The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-14

Ths 0ssa1eag EairnslA Run late ~ the
Rulfou Terrybone America--NarPow H.
cape Of Her Crew-Lsss !01 Q, OOO-Ne Insur-
ssce-ssassnent efshs Pilots Of Both Stssn-
ors, 6e. n. .sN.M t ee - $3.50
About ave o'clock yesterday afternoon collision 90
Of the Union Ferry Company, and the stsamug Tairned
Of the Camden and Amboy transportation Company.
the America vas about two hundred yards from the
Fulton ferry alp Brookiyn sideI when the accident hap
pened and making for that pont She bad upwards
ofa thousand passengers on board.
The Fairfield was proceeding down the river with .
strong ebb tide with the exception of tho pilot all
board were q supper and ct the rs alarm Of danger
rushed deck In time 70 ths collision According 70
the statement Of The pilot and others board tho Fair
ned every effort was made prevent the collision They
lay Ill the blame upon the pilot 81 the America and
charge him with mot answering thei ssnals-nrst Of
danger then Of distress and lastly 70 rescue them from
On .hs other hand, the pilot Of the America lays the
full blame Of the disaster upon the pilot Of tho Fairfield
and Intended allow him 70 pass which he could easily
have done had he kept his that he all
his signals and did not think u necessary 70 stop q the
Fairfield did not to require any assistance. she
backed into DoForsst's dock.
The sieamsn struck each other In the bow, tho rud-
field, exposing her fires TO View. The shock
parstivey slight on the feyboat bnt the ting reled
under the blow Ike drunken man, nearly throw
There was great excitement on board the America;
the hundreds who the bow OF the boat being n
nst pressed forward BY those who rushed 70 learn the
meaning OF the signals and the backing Of the boat bus
the rush turned the other way when II became known
that steamer was ahead and that collision wa: newt
able Fortunately lives were lost ther although
tho crew Of the Fairfield had narrow escape from
watery grave being submerged 70 their waists be-
fore they could escape from the sinking There
was no time even think saving anything board
and the personal effects and clohoi OF all went down
with the vessel.
The FAIRFIELD is very old steamer, having boon bulls
about thirty years She was formerv used pas
ssueer boat on the Hudson river and estimated by the
pilot and captain 70 have boon worth about $1,000 she
The following Is the statement Of the pilot and otheu
on board the Fairied:-
STATEMENT or THE rnor TIE yArrnxLn
Ny name 10 William Henry Radcliffe. am pilot Of the
tuG Farneld; about Ave o'clock tho wheel Cap
tan Quick and the rest o. the crew were supper we
tide tho fcrrybnat America coming, and blew the
whistle for her to 70 the rights tho pilot OF the Jerry
for back the America then blew two whistles for
20 the left but could not do OF
sheering to New York IN the strong ebb tide; think
that the direction Of tho forryLoat tho
A. mine; shs struck the Fairfield In tho bow
and split her open, so that the men on the fenyboa.
were sinking and backed the ferry boat gave
assistance, but kept TO her SLIP 90 kept backing.
and reached pier ~ on tina Brooklyn side; II Lad
turned her bow 70 shore We would have sunk In two
minutes; tho Captain and crow were mt supper but
came on deck At my first signals we GOT OF on brig
Thomas Fitzsimmons, deck hand stated thai he ran
out from supper At the Hrs, alarm, and when tho FAR
fold struck shouted 70 the Io Of the America that
tho Fairfield was sinking but that he took no notice
whatever
Thomas Ferguson the cook, the last 70 leave the
sinking vessel. Hc was submerged to the waist
Tho names Of the others on board the Fairfield are
Peter Van Csriu engineers Abfam and James Quick and
Pattson.
srArxxxsr ruK ffior or TfRRypoAr.
Ny namc Is John v. Vausn; l am pilot u the forty
boat America about fTe O'Clock making trip
from New York TO Brooklyn with over thousand
passengers; approached the Brooklyn ads .sw the
Fairfield heading from Rutgers street, New York, 10 Fal
ton try alp Brooklyn, calculated, Of course 70 aow
her 10 70 she WAS heading but ~ she got right
abreast OF tho sp she blew whistle and attempted
TO pass ~ the rght directly front OF ms In doing
which he brought his boat right head on answered
hs whistle, stopped and backed; tho engineer, hr.
Woolsey, got about four turns back BY the time va
struck; then about two hundred yards from
shore and below the slip; tho Fairfield backed her
gnes and won't Into DeForrest's dock saw necessity
OF stopping assist her. as did not think she was
enough require any AID sheering the
she did brought The collision she tad kept on h0r
courSS ali would have been right