On November 1, 1890 the four masted coal schooner Cornelius Hargrave collided with the Spanish liner VIZCAYA. Both ship went to a watery grave. According to the New York Times ” The disaster occurred at 8:30 o´clock Thursday night, and news of it reached the city yesterday morning. The VIZCAYA left her dock at Pier 21 at 1 o´clock bound for Havanna.” The VIZCAYA had sixteen passengers and a cargo of merchandise. The Cornelius Hargrave was outbound from Philadelphia to Fall River. “This disaster was one that could have been avoided. As a sailing vessel the schooner Cornelius Hargraves had the right of way, but from all that can be learned, her officers saw the approaching steamer while yet a long way off, a slight change of course would have prevented the fatality.

On the other had, it was made certain that nothing existed to obstruct the view of the third officer of the VIZCAYA.” Captain Allen of the Cornelius Hargrave seized a broad axe cut away a lifeboat and jumped in. Officer Walker “climbed the rigging and called out to the captain, entreating him not to desert him. “For God´s sake, come back” he cried. Capt Allen shouted something back which could not be understood. Mr Walker remarked latter ” I knew the coward had made off, leaving the rest of the crew to perish miserably”. A total of sixty eight people lost their lives in the collision. Read more at wrecksite: https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?20500