The New York herald., 1879-11-22
COLLISION ON THE RIVER.

TWO MEN BADLY scALDED AND TUGBoAr
sUNK--coNTRADIcToRY VERSIONS OF THE
OCCURRENCE
The Hoboken ferry boat Secaucus was crowded with
passengers yesterday morning on her 7:4o trip to
Barclay streetferry When about midstrea her pilot
Captain Bunt, says he saw the tugboat Sadie Ellis
crossing from New York at angle of about thirty
degrees with the Secaucus, the latter at the time
heading directly down stream. She came so near
him, he says. that he blew two whistles.
but received answer. He then slowed up
and stopped and repeated the two whistles.
The Sadie Ellis. lie AYERS, continued
her course. paying no attention to the
signals. Captain Bunt says he then backed the
Secaucus and blew two whistles for the third time.
The tug kept ON without answering. sheered to
the ferry and struck her on the port side There
force in the collision and neither vessel suf
fered any damage. The tug, however, ran under the
guards Of the ferryboat and careened so that the
water rushed into her. Seeing that she in
danger of sinking Captain Bunt he backed away
from her and made as short turn possible to
board the tug n the time-Danie. Andro-
vett. her captain; Mr. simonson, one OF the
the th se eG9s the fire
into the furnaces sent ont volumes of steam, and
James Peraut. the cook. and Edward Henderson, the
fireman, were badly scalded. The engineer and Mr.
Simonson were rescued by the Secaucus. and the
remaining four by small boat from schooner
lying near at hand. The water kept pouring into
the tug, and effort was made by the tug H. b.
Whipple to tow her to Jersey City. She went down
close to shore, her protruding smokestack marking
the spot where she lies. The Sadie ellis is a
tugboat She was built this year. at Tottenville. s.
l., and her first and only inspection was made on
the 18th or September last. She has q wooden hull
and registered 4i.G6 tons. Her owners Krescher
4 Co.. Il. Simonson. Peter Androvett aud Jacob
Ellis.
Perault was taken to the Chambers Street Hos
pital this city. and Henderson to st. Francis Hos
pital, in Jersey City, The men are severely but not
CAPTAIN ANDRovErr's STATEMENT
The captain Of the tug lays the blame on Captain
Bunt, and has made the following official report Of
the occurrence
GKsTLkMkSnA6oat quarter TO eight o'clock & this
City the ferryboa Secaucns coming down the river
and going to New York When first saw the ferryboat
my bow. blew one whistle, stopped ported my
wa .na to his Ss
into me- had sternway on at tho time she struck me-
my men were badly scaded The tug Sadie Ellis is sunk
twenty-five feet DANIEL ANDROvETr.
crowd Of passengers on board the Secaucus and
several excited individuals stood armed with life
preservers ready to jump from the boat They were
dissuaded. however by cooler heads and the damage
ended with the injuries sustained By the cook and
fireman and the sinking of the ting. The Secaucus
continued her trips during the day and had mot
scratch on her" SO the captain said 1.-THE window
of my pilot house down you see it now" said
Captain Bunt to the reporter when questioned
that point.
Were the windows on the Sadie Ellis closed?'
the reporter asked.
II should say they were." said the Captain, '.but
her pilot couldn't help hearing the whistles. any
how. She was to leeward Of us and the noise of
whistles can he heard across the river"
Captain Bunt has been on the river for twenty
Ave years and is considered of the most careful
men in the service OF the company