Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-10
MARINE DISASTERS.
COLLISION OF VESSELS IN DELAWARE
BAY.
Steamer Champion Sunk by the Lady DC
tavia; Thirty Lives lOst-Wreek OF
the Schooner Petrel; Fifteen
Persons Drowned -
Other Disasters.

Charleston, was run into and sunk yes
teriay morning off the CapeS. Thirty
two lives are reported lost and twenty
five persons are said to be saved. The
ship Lady Octavia, from the Breakwater
for New York, came in collision with
the steamer Champion, striking her
amidships and sinking her in five min
utes. The collision occurred twenty
five miles of the Capes, at 4 O'Clock in
the morning. The ship is badly dam
aged. and is being tOwed to Philadel-
phIa. The Champion lett this city last
Thursday, Captain Lockwood command
ing.
From the reports OF the pilot boats 1t
appears that the bark struck the steam
shin amidships, cutting her to the wa
tors edge. She filled and sank IN five
minutes. That thiTty-two lives were
lost is confirmed by later news. The
collision took place thirty-tiye miles
eastward OF Capes May and HenlOpen,
Just about daylight, at which time con-
siderable iOg Law on the ocean, OFT shore.
The shin Lady Octavia was much dam
aged, and could not proceed further on
her VOYAGE. Accordingly the signal OF
distress was bOiSted, and flag shown
for a tug. In response, one OF the large
Delaware Bay tug boats came TO her and
gave her tow. She Is now on her way
up the Delaware river, bound Tor Phila-
lelphia. The Breakwater Is tul OF
shipping. and the masters OF the vessels
al anchor here and residents OF Pilot
Town are tlOcking 10 Lewes Tor news.
The Champion
was one ofthe first iron steamers launch
ell in this country, having been built IN
1879 NJ Washington, Del, for the late
Commodore Vanderbilt. She had ire
uuentlv been Overhauled and repaired
and was considered III excellent condl-
ton. The Champion was originally
run to Panama. She was sold by Com
modore Vanderbilt 10 the Pacific Mail
Steamer Company, from which she was
purchased about twelve wears ago for the
Charleston Line. Her last voyage was
the 26Oth she had made in the service
Oi the latter company. The vessel never
met with any serious mishap before,
and was considered a remarkably lucky
ship. Her value is variously estimated
AT from Sl2j,OOO 10 100000. She was
partly insured against fire, but had no
marine insurance.
The Ship, Lady Octavia,
which did the damage, l. an old Eng
Hsh-built ship. one OF the first built ex
clusivelv of iron. I'm the English
LloydS she is reported TO be built OF
heavier iron plates than the law re-
quireS The Lady Octavia was built IN
iSJ4. at Warrington, on the east coast
of England. On the first OF September
she sailed from Rio JJueirO with a cargo
of coffee, clearing for the Breakwater Tor
orders. She anchored Oti LeweS, inside
the Breakwater, on November ;, and re-
mained there until the evening OF the
Gtn. when she then went 10 sea, and
had been out Oi the harbor Compara-
tivelv few hours when the irlghtlul
accident took place. She VAS owned IN
tireenock bv g.. Adams * Go. The
Champion was amply provided with
life-saying apparatus for one hundred
and Sixtv-thrrc persons. She had i've
metal lite-boats. all equipped, one life
raft. AMI one hundred and SlNty-three
life preseryrrS.
Captain IrockwoOd's Statement
CAPTAIN Lockwood, of the Champion,
arrived this afternoon, and gave the lOl-
lowing account Oi the disaster: We
had a remarkably quiet voyage uptO the
time OF the accident. When We lett
New York. the weather was ioggy, but
this cleared away before we Were lohours
out On the morning Oi the collision
left nv room about five minutes past
three and returned 20 the pilot house
f,r "a few seconds. / had hard,ygOt back
to NV room again when / heard some
one sing out sail ahead, amt hard
bvr | Jumped intO the pilot house,
rang the bell % stop the steamer,
and then % back 40 full speed. l
saw that the ship was coming down
upon US, and that collision was IN
eyitable. She was steering east by
northeast. We were going south 10y south
west. half west The ship hJd iull sail
and headed right at Us. We were going
under steam and had just set the lore
topsail. She struck Us right on the
bows of the cat head on the starhOard
side and crashed right into uS, stay'ng
in our whole bows. ] was afraid that
nv vessel would sink i'm almost an IN
s,ant. and al once ordered the first mate
"a 90 forward and see what water, II
agy. the Champion was making, but ne
fore La had time 10 return | found my
shlp Was fast sinking, and save such or
.tlers as we're necessary for the preserva-
ZION Of the lives OF the passengers.
Arrival ofthe Octavia.
PHuADELPHN, November S.-Ihe
ship Lady Octayia, which colhded with
the Champion, has arrived here. The
captain reports that he left the Della
ware breakwater at 9:3O a. NJ. Thurs
dav. ~ I o'clock Friday morning,
forty miles east by north, halt north,
from Cape MAY, ne was run into by the
steamer Champion from New York.
The Champion struck us Just aft the
stem. The steamer was 40 badly IN
iured that she sunk in iOur minutes.
Thirty persons of her crew and paSsen-
GERS were lost and tweuty-t0ur saved
aud placed on other vessels 10y the DC
tayia. The first mate ut the Ottawa,
James Ferguson, was in charge o. the
deck at the time Oi the collision.
The Octavia brought none OF the res
cued into port.
The following is a list of those Of the
Champion crew and passengers known
40 have been saved. X. ". Lockwood,
captain; Charles Miller. second mate;
John Thompson, Charles Epler, Fred
erick Markmou, Freak Richards and
Frank Jackson, sgamen; Richard OW-
ems, boy; Wesley Rove, chioi engineer;
Charles f. BUTce, first assistant engi-
neer; Edward Jones, Vim. Farrell, Pat
rick Flynn and Luke Kelley, tiremen;
Alexander Rose, coal pIsscr; Isaac
Hammond. chief clerk; John Foster,
porter; Catharine Cross, strwardcSs;
Oeorge Holland and Moses Pnckney,
walters.
-Four passengers AMI two oi the crew
were placed on board of an unknown
bark and sent 20 New YORK.
Captain Johnson's Statement
Captain Johnson, ot tIreonock, mas
ter OF the Lady Octay.o, makes the fol-
lowing statement: Ny ship arrived at