Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1883 — A FATAL LAUNCH. [ARTICLE]

A FATAL LAUNCH.

A Terrible bisaster ofi th® River Clyde. One Hundred find Fifty tlsopfc Drttwnei A cable dispatch from Glasgow, Scotland, rays the steamship Daphiie tipped bver oii her tide, capsized ana sank in midstream while being launched in the Clyde. About 100 persons perished. The vessel, with upward of 200 workmen aboard, left the ways at a very rapid rate. As she gained tire water she rolled from side to side. When opposite Renfrew, about five miles above this city, the human freight was seen rushing to and fra The ship gave a furious lur jh, rose clear above the water and disappeared as if bv magic. Those who had citing to floating pieces of the wreck did their utmost to save their drowning comrades Eye-witnesses raw a great number struggling and shrieking tot help Many were bruised and covered with blood, having been struck by the debris. Boats were pulled hard to aid in rescuing the unfortunatra; many were thus raved. A number of men at the ship’s yard, on the opposi.e tide of the river, witnessed the disaster, but were unable to render any assistance. They Immediately set to work saving the people struggling in the water They say some of the men on the steamer jumped overboard and others were thrown overboard and that a quantity of loose fittings fell from the deck find crushed many unfortunates struggling in the water A number of swimmers were’ visible directly ' after the ship capsized, but many of them were afterwafd seen to sink. Six men were teen clinging together. Four endeavored to climb upon the steamer as she wps sinking, but were forced to desist by tush of steam from the port-hole. Some climbed upon the keel just before the ship was submerged. Many who were dashed into the water swam ashore. Several of Aose picked up were so exhausted that it was found necessary to remove them to hospitals According to the stories of witnesses and gprvivors, the vessel left the slip too rapidly, causing.her stern, which entered first, t j sink deeply in the water. She was then caught by the strong current of the river, by which, as well as her topweight, she was caused to keel over so far that the water entered her port She had all her machinery aboard when launched. She is now completely under water. She was constructed for coast trading, and was of 500 tons burden. Crowds of stricken relatives lined the quays all day. Whenever a dead body was taken out and recogn’zed heartrending cries drowned the splash of busy oars. A later despatch says: A diver reports that the bodies in the hold of the Daphne are so closely packed that he was unable to move them. Preparations are being made to raise the vessel Fifty-two bodies have been recovered. It is now estimated that 150 persons were drowned by the sinking of the Daphne.