The daily gazette., 1879-08-11

Another river Collision.
THE STEAMER MARY MORGAN CoLLIDEs
WITH THE PROPELLER PIERREPoNT.

THE DTEAMEh M Ky HUMAN
WITH THE PROPELLER PIERREPoNT.
The well, known steamer Mary Morgan
which was built in this city several years
Philadelphia and Bridgeport, N. j., col
lided with the propeller Pierrepont, own.
ed by j. f. Tygert & Co., of Smyrna,
about 10 O'Clock Friday night, just Uf
Fort Delaware. At the time the Morgan
was conveying q moonlight excursion
from Bridgeport. and the Pierrepont was
making her regular trip to Philadelphia,
with % passengers and q considerable
quantity of freight.
just before the collision the pilot OF
the Morgan saw boat ahead but thought
she was lying at anchor for the night, an
he thought the lights on the vessel indi-
Gated that. The boats approached each
other and blew their whistle as signal
for the course they we're to take, but in
moment more the two collided The
Morgan struck the vessel about amldsbip
and stove large hole In her side.-
Although the Morgan was running under
one bell the crush was a Sc we're one.
The PierrepOut almost Immediately
began to sink, and her passengers were
| quickly Transferred to the Morgan. She
was then tOwed out of the channel tow
| ards shore, and sank in fifteen feet OF
water on Bulkhead baf. 3tt
The Mary Morgan also suffered dam
age, and had she not been such strong
boat, with iron hull and watertight COM
partments, she would also have been on
the bottom of the iiver this morning
The point of her bow was twisted to one
side, indicating that she struck the
Pierrepont with q slantiDg blow. The
heavy iron plates were drawn, and a
large hole stove in her bows. The water
rnahad in flia st,o n fliolr n
mans leg, but the bulk-head was water
tight, which prevented the boat from
filling and sinking.
When the Morgan struck the Pierre
pont nearly all the excursiouists on the
first named boat we're thrown from their
feet. They lay on the deck of the Nor
gan in heap, or we're knocked up
against the side of the boat. All wond-
cred what was the matter, but hey soon
found out. AT er the Pierrepont's pas
sengers were taken on board and the
suuken ship left on the bar, the Morgan
steamed up the river for home. Dancing
was re umed, and the times were as
lively as before. The excursionists were
landed at Bridgeport and the Morgan
brought the crew and passengers of the
Pierrepont to Chester about three o'clock
Saturday morning.
The Pierrepont had just been over /.
hauled at an expense of $1,000; and now
that the peach season has commenced
in earnest; was doing a thriving busi-
ne's. The captain of the Pierrepont is
William jackson; engineer, James G.
Prisley. The Morgan Is owned by Nor
gan III. Bickeley, of Chester. Although
small boat, she is one of the fastest on
the Delaware, and was put on as an op-
position boat to the Jersey Blue, which
has been running the Bridgeport trade
for years.
The question of locating the blame for
the accident Is as an interestinn one and
will doubtless have to be settled by the
Courts. The owners of the Mdry Nor
gan feel confident the fault lies with the
captain Of the Pierrepont, as they have
ascertained from passengers that she
had no side lights burning.
The Pierrepom blew one whistle, for
the Morgan To keep to the right, and the
latter answered it, but 1t was TOO late, a.
they colided few moments after.
Nearly all the paSsesg on the Pier
repont lost something, some trunks and
Others guns. One lady belonging in the
VIII. eer and Wilson Sewing Machine
office of Chester was passenger ON the
sunkeD ship and lost her trunk, contain
ing about one hundred dollars worth of
goods. Another party who had been
down the bay cunning lost valuable
gun.
The Mdry Morgan arrived in Will
mington on Saturday morning, and pro
ceeded to the yards of the Harlan &
Hollingsworth Company for repairs.
Her injuries, as enumerated above, do
not seem TO be very extensive, and she
will doubtless be able to resume her
regular trips by the last of this week.