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Block Island, RI Steamer Larchmont Disaster, Feb. 1907
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
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