The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-02-04
FORTY ONE PERISH
WHEN SHIP SINKS

WILLY Atl SIIyNo
Steamer Monroe Goes to the Bottom
on COast Of Virginia, Rammed by
Nantucket.
Norfolk, Va, Jan. 3O.-The story Of
how 43 people went down to death in
tho Chill water OF the Atlantic when
the liner Nantucket rammed and sank
the steamer Monroe early today was
brought to port tonight by S5 surviv-
ors OF the sunl1en ships passengers,
rescued and brought to shore by the
Nantucket. 1t was story Of awful
and sudden death, sweeping out of the
dark and fog and taking unawares the
doomed half hundred with the heavi-
ness Of sleep still upon them. 1t told
how the stricken Monroe, with her side
.gored deep by the knifelke steel PROV
of the Nantucket, filled rapidly, rolled
over on her side and in few min
utes turned completely over and plung-
ed to the bottom, carrying with her the
III fated passengers and members Of
the crew who had failed to get clear
Of the wreck.
Tonight the revised lists prepared
by Capt. Johnson, who survived the
sunken vessel, showed:
Lost: Passengers 10, creew "a,
total 49,
Saved: Passengers SO, crew SIS,
total 81.
Creeping Through Fog.
Under the thick fog that hid the
heavily running sea, both big ships
were making their way slowly and
with difficulty In tho early morning.
The Monroe, with Capt. Johnson on
the bridge and double lookout peer
ing into the fog ahead, was edglng
under half speed to the northward,
having left Norfolk for New York last
evening with a nerve racking, fog
bound voyage in prospect. The Nan
tucket, heavily laden with freight and
with two passengers aboard, was nos
ing her way southwark, bound from
Boston to Norfolk. Urged thrugh the
~ ipbitiS ioS, thS WV NCSoSio SlO"lJ
were drawn toward each other.
The crash came about 40 o'clock
without warning. Out Of the gray
black fog that shut out even the
waves from view, the CLEAN of the
Nantucket's searchlight scarcely
touched the dripping side of the
Monroe before the high steel prov of
the southwark bound vessel cut into
her side with a ripping and crashing
OF plates that threw the stricken ship
aback.
The Damage Done.
The Nantucket with her bow crush
cd in, backed out Of sight in the fog
as Capt. Johnson, seeing that his yes
sci was fatally stricken, shouted an
order for the lfeboats.
When the crash came those aboard
the Monroe were safely in bed and
asleep. Only Capt. ,nson and the
watch on deck We, up and about
But the shivcring Of the stricken YES
sci and her listing motion, as the
water poured through the cash in her
side awakened the sleeping passcn-
gers and sent them clambcring to-
ward the deck. Warned by the Off
GERS, they hurriedly adjusted life pre-
servers and made for the titled deck.
But the time was all too brief. Those
rescued agreed that from the time the
Monroe was struck until she set
tied beneath the waves, not more than
short ten minutes elapsed
But Little to Wear.
Baggage, clothing. valuablcs were
all forgotten in the flight from the
staterooms Of the sinking ship. Pa
Jamas, night gowns and bathrobes and
blankets were the common apparel of
those who made the slippery deck be-
fore the water trapped them below.
And most Of them wore that garm
when they left the limping Nantucket
at the dock here this afternoon.
AS the half-c clad, exciting throng Of
passengers reached the dock, they
were herded towards the lifcboards by
officers and crew. Three Of the life
boats from one side Of the crippled
vessel were got away from the side
freighted with frightened humanity,