New Britain herald., 1916-09-23
Strikes Rocks Near End of Boston to Portland Trip in Morning Fog ---Boi|er Rooms Are Flooded
LIGHTSHIP ABSENT
 AWAITING REPAIRS

AWAITING REPAIRS Little Difficulty Experienced in Re-
 moving All on Board Except Crew,
 Who Remain at Posts-Coast Guard
 Burns Warning Light in Vain-Ship
 Believed to Be Breaking up in
 Ground Swell.
 Portland, Me-, Sept 23.-The East ern Steamship Corp oration's steamer Bay State, bound from Boston for Portland, went ashore on Halycomb Rock, just off the tip of Cape Eliz- abeth, during a heavy fog early today. s~The 150 passengers were taken off in lifeboats and dories. The steamer lies high and dry in a dangerous posi- ton. ....
 The coast guard cutter Ossipee and the tug Portland, notified by wireless, hastened from Portland to the assist ance of the Bay State, but as the steamer was pounding heavily in the ground swell 1t was though advisable do have the passengers removed by the crew of the Cape Elizabeth Coast Guard Station. The point where the vessel struck is a half mile west of the Two Lights and the station.
 Soon after daylight the steamer commenced blowing out her boilers and 1t appeared probable that her bottom had been punctured and that water had reached the fire room. It Axxyar fnnr rn1 1,of cL of Jo Saved. The tug Portland on her ar- rival attached a. line to the steamer, but on the first pull the hawser broke and efforts to haul her afoat were temporarily abandoned. t-
 Light Ship Not in Position.
 The Bay State was sighted ap- : preaching the rocks by one of the : coast guard crew at 3:30 o'clock. He burned a coston light, but the warn ing if it was seen came too late. It was thought that the absence of the Cape Elizabeth lightship off her sta- tion five miles off shore might have caused the steamer to run off her course. The lightship was lowed to Portland for repairs three days ago and replaced by a buoy. All shipping was notified, but it was believed that in the thick weather the buoy might not have been distinguishable.
 As the steamer struck only 300 feet from shore and there was little wind, the coast guard had no difficulty in getting out to her.
 When 1t was decided to take off the " passengers the guard shot line aboard for the brooches buoy and the lifeboats and several dories were put in service. All were removed in
 boats and 1t was not found necessary to use the brooches buoy.
 Lffeboat Submerged. fs On one of it's trips the lifeboat was caught under the garboards on the
 port side of the steamer and sub merged, but the six passengers were quickly transferred to another boat The sixty members of the crew remained aboard. Alth ough the sea
 was comparatively calm, the ground . swell was heavy and there was be- tieved to be danger that the steamer k would break up.
 The Bay State in command of Captain Levi Foram left Boston last night on her regular trip to Portland in command of Captain Strout. The steamer has been in this service many years, having been built at Bath in 1895. She registers 1,555 tons net and is 281 feet in length, AZ foot beam Is feet deep. Her home port is Bos- ton. Twenty-Five passengers were taker v ashore. The others were put aboard the Ossipee and the Portland an6 i taken to Portland.
 Two tugs stood by the Bay State this forenoon.
 Such excitement as prevailed wa. well controlled by the crew, accordins E to the passengers. In his haste tt l reach a boat, one man fell overheard but was quickly rescued.
 The Bay State rested easily at first and little alarm was felt from tn slight rumblings as her hull rubbed the rocks Only little water en
 tered until the tide swung the Ba State about with a pitching roll tha k brought her broadside to the shore She pounded heavily in the groun, swell. Leaks developed, her com Apartments filled, and the engine room was flooded causing the boilers t blow out with explosions that for time startled the passengers wit fears of greater dangers. The calm ing influence of officers and crew however, prevailed, and the work c transferring those aboard was carrie ~on with out disorder
 -. The value of the Bay State was es
 <Continued on Third Page.)