Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-14
LOST AT SEA.
Steamship Champion Sunk off Cape May
and Thirly-tMO Lives Lost.

CudlplOEy ITOul New OK Tor C0arieS-
ton, was run into and sunk on the 9Th inst
morning, off Cape May. Th4rty-two
lives are reported lost, and twenty-five
persons are said to be saved. The ship
Lady Octavia, from Breakwater for New
York, came in collision with the Cham
pion, striking amidship and sinking her
in five minutes. The ship was badly
damaged, and is being towed to Phila-
delphia.
The Champion sailed from New York
on Thursday, two days before her time.
The agents say this was greatly due to
increased business. r II. Lomand, 1st
officer, resided in Brooklyn, while Cnas.
Miller. End officer, belonged TO Charles
ton. Capt. Lockwood bad been in COM
mand Of the Champion Tor about twelve
years.
STATEMENT OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE LADY
OCTAVIA.
Capt. Jas. Johnston, Master of the
Lady Octayia, makes the following
statement:
"My ship arrived at the Delaware
breakwater from Rio Janeiro and eaiied
for New York about ten o'clock Thurs
day last. About quarter past two
yesterday morning, when we had sailed
about thirty miles, the collision occurr-
ed. The night was clear and warm,
The moon was shining brightly. We
were moving at Il rate Of |. = or knots
per hour. MY chief Mate re ported
steamer ahead about ten minutes before
the accident happened. The steamer
continued on her course and on mine,
and we approached each other; but
immediately before the crash man on
the look out vessel reported the steam
er's star-board light from our port bow
and then she shifted, and her port light
became visible, showing she had turned
on her course. We had man on the
lookout constantly, but there could
have been no lookout on the Cham
pion. Her captain, Lockwood, subse-
quently told me he had altered his
course moment before the collision,
but assigned no reason for doing So,
and that he did not see my ship which
indicates that my idea in regard TO the
lookout was correct. | was informed
that the man who should have been on
the lookout was aloft losening the sail.
THE SHIP SUNK
in four minutes after the collision, and
there was terrible panic. | ut once
ordered the boats lowered; and, in fact,
they were in the water before the steam
er went down, Two of the crew jumped
on board my ship at the time she
struck. In all
THIRTY PERSONS WERE LOST,
among them the first mate and five
women. Twelve of the missing were
passengers. | mean to say that the
steamer came at us end on end; there
was no possible means of avoiding her.
1t was impossible to tell the exten, of
her injuries. She went down quickly,
and there was much confusion. -Four
of the passengers and two of the crew
were sent to my ship in a bark that
came alongside, but didn't get their
names or the name of the vessel they
are on
From the reports Of pilot boats it APP
pears the bark struck the steamship,
amidship eating her to the waters
edge. She filled and sank in 1--WE min.
utes, but 80 lives were lost is confirmed
by latter reports. The collision took
place 35 miles eastward Of Cape May
and Henelopen, Just about day light, at
which time considerable fog lay on off
the shore. The ship, Lady Octavia,
was much damaged and could not pro-
coed farther on the voyage; according
~, a signal of distress was holsted and
the flag shown for the tug. In response
one of the large Delaware Bay tug
boats came to her and gave her u tow.
She is now on the way up the Della
ware river, bound for Philadelphia.
The Breakwater is full Of shipping, and
masters of vessels at anchor. The
residents of Pllottown are focking
to Lewis for news.
THE CHAMPION
was one of the first iron steamships
launched in this country, having been
built in 1859, at Wilmington, Del, for
ihe late Commodore Vanderbilt. She
had frequently been overhauled and
repaired, and was considered iii excel
lent condition. The steamer rated IL;
her original tonnage was 1852, but of
late was AIS; she had two masts, and
was built in four compartments, and
was hrigantine rugged. Her length was
234 feet, breadth OF beam 81 feet, depth
of beam, Al feet, depth of kold, 25 feet.
She was equipped with beam engine.
The Champion originally ran to Pana-
ma, and WAS sold by commodore Van
delbilt to the Pacific Mail Steamship
Co., from which she was purchased
about twelve years ago for the Charles
ton line. Her last voyage was the
266h she had made in the service 1.-The
latter company, The vessel never met
with any serious mishap before, and
was considered q remarkably lucky
ship; her value is variously estimated
at from $4,000 to $4,000. She was
partly insured against fire but had no
marine insurance.. The ship
LADY oCTAYIA
which did the damage is an old English
built ship, one of the first in fact built
exclusively of iron in the British Lloyds.
She is reported to be built of heavier
iron plates than the law now requires.
The Lady 0ctavia was built IN 1854, in
Warrington, east coast, England. She
registers l172 tons. Her new measure
mont uos 0lD r. at lowe d; foot hran,tth