The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-02-05
RESCUED TELL HOW
LINER MONROE SANK
Vesse! in Collision With Steamer
Near Norfolk, Va.l
NINETY-NINE ARE SAVED
Survivors Arrive in Port and Describe
Scenes Following Crash During
Fog--Cling to Graft Until
II Sinks.

Norfolk, Va. Feb. carrying 80
survivors of the Old Dominion liner
Monroe, and the death tale of ~ more,
the Merchants & Miners steamship
Nantucket came into port on Friday.
The 80 survivors brought story OF
suffering and sudden death from the
sea.
X was a story OF sudden death,
sweeDing out of the fog and taking I'M
awares the doomed two score with the
beaviness of sleep still upon them. 1t
told how the stricken Monroe. with Its
side gored deep by the knifelika steel
Prov OF the Nantucket, filled rapidly,
rolled. and in a few minutes turned
completely over and plunged TO the
bottom, carrying the Inflated passen.
gers and members OF the crew who had
failed TO get clear OF the wreck.
The revised lists prepared by Cap
tain Johnson, who survived he sunken
vessel. showed:
Lost-Passengers 10; crew, %.
Saved Passengers 80; crew, 60.
Under the thick bank of fog that hid
the heavily running sea both ships
were making their way slowly and with
difficulty in the early morning. The
Monroe. with Captain Johnson on the
bridge and a double lookout peering
into the fog ahead, was edging under
half speed TO the northward, having
left Norfolk for New York in the eve
ming with q nerve-racking, fog.bound
voyage in prospect. The Nantucket
heavily laden with freight and with
only two passengers aboard, was nos
ing its way southwark from Boston to
Norfolk. Urged through the dripping
fog the two vessels were slowly
drawn toward each other while the
death spirit waited and watched.
The crash came about 40 O'Clock
in the morning without warning. out
Of the gray-black fog that shut on,
even the waves from view the CLEAN
of the Nantucket's searchlight scarce
ly touched the dripping side OF the
Monroe before the high steel prov OF
the southwark bound vessel cut into
the Monroe's side with ripping and
crashing OF plates that threw the
stricken ship aback. The Nantucket
with its bow crushed in, backed out
of sight into the fog as Captain John
son, seeing that his vessel WAS fatally
stricken, shouted an order for the life.
boats.
When the crash came passengers
aboard the Monroe were in bed and
asleep. Only Captain Johnson and the
watch on deck we're up and about. But
the shivering OF the stricken vessel
awakened the sleeping passengers am
sent them clambering toward the deck.
Warned by the officers, they hurredly
adjusted life preservers and made for
the tilted deck, but the time was all
100 brief. Those rescued agreed that
from the time the Monroe was struck
until it settled beneath the waves not
more than ten minutes elapsed.
As the half-clad. excited throng OF
passengers reached the deck they
were herded toward the lifeboats by
the officers and the crew. Three OF
the lfeboats from one side Of the
crippled vessel were unshipped and
gotten away from the side, freighted
with frightened humanity, mostly
women, shivering In the wet and cold
In their fllmsy nightclothing. BY the
time these were away the Monroe
rolled on its side with a sudden lurch
and it was impossible 10 launch the
other boats.
Cabins and saloons were submerged
and with a chorus OF shrieBs the I'M
fortunates left on the sinking vessel
turned and, crawling like rats, made
their way over tho 'superstructure
through portfolios, windows and com
panionways, until they rested, just
out OF reach OF the waves on the up
per side of the half capti2ed vessel
But even this slippery security was
not long available. With Il rumbling
sound the big vessel shIyered and
shook and then plunged beneath the
waves. leaving its human freight
sfloat on the icy waters OF the ocean