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Rhode Island Disasters

Block Island, RI Steamer Larchmont Disaster, Feb. 1907

Larchmont ship

Big Steamer Larchmont Sinks In Collision and 181 People Lose Their Lives
Life Boats Come Ashore Freighted With Corpses
Men and Women Freeze to Death in Desperate Struggle For Life
Second Vessel in Collision Runs Ashore in Sinking Condition.


CORPSES MANNED THE LIFE BOATS.
One hundred and eighty-one persons died through the sinking of the steamer Larchmont off the coast of Rhode Island last night. Men perished from the cold on the vessel's decks and in the life boats. One life boat came ashore with fifteen frozen corpses in it and eight others aboard were dying.



BLOCK ISLAND. R. I., Feb. 12.
Only nineteen out of about two hundred persons on board the steamer Larchmont survived the wreck. Of the saved, eight are passengers, six of them women and two men, the rest of the survivors belonging to the crew. Captain McVey of the Larchmont estimates the dead at 181.



BLOCK ISLAND, R. I., Feb. 12
The Steamer Larchmont of the Joy Line, , carrying many passengers, bound from Boston to New York sank off the northwest side of Block Island early today after a collision with the three masted schooner Harry Knowleton. The passengers and crew from the steamer took to the boats, but some lost their lives either by drowning or freezing, as the temperature was below zero.

The schooner's bow was cut away and her captain ran her ashore west of Quononchontaug to prevent her sinking. The crew of seven, including Captain Haley, reached the shore in safety in their boats.

The cause of the collision is unknown. The night was clear with a strong northwest wind blowing and the sea was rough. It was intensely cold. When the first boats came ashore from the steamer it was found that some of the occupants were dead. It is not known whether they were pulled from the water drowned or were frozen to death.

The Knowleton was bound from South Amboy for Boston. The Larchmont left Providence last night in command of Captain McVey. The vessel had a crew of about fifty, and some passengers, besides a miscellaneous cargo of freight. The Larchmont was of 1,605 tons gross, 252 feet in
length, 37 feet in breadth and was fourteen feet in depth.



BLOCK ISLAND, R. I., Feb. 12.- Later reports of the Larchmont wreck show that the passengers met death in various ways. Some attempted to launch life boats and were frozen to death on the decks of the foundering steamer. Others were drowned and still others, who were successful in launching life boats were frozen to death before the small craft reached shore.

Captain McVey said he could not estimate the exact loss of life. He stated that the Larchmont carried about one hundred and fifty passengers and a crew of thirty.

At 11:30 o'clock eighteen bodies in all had been recovered and eight survivors on Block Island are being cared for. The inhabitants of all parts of the Island have turned out to succor the needy.



NEW YORK, Feb. 12. - Captain McVey, communicating with the Joy Line officials by telephone from Block Island , said the Larchmont Island sank in ten minutes after the collision. After cruising about in a small boat from 11 p. m. to 8 a. m. he landed on Block Island. Close behind his boat there landed another, bringing fifteen dead and eight dying passengers.

Date: February 12, 1907
Paper: Tucson Daily Citizen, Arizona
Transcribed by K. Torp

HUNDREDS PERISH IN SINKING STEAMER
Steamer Larchmont Collides With a Schooner.
WAS ENROUTE TO NEW YORK
Captain Says that He Had on Board From 150 to 200 Passengers, When the Collision Occurred, and Only Eight of These Escaped.


Block Island, R.I. Feb. 12.- Captain George McVey, of the steamer Larchmont, said to the Associated Press that he had on board from 150 to 200 passengers, when the collision occurred, and only eight of these escaped with their lives.

At the time he made the statement, fourteen bodies had been washed ashore, making only 22 out of the total passengers list accounted for.

At 11:30 o'clock four more bodies were washed ashore, making a total of eighteen bodies recovered, with eight survivors of the accident being cared for on the island.

Providence, R. I., Feb. 12. - A private message reached here from Block Island stated that 14 bodies had been washed ashore.

Block Island, R. I., Feb. 12. - The steamer Larchmont of the Joy line, with many passengers on board, bound from Providence for New York, sank off the west side of Block Island early Tuesday after having collided with the three-masted schooner Harry Knowleton, of Quononchontaug. The passengers and crew from the steamer took to the boats, but it is feared that some may have lost their lives either by being drowned or by freezing, as the temperature is below zero.

The schooner's bow was cut away and her captain ran her ashore west of Quononchontaug to prevent her sinking. The crew of seven men, including Captain Haley, reached the shore in safety in their boats.

The cause of the collision is not known. The night was clear, but there was a strong northwest wind, and the sea was running high. It was an intensely cold and bitter night.

"When the first boats came ashore from the steamer it was found that some of their occupants were dead. In the first confusion it was not known whether they had been pulled from the water after having been drowned or whether they were frozen to death

The Knowleton, which hails from Eastport, Me., was bound from Southhambry for Boston, with 475 tons of coal.

The Larchmont left Providence at 6:30 Monday night for New York, in command of Captain McVey of Providence. She carried a crew of about 50 and had on board some passengers and a miscellaneous cargo of freight.

The Larchmont registered 896 tons net, 1650 gross. She was built at Bath, Me., in 1885.

Boston, Feb. 12.-Eighteen persons are known to have purchased tickets in this city to take passage to New York on the Larchmont. The names of only two of these passengers are on record at the office of the Joy line here.

Block Island, Feb. 12.-Captain Charles Mitchell, of the north end-life saving station off which point the Larchmont is sunk, estimates that between 13 and 20 bodies already have come ashore from the steamer. Up to 10:30 o'clock several boats had landed and others were making slow progress from the wreck toward shore.

Providence, R. I., Feb. 12.- The principal Joyline office in this city at 10 o'clock Tuesday was without definite information concerning the sinking of the steamer Larchmont. The officials stated that their only knowledge of the disaster was a telegram sent by Captain McVey to his
wife stating that he was safe.

A private messenger reached here from Block Island stated that 14 bodies have been washed ashore. The Joy line officials estimate that there was about 150 passengers on board and the crew numbered about thirty.

Date: 1907-02-13
Paper: The Biloxi Daily Herald (Mississippi)
Transcribed by K. Torp