard side and
the heavy lurch threw most of the
sleepers out of their berthS.
Immediately there was a rush for
the promenade deck although there
was little confusion. We tried our
best to get the passengers up on the
boat deck and into the lifeboats. but
many refused TO go. The boats on the
low side were easily launched.
quick as possible we got the pas
sengers into the lifeboats, providing
each with life preservers.
IifebOat Is SSwamped.
There was a chOppy sea and the air
was chilly. Lifeboat No. 3, the first
boat launched. swamped as soon as
she struck the water. Boat No. l had
been crippled by the collision and
could not be used. First Officer
Hershey launched lifeboat No. 8, TAX
ing with him ten passengers. He pick
ed "a persons out of the water. Life
boat No. was launched off the for
ward deck carrying ten passengers and
when safely away from the sinking
vessel picked up Second Mate Gately
who was floating on a ladder.
1.-TWO boats from the Nantucket
picked up Il of our people. / launch
ed lifeboat No. myself. taking with
ne the last eight on board and pick
ing up 27 persons who floundered in
the icy waters"