Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-08-23
THE TAlLAPoosA.


Details of the Sinking of the Famous Vessel
Struck and Sunk by the Schooner James
Lowsn-Four Lives Lost.
BosToN, August 22-The facts Of the
sinking o. the Tallapoosa are as follows:
The Tallapoosa, with l40 men and officers,
was bound to Newport to take on board
Secretary Chandler. At ii o'clock last
night during thick fog, three miles north
east of Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, she
was struck on the bow by the schooner
James Lowell, of Bath, Captain Reed, from
Baltimore for Portland, with cargo of
coal. Her side was crushed in, and she
sank in FIVE minutes in about ten
fathoms of water. As she went down
her signal was blown as a signal of distress
and was heard by the steamer Gate City
which came up Immediately and with the
schooner Mary A. Hood, which happened to
be in the vicinity, rescued the crew with
the exception of the surgeon and one man
who is said to be missing. The Gate City
blew her whistle and the steamer Fish
Hawk, lying at the wharf at Woods hole
sent out her steam launch. The Gate City
lay to until o'clock transferring the crew
to the launch. They all landed at Woods
hole. The Tallapoosa is lying at what is
known as squash meadow fiat and the
smoke stack and top mast are alone visible
The schooner James l.. Lowell also has on
board several of the Tallapoosa crew. Capt
Reed, of the schooner James Lowell, states
that he was passing through the sound last
night with a strong southeast wind. All
sails were set and he was going knots
The night was clear but dark. When two
miles away the lookout reported light
ahead. Shortly it vas seen to beared light
and | said, speaking to the wheelman,
"Red, Lord Keep Her Straight"
stood near the wheel during all the time
and her course was not altered until the
word came that the green light could be
seen. To avoid collision seeing the steam
er doing nothing to avoid us, | ordered the
helm hard down, but before it could be done
and before my vessel had altered her course
at all, the two vessels struck each other,
their stems seemingly coming together ex-
actly. Our vessels stem glanced by the
Tallapoosa and penetrated her hull. After
the vessels stopped the steamer swung
around alongside the Lowell, and her crew
might have jumped on board, but it was
not then known what was the condition Of
either vessel, After getting my family into
the boat ! examined my vessel and found
she was leaking quite badly, though not in
immediate danger of sinking The Talla-
poosa drlfted away from US and sank within
ten minutes, and before many of the officers
and crew had left her. AS she went down,
those who could took to the rigging aud
were taken off later. The schooner Mary
A. Wood came along and assisted
in saving the crew, and later the steamer
Gate City was signalled and came to our
assistance. After all the saved had been
transferred to her she steamed away to
Woods hole Our vessel is
Badly Damaged.
Touching the collision, Captain Reed says:
1T is the most careless piece OF work | ever
saw The night was clear, the lights Of the
Lowell were burning all right and were
perfectly visible long distance. Several
of the crew of the steamer acknowledge the
steamer to be at fault. Many of the men
were a considerable time in the water ten
being fshed up nearly half an hour after
the sinking Numerous wrecking schoon-
ers and the steamers Fish Hawk and Yer
bena are cruising about the Sound in the
vicinity seeking to secure the bodies of the
drowned and any wreckage.
Four Dead.
Later adviceS from Cottage CITY report
that four persons were drowned from the
Talapoosa as follows: DR.. Clarence E.
Black, surgeon; VIM. ODonnell, seaman, of
Boston VIM. Jones. landsmsn of Wash
ington and George Foster, colored, saloon
bov.