Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-23
THE TALLAPOOSA SUNK.
A COLLISION WITH A SCHOONER
TOO MUCH FOR THE OLD TUB.

LOst-Ihe Crash Charged to Gross
Carelessness on the Part of the
steamer-The Gate City Picking Up
Survivors.
COTTAGE City, MASS, Aug. 22.-The
United States steamship Tallapoosa sunk
of here last night. The survivors have
been landed at Woods Hole. She col
lided with a large thIee-masted schooner.
She lies with her mainmast and the top
of her smokestack out of water. The Tai
lapoosa is a paddle-wheel vessel of $50
tons, and carries two guns. She was
used as a dispatch boat. 1t is stated that
two lives were lost by the disaster.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22.-COmmannder
English, Acting Secretary of the Navy,
this morning received the following teIe-
gram from Lieut.. Commander Merry, COM
lapOOsa, dated at Woods Hole, in regard
to the sinking Of that vessel:
The Tallapoosa was sunk by collision with
the schooner James 5. Lowell about five miles
east OF Vineyard Haven at ll:l5 o'clock last
night. She lies in midchannel in about ten
fathoms of water. The schooner struck on
our starbOard fore rigging. cutting clear
through to amidships. The Tallapoosa sunk
schooner
damaged about che bow. As far as ascertained
Passed Assistant Surgeon Clarence Z. Black
and George 4. Foster, a landsman, are miss
ing. We came to Woods Hole at daylight bv
the steamer Gate City. The Fishhawk has
gone to the scene Of the wreck. Please give
me Instructions. The wreck should be lighted
for the safety Of navigation.
The TallapOosa left Boston Yesterday
morning with freight for Newport. She
left Washington Navy Yard about July
IA with freight for Northern yards.
Secretary Chandler joined her at New
York with party Of ladies, anG sailed
IN her to Portsmouth n. H, and vicinity.
THE TALLAPOOsA's OFFICERS.
Following is a list OF the officers of the
TallapOosa: Lieut.. Commander John F.
Merry, Lieut.. w. IL. Everett, Lieut. f. Z.
Beatty, Passed Assistant Surgeon G. Z.
Black, Passed Assistant Paymaster A.
Q. Tiffany, Passed Assistant Engineer
W. p. TOwne, mates j. w. Baxter,
L. B. Gallagher and Hugh Kuhl,
and Paymaster's clerk James Bishop,
Jr. No definite information can be OBJ
tained at the Navy Department as to the
exact character and extent of the freight
and stores on the Tallapoosa at the time
OF the accident. She was engaged in
transporting freight to and from different
yards, and what she had left or what she
had received at Boston is not known here.
Secretary Chandler was to have joined
the TallapOOsa at Newport and some Of
his personal effects were ON the vessel
when she sunk. Commodore English at
once telegraphed to Secretary Chandler
in New York, notifying him of the acci-
dent, and also telegraphed to Rear Adj
miral Luce al Newport, commanding the
North Atlantic station, to at once dispatch
a vessel of his squadron, now at Newport,
to the scene OF the wreck, and to take
such steps as the circumstances may re-
quire.
THE TALLAPOOsA's HISTORY.
The TallapOosa is a wooden side-wheel
steamer and was used principally as a
transport and dispatch vessel. She was
originally built of white oak at the Boston
navy yard in 1868, and was rebuilt at Bal
timore in 1874, when extensive internal
improvements were made, including a
large and elegant cabin. During the war
she did blockade duty on the Southern
coast, and was frequently used in the
transportation OF troops and sailors.
Since then she has been engaged in carry
ing freight to different yards. She was
also in demand as a pleasure boat, pos
sessing peculiar advantages ana facilities
for the accommodation of passengers.
Secretaries RObesOn, Thompson, Hunt
and Chandler have frequently used her in
making inspection trips. She was fire.
quently the subject Of ridicule, but never.
theless was regarded as a good vessel of
her kind. Her last trip in South
ern waters was on the occasion
Of President Arthur's visit to Florida.
Her average speed was 10 knots per hour.
Her dimensions are: Length on the load
line 240 feet and extreme breadth 80 feet.
Her tonnage is $50 and displacement ,270.
She was rigged as a schooner and carried
E.rrN raE
the illness of President Garfield it was
contemplated that he should be taken to
sea on this vessel, and arrangements were
made for his accommodation, but the trip
was abandoned as impracticable, and the
dying President was taken to ElberOn
instead. From a statement prepared
by the Chief of the Bureau of
Construction and Repair, it appears that
the total cost of the TallapoOsa, up to Oct.
1, 1881, including all repairs, but without
her machinery, was $303, ,S35. Commodore
mander. Merry az Woods Hole to allow
those OF his officers whose services are
not required to proceed to
their homes, and to send the
crew to either Boston or New York.
as may prove most convenient. Com
mander Merry is to remain in the vicin-
ity of the wreck to await further instruc-
tiOns.
STORY OF THE SINKING.
Boston, Aug. 22.-The facts of the
sinking of the United States steamer
TallapOOsa are as follows;
The TallapOOsa with 140 men and Off
GERS was bound to Newport to take on
board Secretary Chandler. At IL O'Clock
last night during thick fog, when 3miles
northeast of Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vine
yard, she was struck on her bow by the
schooner James S. Lowell, of Bath, Capt.
Reed, from Baltimore for Portland, with
a cargo of coal. The TallapOOsa's side was
crushed in and she sank in five minutes
in about 10 fathOms of water. AS she
went down her whistle was blown as a
signal of distress and it was heard by the
Boston and Savannah steamer Gate City,
bound for the latter port. She came up
Immediately and, with the schooner Mary
A. Hood, who happened to be in the
vicinity. rescued the crew, with the eX-
ceptiOn OF the surgeon and one man, who
are said to be missing. The Gate City
blew her whistle and the steamer
Flshhawk lying at the wharf at Woods
Hole, sent out her steam launch. The
Gate City lay to until O'Clock, transfer
ring the crew to the launch. They were
all landed at Woods Hole. The Talla-
pO0sa lies on what is known as Squash
Meadow Flat, and her smOkestack and
topmasts are visible. The schooner Jas.
). Lowell has also on board several of the
TallapOosa's crew.
CAPT. REEDS STATEMENT.
Capt. Reed, of the schooner James l..
Lowell, states in relation to the collision
that he was passing through the sound
last night with a strong southwest wind,
having all sails set. The vessel was going
at least knots. The night was clear but
dark When two miles away the lookout
reported ''a light ahead"
shortly it was seen to be a red light, and
said, speaking to the wheelman, Red light;
keep her straight" / stood near the wheel
during all the time, and the course was not
altered until word came that green light
could be seen. To avoid a collision, seeing
that the steamer was doing nothing to
avoid us. / ordered the helmsman to
bear down, but before it could be
done and before my vessel had altered
her course the two vessels strnck each other,
their stems coming together exactly. Our
vessels stem glanced by the TallapOOsa's and
penetrated her hull. After the vessels had
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 cOud tiOn of either vessel. After get
ting my family, who were on board as passen-
gers into boat. / examined the vessel and
found that she was leaking quite badly,
though hot in danger Of sinking.
THE PLUNGE OF THE TALLAPOOsA.
The TallapOosa Grifted away from US and
sank within ten minutes. before many of her
officers and crew had left her. AS she went
down those who could do so took to the rigging
and were taken of later. The schooner
Marie r. Wood came along and assisted in
saving the crew. and later the passing steamer
Gate City, of the savannah line, was signaled
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, her stem being started and the