New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-18
THE SINKING or THE SAGINA W.
FOUR LIVES LOST THROUGH NEGLECT.

-FOUR LIVES LOST THROUGH NEGLECl.
TIE PILOT OF TIE CITY OF WORCESTER BLAMED
FOR THE COLLsION-TwO OF TIE BODIES
FOUND IN THE RIVER.
The collision in the East River on Thursday night
between the barge Saginaw and the Sound steamer
CITY of Worcester is attributed by those who wit
messed the accident TO the neglect of the steam
ers pilot tn obey the signals of the tugbOat Lenox
The tugboat had only started from North Fourth
ST., Brooklyn, drawing the barge. which was laden
with SD barrels of sugar belonging to Havemeyer
& Co.. and bound to the freight depot at the foot
of West Thirty third-st.. New-York. hawser
about fifty feet long separated the tug from the
barge On the latter were William Tayl T, an ex-
perienced seaman age fifty-fve. his mother wife,
two daughters Libbie aud Ella. ages ten and seven
respectively. and Charles swanson, deckhand.
The tug was commanded by Captain Charles j.
Gaines.
1t was twenty minutes after o'clock when the
tug drew the barge into the stream. There was a
strong tide at the time and the tug and barge oated
down the river with it about 100 feet when the
City of Worcester sighted, about a quarter OF
a mile away. The pilot of the tug blew the whistle
TO indicate that he desired to pass to the night or
TIE steamer but receiving no response he repeated
the signal. which again received with silence
Two short blasts were then blown by
=.
by about SIX feet. The steamer continued on its
way. however, and struck the barge near the cabin
where all on board were eating supper, except lay
Tor. who was at the wheel As as the crash oc-
Cured the cabin was torn from the rest of the barge
and lOated down the stream Swanson had time 10
rush on deck to see what caused the crash, and he
was instantly thrown into the river. Taylor was
knocked from the wheel and few minutes later
the. barge began to sink. Swanson was picked up
by The LeuOx and Taylor by the City Of Worcester.
Search was then begun for the other persons on the
barge. but owing to the darkness the bodies could
NOT be distinguished from the debris Of the wreck.
The City of Worcester after 1t was found that she
could rend no assistance. proceeded on her way to
Norwich.
At IL o'clock Thursday night two men saw body
floating i'm the river near the Atlantic docks. ms
was found II he Taylor's mother. who was about
eignty-One years old. The body OF Iaylors VIC
was discovered about / O'Clock yesterday morning
a short distance further down the Hytr IL W..
thought that the bodies of the two children might
be- we liz If ia among the trc ght on the barge. Inc
wreck va, therefore t0wed 10 Brook yu and much
OF the freight was removed but the bodies were
not found. Yesterday afternoon the barge was
tOwed 40 tue foot of Eenty six hist, BroOkiyn, 10
be repaired. II stated at the office o. n. Nc n
IWomblv ~ Co.. the owners of the barge, that Tie
responsibility Tor the accident rested win TIE plo1
Of the City of Ogcester. Inc loss VIII amount 10
| between $4,000 and $4,000, which Is covered oy
/ IL
Yesterday, but was overcome win grief that ne
wa. unable to make a coherent statement about the
disaster tie said that every dollar that lac possess
! cd va. on the barge as we'll rs his furniture ana
valuaDles. He mOaued bitterly about the loss oil
every member OF his family and did not give mp al
hope that one would vet be found alive lie stated
thar The pilot of the steamer was wholly u blame
] for the accident. When swanson was asked ABOUT
the accident he simply replied that he was at sup
ger when he heaTl a noise and the next moment ne
/ was thrown into The water.
/ Charles j. Gaines OF Brooklyn, pilot Of the tug
! boat Lenox nled ms sworn report yesterday WIN
fle Supervising Inspector of steamboats,. de states
that a1out D. 30 D. NJ on Thursday he Left the TOO.
| OF North Fourtn-st., Brooklyn, with the
barge saginaw bound for the foot OF Ihrly-
/ tblri-St North River; that when he arrived
at a point about abreast Of South Flttn-st, beng IN
! abDul mld-stiean, he saw sound steamer dp-
/ urolc1iug bound up the Last River; that when hc
saw rbe steamboat She showed her red or port hgut
/ that ne blew long blast or whistle OF the tux Ia
indicate 10 the pilot of the steamer that lie desired
10 pa~s 10 tine right: thar, hearing no answering
whistle he blew another long blast, but received
nn r-p0n.e: thaf he then observed that the steamer
had starbOafdcd us wheel, thus showing her star
boari or green light; that seeing That IL would ue
tupo-,ib be 20 pass TO the port ne blew two shOrl
blasts on the whistle of the tug aud pnt his wheel
! hard a-starbOard thus enabling him 10 clear TIT
! steamer: that after clearing the tug the steamer
| pas,cd on ana struck the barge, Saginaw on th'
1turboarl quarter about thirty feet from the >,ern
/ cIIi,lrg the barge to sink: and that all tue ughi
| rauuIred by law were displayed Dy botn tug ana
/ barre Al the time of the disaster.