Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-08

A Panic Among the Passengers
How It Occurred.

-
How It Occurred.
The fine steamer st. Johns, under the
command Of Capt. Leo Vogel, which Is now
running between New York and Long
Branch, on her return trip from the latter
place on Friday evening last, collided
with the steamer Breakwater, en- route for
Lewes, Delaware, in North river. The
popularity Of the st. Johns and her worthy
commander in this city and section, she hav-
ing for the past several winter seasons run
between Savannah and Charleston on the
Florida route, viii render an account Of the
accident of more than usual local interest.
From the columns Of Saturdays Herald, in
which lengthy accounts appears, we con
dense the following:
At 8 quarter to four the Long Branch
boat st. Johns started on her return trip to
Sandy Hook. She had on board fully six
hundred passengers, and among them
General Grant, Jesse Seligman, Russell
Sage, Victor Newcomb, ard many other
gentlemen equally well known. The passen-
gers on the upper deck were suddenly
Startled at behoiding q large steamer bear
ing down upon them. Captain Vogel was in
the pilot house and saw the approaching
vessel, which proved to be the Breakwater,
going to Lewes, Del, dangerously near.
"After blowing our customary signal
whistle" said Captain Vogel. Of the s..
Johns, when interviewed, (which Is al
WAYS done when coming out OF the dock,
our stern was hardly clear OF the pier, No.
IA which we were leaving. The steamer
Breakwster when sighted was at least up SIS
high as pier No. %. The s.. Johns at this
time had, of course, hardly any headWsy.
We frat discovered tugbOat with a canal
boat on our port bow. We blew one whistle
for the tug and canal boat, our ship still
swinging out, but not yet parallel
with the current. Seeing the
Breakwater coming on l blew two
whistles for starbOard. To make the signal
more distinguishable 1 made the whistles at
least ten seconds apart, and, in fact, blew
the signal twice for the Breakwater. How
ever, / got no reply, neither from the
steamer nor the tow. Upon this | slowed,
stopped and backed my vessel. In the
meantime the other steamer continued To
approach the st. Johns amidships, and I'm
aily she struck US about thirty feet abaft OF
The bow on our starboard side, cutting into
the fender streaks and covering board.
Even at the time when | signalled her the
St. Johns had barely steerage way"
When the steamers came together many
Of the passengers were on the lower deck
comfortably seated in the bow and enjoy
ing themselves. At the first shock there
was perfect stampede. Everything was
abandoned, and there was q heller SHELTER
scramble for the after part OF the boat.
The life preservers were grasped and con-
fusion and dismay ruled the hour. The
Captain came out OF the pilot house and
shouted that there was no danger and no
one need be afraid. Almost instanianeously
the ships boats were ready for service and
the crew at their posts. The after boat
was already almost in the water when the
order was countermanded-there was not
the slightest danger of the st. Johns going
down. Some OF the passengers were terror
stricken, and several jumped on board the
Breakwater, thinking thus TO save them
selves. One man, in his fright, left his child
on the st. Johns to take care OF itself as
best 1t might. Another man, a jeweler, left
behind him several thousand dollars worth
Of iewelry, deeming his life more precious
than his treasure. There was indeed an ex-
change OF passengers, some men leaping
from the Break ater to the st. Johns, be-
ing finally carried to Sandy Hook,
Capt Vogel called to his chief officer,
Mr. Burns, to ascertain the extent of the
damage, and, when this was found TO be the
breaking only of the guards, the order was
given to 90 anead. The other vessel, when
the danger became imminent, backed water
hard, but she had gained too much head
way to prevent the collision. Her bow was
considerably damaged-sO much so that
she had Immediately TO put back to her
dock to refit for sea. She carried about
eighty or one hundred passengers. The ST..
Johns had a very heavy iron plate just IN
| derneath where she was struck, and 1t was
this plate which stove in the bow of the
| Breakwater.
A passenger made the following state
ment: 81 was sitting with friend on the
upper deck when the boat put out into the
/ stream | distinctly saw the Breakwater
/ coming down and felt certain tn. II the st.
| Johns did not back water and re other
| change her course there would &c col
| lision. | am an old sailor, and | kept per-
/ fectly cool, but don't think that the pilot
| of either vessel was much to blame. The
/ Fact is that when they did strike the bows
were pointed slightly off from each other,
showing that each pilot had done the best
| he could to avoid a direct collision. Still
a great many of us passengers were
of the opinion that the pilot
| of the St. Johns was to blame, and there
was talk during the trip down OF getting up
a petition to the company to have him re-
/ moved. Indeed, am told tonight that
| sucb a petition was started before we left
| Sandy Hook, and that 1t was numerously
/ signed. The Breakwater was on her way
| down the river when we were In dock, aud
the pilot Of our boat could not have failed
| To see her coming. The Breakwater Ger
| tainly, in my opinion, had the right of way,
! and it would have been an easy thing for
the St. Johns to have waited quietly until
the Breakgater had passed. Some OF the
| passengers felt that for this reason the pilot
| of the st. Johns is really TO blame, but
most Of US are so reloiced over our escape
/ that we do not feel like making mucn OF q
| time about the thing"
| Another passenger on the st. Johns who
was an eyewitness OF the collision, was in
| teryieWed at the Atlantic Hotel, Long
| Branch, and stated that when about two
] hundred wards out the pilot, evidently for
| the first time, observed the Breakwater.
| Steaming slowly down the stream, ne
| at once blew tho whistle violently for
! several times, but no answer YVES heard land
| both steamers continued on their course.
AS the,naFratoristated "kept steaming away
until the collision occurred" At once
there was a scene OF terrible confusion.
The dismayed passengers on board the 81.
| Johns, who had for the most part been idly
tanning themselves on both the lower and
upper decks, were thrown violently from
their seats. OF course there was a general
rush for life preservers, women tainted and
panic was only prevented by the presence
| Of mind of some Of the gentlemen
| who checked the rising excitement by
| timely assurances that there was no danger.
| After the excitement had subsidized
there was a great demand for lost watches,
lost baskets and other valuables which had
mYsteriously disappeared. One old gentle
man in the general confusion was observed
| attempting TO put the armhole Of life pre-
! server over the head OF a distracted old
/ lady who had her hat on. Many of the
| passengers preserved splinters and other
! relics Of the collision, which they carried
| home to their families.
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