Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-08-28
The Man.Of.War TaIIapOOsa Sunk.

The Man.Of-War TalIapOOsa Sunk.
COTTAGE City, Mass, August 22-The
United States steamship TallapOoSa sunk
off here last night. The survivors were
landed at WoOdshall. She collifed with
three-mast schooner She lies with her
main mast and the top of her smoke stack
out of water. 1t is stated that two lives
were lost by the disaster.
BosTON, August 22.-The facts of the
sinking of the TallapOOsa are as follows
The Tallapoosa, with 140 men and Off
GERS, bound to Newport to take on board
Secretary Chandler, at II o'clock last night,
during thick fog, three miles northeast of
Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, was struck
by the schooner James S. Lowell, of Bath,
Captain Reed, from Baltimore for Portland,
with a cargo of coal Her side was crushed
in and sne sank In five minutes In ten
tathOms of water. As she went down her
whistle blew as a signal of distress, and was
heard by the Gate City, which came up i'm
mediately, and with the schooner Mary A.
Hood, which happened to be in the vicinity,
rescued the crew with the exception of the
surgeona and one man, who are said to be
missing. The Gate City blew her whistle
and the steamer Fish Hawk lying at her
wharf at Woodshall sent out her steam
launch. The Gate City laid to until 3
o'clock transferring the crew to the launch.
They all landed at Woodshall. The Talla-
poosa lies on what is known as Squash
Meadow Flat, and the smoke stack and top
mast alone are visible. The steamer J. ;.
Lowell also has on board several of the
TallapoOsa crew.
Captain Reed, of the schooner j. S.
Lowell, states that he was passing through
the sound last night with strong south
west wind, and all sails set. He was going
at the rate of nine knots an hour. The
night was clear but dark. When two miles
away the lookout reported "a light ahead"
Shortly after it was seen to be red light
and ] said, speaking to the wheelsman,
Red, larboard. Keep her straight |
stood near the wheel during all the time.
Seeing that the steamer was doing nothing
to avoid us | ordered the helm 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 exactly. Our
vessels stem glanced by the Tallapoosa' s
and penetrated her hull. After the vessels
stopped the steamer swung around, along
side 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 that
she was leaking quite badly, although not
in immediate danger Of sinking. The
Tallapoosa drifted away from us and sank
within a few minutes. As she went down
those who could dc 50 took to the rigging
and 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 assist
ance. After all saved had been transferred
to her she steamed away to Wo0dshall.
Captain Reed says: 1T was 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"
The names of the missing from the Talla-
poosa are, Assistant Surgeon Clarence E..
Black and George A. Foster, landsman.
Some of Secretary Chambers personal
effects were on the vessel when she sank.