Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1914-02-05
FORTY NINE DIE
IN SEA DISASTER
SHIPS CRASH TOGETHER IN FOG
AND ONE GOES TO BOTTOM
IN TEN MINUTES

~-~~~>
lives were lost in the icy waters Of
the Atlantic at 2 o'clock this morning
when the old Dominion liner "Mon-
roe" was rammed amidships, prac-
tically cut in two, and sunk within
ten minutes, twenty miles southeast of
Hog island, by the Merchants and
Miners liner Nantucket.
The forty-nine comprised twenty
five passengers and twenty-four men,
bers of the crew, according to official
wireless reports. Thirty-one passen-
gers and ffty-ive Of the crew were
saved, making total rescued of eigh-
ty-six. These, including Captain
Johnson of the Monroe, huddled on the
Nantucket, which limped into Nor
folk with crumpled bow. She was
due to arrive at or 2 p. m.
The two boats, picking their way
through a blanket of fog, one going
north, and the other bound for the
south, met with crash near the win
ter quarters of Shoal Lightship. The
S. o. S. calls, reaching out to the
coast stations started every available
agency of rescue into action, but not
soon enough.
While the Nantucket backed off,
lowered boats and began sweeping
the misty sea with searchlights, the
Monroe and her passengers, pitched
out of their berths in their night
clothes, sank like rocks.
In the swirling vortex of the sink
ing ship men shouted, women scream
ed frantically through mist and there
was terrible confusion.
The Monroe went down so quickly,
it is believed the only refugees were
those saved by the Nantucket.
The lost had scarcely a chance to
realize that death was upon them be-
fore they were struggling in the sea.
The doomed passengers of the Mon
roe, were fast asleep in, their cabins
when the two vessels came together
and went to their death with but a
moment for. shrek of despair.
Only those kept awake by the sirens
wailing their useless warnings through
the fog, knew when the crash oc-
Cured Not ten minutes intervened
between the time the blunt bow of
the numbering Nantucket crashed it's
way into the side of the Dominion
liner and the time the latter slid under
the waves. The eighty-six rescued
were lifted from the icy water after
their vessel had gone down.
Both vessels had quieted down for
the night hours before the collision
Captain Berry, on the bridge of the
Nantucket, and lookout, had the
bridge to themselves. The captain
because of the fog, kept the bridge of
the Monroe.
Thus, with all but the two captains
and the lookouts asleep, the two ves-
sells neared each other in the murk.
As the Nantucket staggered back af-
ter the shock, Captain Berry swung
his searchliehts and the dimly settling
bulk of the Monroe loomed up through
the darkness. Uncertain as to the
fate of his own vessel, he ordered out
the lifeboats. Lost from view in the
fog they began the work of rescue
Guided only by the shrieks of the
drowning the boats picked up the sur
vivors.
When the searchlight's faint glow
brought to view no more struggling
figures. when the shouts of the life
boat crews brought no answering
shouts from the sea, the task was
abandoned.
The Nantucket turned her gaming
PROV southwark with her saloon
crowded with drencled and suffering
men and women. Soon she fell in
with the Dominion liner Hamilton
rushing in answer to the wireless call
of distress.
The shock of being plunged from
their warm births into the icy water
in the sea, particularly to the women
proved a grave physical trial. A
number are reported in a serious con-
dition and some may die from ex-
posure.
The Monroe is the first steamer lost
by the old Dominion line during the
half century, it had been in operation
The steamer was valued at $500, ZOO
and her cargo much more, making q
total loss. exclusive Of lives Of more
than $1,O00,000.