FOUNDERING of the FLORIDA AND POMONA

Kumara Times, Issue 2486, 7 June 1884, Page 2

FOUNDERING of the FLORIDA AND POMONA

The steamship State of Florida, which left New York for Glasgow on April 12th, with about 167 passengers and crew, foundered on the 18th, after collision with the barque Pomona, of Chatham, New Brunswick. Both ships went down almost instantly, and out of the steamer's passengers and crew only forty.four, including the stewardess, escaped in boats, and out of the barque's crew of fifteen, only the captain and two seamen were saved. The collision occurred at 11,30 p.m., about 120 miles off the Irish coast, and the night, though moonless, was clear, with a sea smooth as glass. Next morning the barque was observed bottom up. The survivors after being thirty-five hours without food or water, were rescued by the Norwegian barque Theresa, of Christiana, from that port bound to Quebec. On 22nd twentyfour of them were transferred aboard the ship Louisa from Cardiff for Quebec. It is believed that. ] 35 Jives were lost,

A passenger, Jas. Bennett, says the panic aboard the doomed steamship was frightful; only four lady passengers were willing to go into the boats, and only one woman, the stewardess, was saved by the exertions of the chief engineer, who lost his life in doing so. The captain and crew were shipped at Glasgow, and the scene outside the steamship office there when the news was received is described as heartrending.