Boston, Massachusetts

Schooner Benson Sinking

December 1894

SIX DROWNED

A Fishing Schooner Run Down and Sunk in Boston Harbor

A collision occurred at the entrance to Boston (Mass.) Harbor, by which the fishing schooner Gracie H. Benson was sunk and six of her crew drowned.

The Benson was proceeding out the channel with a fair wind, when about midway between Boston Light and Bug Light, the Philadelphia and Reading steamer Reading with the barge Suffolk in tow, from Philadelphia, loomed up; in endeavoring to _____ across the steamer's bow the steamer struck her on the port side and she filled and sank in about two minutes.

The Reading immediately lowered a boat which went to the assistance of the crew of the sunken vessel. She succeeded in picking up seven who where clinging to wreckage. The tugboat Wesley A. Gove rescued four who were clinging to one of the mastheads. They informed the captain that one of the crew had drifted off on the booby hatch, and another on a trawl buoy.

The Gove went in search of them, and quite a distance outside of Boston Light rescued the man from the booby hatch. Soon after the trawl buoy was found, but the man had become exhausted and sank.

Four of the crew were asleep in their bunks at the time of the collision and went down with the vessel. Another was knocked overboard by the force of the collision and drowned.

The Cranbury Press New Jersey 1894-12-07

Submitted & transcribed by Stu Beitler  Thank you, Stu!

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