(from The Miners of Wabana by Gail Weir , 1989 Breakwater Books)
On November 10, 1940, at about 5:30 p.m. the W. Garland, which was used as a passenger ferry between Portugal Cove and Bell Island, left Portugal Cove with twenty-four passengers plus the captain and engineer on board. As it was a Sunday afternoon, most of the passengers were miners returning after spending the weekend at their homes around Conception Bay. The evening was dark but clear, with occasional snow flurries and a moderate wind from the northeast. The W. Garland did not have a passenger-carrying license and was not equipped with lifebelts. A small life-boat, purchased with the ship, was not carried on it. Only the mast-head light and a search light were working. Bulbs in the port and starboard lights had blown several days earlier. Substitute paraffin lights were available, but the crew did not understand how to install them and their attempts to do so failed.
At about 5:40 p.m., the Little Golden Dawn, another passenger ferry on the same route, left Bell Island with only the captain and engineer on board. This vessel was licensed to carry freight and passengers. There were lifebelts on board but no lifeboats. The captain observed the lights of the W Garland approaching from some distance, but neglected to check its compass bearings at regular intervals. Both ferries had each other in clear view, unobstructed by snow flurries. About a quarter of a mile from Bell Island it became obvious that they were going to collide, but the captain of the Little Golden Dawn did not blast a warning because his sound signal was not in working order. Instead of pulling to starboard, which is recommended procedure, he pulled to port. At the same time, the captain of the W Garland pulled to starboard and crashed into the starboard side of the Little Golden Dawn.
The engineer of the W. Garland, who was also the owner, was below in the cabin taking the fares when the collision occurred. While the passengers in the cabin all ran to get out, the owner shouted, 'Take your time and see what happens." One passenger responded with, "It is too late to take your time now. The whole head is gone out of her." The stem went into the water quickly, and the passengers rushed for the back of the boat. One man got his pant leg caught in the wheelchain and block during the commotion. He broke the wheelhouse glass with his fist and turned the wheel a half-turn towards him to free himself. He and the owner and two other passengers survived by holding onto debris and were eventually picked up by a rowboat from the Island, which was manned by three men, including Fred Snow, owner of the Little Golden Dawn.
It was less than four minutes from the time of the collision until the W. Garland sank. The marine inquiry was told that her wood was rotten and she was unseaworthy. Twenty-one passengers and the captain drowned. The Little Golden Dawn did not sink right away. Immediately after the collision, the engineer shut off the engine. Then he went back on deck and got hold of the stem of the W. Garland in an attempt to hold her in the wound of the Little Golden Dawn. When this idea failed, he could not get the engine started again. He and the captain put on lifebelts and proceeded to pump the water that was entering the boat. About forty-five minutes later, a motorboat towed them to shore, where the ferry quickly sank .
Most of the victims were known and are still remembered by Bell Islanders, as many of them boarded at the homes of residents. One non-resident miner had a shack on the Island that he lived in during the week. Each weekend he went home to be with his family. Every Sunday when he returned, he would go to a neighbour's house for a kettle of water. On the Sunday in question he did not show up. The neighbours became concerned and later learned that he had been among the victims.