Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-02-05

In the thick fog bank that hid the
heavy sea, both big ships We're making
their way slowly and with difficulty in
the early morning. The Monroe. with
Captain johnson on the bridge and a
double lookout peerlng ahead, was work
Ing under half speed to the northward.
having left Norfolk for New York last
evening with a precarious, thick-weat Their
voyage in prospect,
The Nantucket heavily laden with
freight and with but two passengers
aboard. was nosng her way southwark.
bound from Boston to Norfolk Urged
forward through the dark mist the two
vessels We're slowly drawn towards each
other while death waited for nearly half
of one ships company
The crash came about 40 o'clock and
without warning. Out OF the grey black
pail that hid even the waves from view,
the CLEAN Of the Nantucket's search
light scarcely found the dripping side of
the Monroe before the high steel prov
of the southwark bound vessel cut into
the others side, with a ripping and
crashing of plates, and threw the stricken
ship aback. The Nantucket with her
bow crushed in, backed out of sight into
the night, even as Captain johnson of
the Monroe seeing that his vessel was
hopeessly damaged, shouted an order
for the lifeboats
AWOKE AT CRASH.
When the crash came almost all those
aboard the Monroe were asleep. Only
Captain johnson and the watch on deck
were about. But the shivering of the
rammed vessel and her listing, as water
poured through the side, awakened the
passengers and sent them clambering
from below.
Warned by the officers they hur-
riedly a ljusted life preservers and
made for the tilted deck. But the
time was all too brief. Those rescued
agreed that from the time the Monroe
was struck until she settled beneath
the waves, not more than a scant ten
minutes elapsed
Baggage, clothing, valuables. all
were forgotten in the fight from the
staterooms. Pajamas, night clothes,
bath robes and blankets were the
common apparel of those who achieved
the slanted deck before the rushing
water trapped them below. Ana most
of them wore that garb when they
left the lmping Nantucket at her dock
here this afternoon.
HERDED INTO BOATS.
As the half clad. excited throng
of passengers reached the deck of the
Monroe they were herdcd towards the
| life boats by the officers and the crew.
Three of the lifeboats We're unshipped
and won away from the side. freighted
mostly with women, shivering and
frightened in the cold and darkness.
BY the time these were away, the
Monroe was rolling on her side, and
1t was impossible to launch the other
boats
Then with sudden elrch, the liner.
now fast filing, turned upon her unin-
jured side and completely submerged the
opposite bins and saloons. In a Shrek
Ing chorus the unfortunates there crawl
ed over the superstructure through port
holes, windows and companionways, until
they rested Just beyond reach Of the
waves on the upper side Of the half cap
sized vessel. But even this slight security
was not long available. With a rumbling
sound the big vessel shivered for a few
moments and then suddenly plunged be-
heath the waves leaving a human freight
helpessly anoat
STRUGGLE IN ICY SEA.
Meantime the Nantucket, herself badly
damaged, had stood by and CAPTAIN
Berry had summoned his crew TO ouar-
ers. AS the searchlight was of little
avail Captain Berry ordered out the life
boats and one by one they slipped away
nto the 70 to search for the Monroe
They found only the struggling survivors
the Icy sea, crying frantically for
pelp,
Many of those picked up were utterly
Exhausted. Several had to be hauled over
he side of the Nantucket with ropes.
Thomas r. Harrington kept his wife
[foat by superhuman efforts, swimming
Fith strang of her hair clenched in
is teeth, only to have her die a few
hinutes after she was hauled aboard the
Nantucket. Lieut. l.. B. Curtis, U. 8. A.,
wan until rescued but died after reach
hg the Nantucket
Captain johnson of the Monroe and all
his officers escaped from the doomed
essel and were rescued.