Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-23
THE TALE OF A TUB,
Secretary Chandler,s Pride Strikes
 Schooner and GSoes Down.

Schooner and Goes Down.
 BOSTON, Aug. 22-The United Sates steamer Tallapoosa collided with the collier Lowell of Baltimore, off Martha's Vineyard, about 11:30 o'clock last night, and sank in five minutes. The scene of the accident was over Squash Meadow shoals. The colliding vessel was loaded with one thousand two hundred tons of coal. The crew of the Tal- lapoosa, consisting of one hundred and sixty officers and men, escaped from the sinking man-of-war to the schooner, with the excep- tion of Major Black, Seaman O'Donnell, a landsman named Jones and the colored saloon boy named Foster Many of the steamers survivors were af1oat for some time before they were picked-up by t-e rescuing boats. The weather was mild, so that they did not suffer greatly. The collier immedi- ately set sail for Woods Hole, but was over taken by the steamer Gate City of the Boston and Savannah Steamship company, and the sunken man-of-war transferred to her decks. The officers and men were landed at Woods Hole. There the United States steamer Fishhawk was lying, and the crew embarked on board of her and immediately started for the scene of the wreck. The Tallapoosa sailed from Boston yesterday for Newport, where she was to receive Secretary Chandler and party. All of the Secretary's effects were on board and lost.
 :; Captain Reed of the schooner James $. Lowell states: ''When two miles away the lookout reported light ahead. The course was not altered until the green light could be seen. To avoid collision, seeing the steamer was doing nothing to avoid us, I ordered the helm hard down, but before it could be done and before my vessel had altered at all, the two vessels struck each other, their stems seemingly coming together exactly. found my. vessel leaking badly, though not in i'm mediate danger of sinking. The Tallapoosa drifted away, and sunk in ten minutes before many of the officers and crew had left her. As she went down those who could took to the rigging and were taken off later. Our vessel is badly damaged It is the most care less piece of work I ever saw. The night was clear, the light of the Lowell burning all right and perfectly visible long distance"
 Paymaster John T. Larbell of the navy yard, passenger on the Tallapoosa, says: Everything went well until we reached Martha's Vineyard We were six miles to the eastward of Westship light, running eight knots an hour, when the schooner struck us. I was sound asleep. tumbled out of bed and just then some one called down the companion way, All hands aban- don ship!' The men rushed on deck, but there was no excitement The officers and men were very cool. A few jumped over board, but most of us took to the boats. This is the result of sliding down the chains (showing his hands, which were terribly blistered and torn). We were in the channel and the schooner had struck square on the starboard side by the foremast. The schooner's bow had cut half way through the ship, tearing ter rible hole in the side through which the wa ter was rushing. The foremast was cut away and the schooner's bow was shattered. The Tallapoosa sank in ten minutes. All that can be seen of her now is about half of her smokestack. There was no time to save anything We had to leave just as we turned out of bed. The schooner sent out boat to help pick up those in the water and to render assistance necessary. Another schoon- CT came up and took part of the men, while the remainder went on board the Lowell. She was leaking badly, so our men took a turn at the pumps until the steam rpulnps were got to working. The Gate City came up in few minutes and took the Tallapoo- sas crew. l want you to say good word for the officers and crew of that steamer. They treated us with the greatest kindness. Our men were destitute of clothes, but their wants were supplied by the officers and nen.'
 The Tallapoosa was a fourth-rate paddle steamer of $50 tons, carried two howitzers and was used as a dispatch vessel. The officers of the Tallapoosa are as follows: Lieutenant Commander J. F. Merry, Lieu tenants w H. Everett, M. K. Schwenk, T. E.. Beattie, Ensigns s. W. Piepmeyer, r. w. Toppan, Passed Assistant Surgeon c. E. R. Smith, Passed Assistant Engi- neers w s. Moore and N. H. Lam din, Assistant Engineers J. D. Sloane and F. c. Bowers Past Assistant Surgeon Clar- ence E. Black, who was drowned, was a na- tive of New Brunswick and was appointed to his present position November IA, 1871, from Pennsylvania. He ranked as first lieu tenant, had seen seven years of sea service and five years of shore duty, and was one year under waiting orders.
 The schooner that was in collision with the Tallapoosa is the James S. Lowell of Bath, Me, Captain Reid She is three masted vessel of 69S tons, built in 1883 and owned by Johnson & Lowell, of Bath. She cleared at Baltimore August for Portland. The James s. Lowell has on board several of the crew and it is possible the missing men may be among them. Lieutenant Com mander Merry was asked to detail .the cir cumstances of the disaster, but refused to any statement whatever, saying that his report would be made to the Navy depart ment.
 The crew of the wrecked Tallapoosa ar rived at the Charlestown navy yard this evening.