New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Sol I1nperiled
AS Ships Crash
Coming Bay
Spanish Passenger Boat Is
Rammed by Freighter and
Both Vessels Are Ripped
by an Unusual Accident
Liner Beached i'm Safety
Captains Prompt Action in
Driving His Craft Ashore
Prevents Certain Disaster

The steamship Montserrat, Of tho
Spanish Line, from Cadiz with 361 pas
sengcrs on board, was rammed amid
ships on the starboard side yesterday
by the inbound Mallory Line freighter
San Marcos, from Galveston, but was
bcachcd in time to save herself and
those aboard
The collision, which occurred about
$40 a. M, in clear weather, is one
of those inexplicablc crashes that fire.
quently happen when vessels are
maneuvering in restricted fairways.
Neither the master nor agents of the
Montserrat nor the master or owners
of the San Marcos would give their
versions Of the mishap, each side being
content to have the matter adjusted by
court in admiralty. The officers and
agents Of both vessels will prepare q
report and give testimony when the
suit is ready for trial.
Both on Way Up Bay
Both vessels were on their way up
the bay from Quarantine when they
came together. Immigration and GUS
toms officials were on board the Span
ish vessel examining the Travellers who
were to be late, discharged on Pier 4,
East River.
With little or no warning the sharp
bow of the Galveston freighter CRASHED
at right angles into the midship section
Of the Sp@niard, whose steel plates
crumpled like paper Amid cloud Of
,,lNlro
crash the San Marcos bounded back,
about four feet. Both vessels We're cut
below as we'll as above the waterlinc
and food OF water poured into the
rents in both vessels
The forward huikhaad of Il : San
Marcos saved her from filling and a
hasty survey showed she could be
taken up TO her pier in the North River
with safety. She stood by for while
TO give assistance to the Montserrat.
but this was not necessary Captain
Muslera, master Of the Montserrat,
and one of the veterans of the Spanish
Lane serve. was exceedingly calm af.
ter the crash. He realized that his
vessel could not long Keep afloat, as
there was ffteen feet OF water in her
hold. Signaling the engineroom for
full speed ahead, he put his helm over
and headed his vessel straight for the
Brooklyn shore. Within few min
utes she had steamed over the deep
water and ploughed into the mud off
Forty-second Street, South Brooklyn.
No Panic on Liner
Ii vas all done so quickly mis- pas
scngere had not time to become greatly
alarmed. Manuel Pinando, q Spaniard,
of the second cabin, twentyfour years
old. was the only person aboard the
Montserrat who was injured. Thinking
the vessel was about to sink, he jumped
from the main deck to q tugboat that
had come by to give assistance and he
was severely bruised. The tug took
him to Ellis Island, where his bruises
w.re treated.
The Montserrat's passengers were
later taken off in lighter and landed
at Pier s, East River. The steerage
passengers were taken to Ellis Island
and the cabin passengers, who were re-
leased by the immigration officials
were permitted to go to hotels in the
city. Sixty o. the passengers who are
in transit will wait at this port for an
other steamship that will take them
to Havana and Mexico.
The Montserrat will have to be
lightered before entering drydock and
will probably be out of service for Il
month. 1t was said that the San Mar
cos can be repaired without going into
drydock.