STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS IN AMERICA.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 143, 3 August 1880, Page 3

STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS IN AMERICA.

[From the Pont.] TERRIBLE COLLISION. Two terrible steamboat disasters hare occurred at New York. The first was a collision between the steamers Narrangansett and Stonington, among the largest passenger vessels plying in the Long Island Sound. The Narrangansett started from New York at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, and several hours later the Stonington left Stouington. There was a dense fog in the Sound. They came together with a frightful crash off the mouth of the Connecticut river at a little before 11 o’clock. The how of the Stonington was thrust with tremendous fo ce into the starboard side of the Narrangan-

sett. Both vessels were badly broken but the hole, in the Stonington did not extend down to the water, while that in the Narragansett was far 'larger. The vessels quickly swung apart, and the Narragansett began to sink at once, and at the same time fire broke out. Both vessels were heavily loaded with passengers. Aboard the Stonington the panic was allayed when it became certain she was in no danger. On the Narragansett, however, the real peril of the situation drove a large portion of the people wild with terror. The general impulse was to put on life-preservers. There was not only riotous scrambling, but actual hand to hand encounters. The steamer settled and lurched, and it was evident she would sink immediately. Nothing could, under such circumstances, allay the excitement. Passengers ran to the upper decks in wild disorder. Within fivei minutes after the collision fire broke out. . This new danger completed the demoralisation. The extinguishment of the lamps by the shock had left the boat in darkness, but now the vivid glare was still more terrifying. The flames spread rapidly in both directions from amidships, driving the passengers before them. The life-raft was first lowered, and so eager were the people to get on it that they dropped from the railings of the upper deck into the watei’, and several were .drowned. Three more rafts were launched, and floated away laden with human beings. The small boats were also let down and loaded. There was the greatest confusion, and instances of rank cowardice were numerous. Strong men pushed women aside to save themselves. A man and his wife leaped from the deck into an already filled boat, almost swamping it. If everybody had remained on the top deck there would have been no loss of life, for the water was shallow enough to leave that part of the steamer uncovered, and the fire did not spread so fast, but there. would have been time to take all off. Men, women, and children madly flung themselves overboard, and were drowned.

Narratives of persons aboard the Narragansett complete the account of the disaster. Geo. Stevenson says—l was in my bunk, with my hands clasped round my head, when I was suddenly thrown out. I then hoard a loud crash and ran to the bow of the boat. Catching hold of an axe, I cut down a flagstaff’. As I did so a man, wild with, excitement, came running up with two little boys ; be said, “ Can you save them 1” I lashed the little ones by their wrists, and tied them to the flagstaff. I was shout to launch them and jump overboard, when the man screamed, “ God bless you, darlings.” At the same moment I heard the sharp report of a revolver, and the man fell down. A woman at the same time came running up, and exclaiming ,‘f My children,” she sprang overboard. The children were so lashed that they could not get away from the flagstaff. Just before I launched the flagstaff there was a cry of “ Eire.”; I looked and saw the flames bursting through the bunkers. When I Was about to launch the pole, a man, wild with excitement, rushed up, saying, “My God, I cannot swim,” and at the.same time I heard a pistolshot. Immediately after I saw the father of the two boys fire his pistol,I threw the flagstaff overboard, and was about to leap overboard myself, when I saw a colored man and woman come on deck. The woman’s dress was on fire. The man had her by the waist, and both were screaming wildly. They both leaped overboard. I then jumped into the water and swam to the flagstaff. I and the children'were saved, afte'being two hours in the water.;. ‘ ;1 ’' ■ ■ . ; ; 1 »

Mr William 'King, freight clerk of the Narragansett, said:—Soon after the accident there were nine boats and three rafts at work picking up those in the" water and carrying the passengers: I counted as many as thirty in some of the boats, and fifty on the raft. I saw one woman in the water calmly ' lying ,pn a cork mattrass. Another woman • jumped into the water and : swam for the Stonington. Clarence Leonard, the actor, and Ins wife,.'known on the stage as Miss Minnie Leonard, were passengers by the Narragansett. They saved themselves by clinging to the ropes on the life-raft,' Leonard says that a deck haml,;tiwho;i> v ' a .s in the life-boat, was seen- ; tb strike the fingers of a whiteheaded old lady wlio was clinging to the side of the boat bogging to be saved. The deck hand, Leonard says, forced her to let-go, .and she was probably drowned., “Our, raft,” lie,continued, “ floated j to,wards the boat, We endeavored to get near the old lady, but the deck hand kept her off with an .par.,. Another old lady who was cliiiibiiig to tlie'\Vreck,' when an atteftipfc jreasfmade to save her, refused the rppoffeml assistance, and said, t Never mind,me,,l am an old woman, save the young,folk.’” ... j: Numerous other passengers repeat, without great variety, the same stories of fright, disorder, and needless death.