The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-08-23
GONE TO THE BOTTOM.
The United States Ship Tallapoosa
Sunk in Collision.
All the Crew Saved Except Four
Secretary Chandler's Effects
LOst-A Costly Monument
Destroyed by Fire.

BOSTON, Aug 23.-The United States
steamer Talapoosa collided with the Collier
Lowell of Baltimore, off Martha's Vineyard,
about ll:3O Thursday night, and sank in
few minutes. The scene of the accident was
Squash Meadow shoals. The colliding vessel
was loaded with 1900 tons of coal The
crew of the Tallapoose, consisting of
loo officers and men, escaped from
the sinking man of war to the
schooner with the exception of Surgeon
Black and colored servant named Foster,
who went down with the steamer The
Collier Immediately set sail for Woods Holl,
but was overtaken by the steamer Gate City,
OF the Boston & Savannah Steamship com
pany, and the crew of the sunken man-of-war
transferred to her deck The officers and
men Were landed at Woods Hol There the
United States steamer Fishhawk was
lying and the crew embarked
on her aud Immediately started for the wreck.
The Tallapoosa sailed from Boston Thursday
for Newport, where she was to receive Secre
tary Chandler and party, all of whose effects
We're on board and lost She was fourth
rate paddle steamer of $50 tons, carried two
howitzers and was used as a dispatch vessel
The officers of the Tallapoosa are as fol
lows: Lieut.. Com. j. F, Merry; Leuts
W II. Everett, M H. Schwenk and F. E.
Beatty; Ensigns s W Piepemeyer, F. W
Tappan; Post Assistant Paymaster Smith /;
Post Assistant Engineers W. S. Moore and
N H. I.amlm: Assistant Engineers
j. D. Sloan and T. c. Bowers
Post Assistant Surgeon Clarence E Black,
who is supposed to>be drowned, was a native
of New Brunswick, and was appointed to his
present position Nov IA, 1871, from Pennsyl-
vania He ranked as first lieutenant, had
seven years of sea service and five years shore
duty, and was one year under waiting orders.
A dispatch from Woods Holl states that
many of the survivors were afloat for some
time before they were picked up by the res
cuing boats. The weather was mild, so they
did not suffer greatly. The schooner Lowell
has on board several of the crew, and it Is
possible the missing men may be among
them. Lieutenant Commander Merry was
asked to detail the circumstances of the dis
aster, but he refused, saying that his report
would made TO the navy department
Paymaster John F. Tarbell, of the navy
yard a passenger on the Tallapoosa, says:
Everything went well until we reached Mar
tha's Vineyard. We were six miles TO the
eastward of Chop Light, running
eights knots san hour When the
schooner struck us ! was sound asleep.
l tumbled out of bed and just then some
one called down the companion way, "All
hands abandon ship" The men rushed on
deck, but there was no excitement. The Off
GERS and men were very cool A
few jumped overheard, 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 tornl We were in the
channel and the schooner had struck Us
square on the starboard side by the foremast
The schooner's bow had cut half way through
the ship, tearing a terrible hole in the side
through which the water was rushing
The foremast was cut away and th6
schooners bow was shattered. The Talla
poosa sank in ten minutes All that can be
seen Of her now is about half of her smoke
stack There was no time to save anything
| We had to leave Just as we turned out of bed
The schooner sent out boat to pick up thost
in the water and to render assistance An
other schooner came up and took part of the
men while tine remainder went on board the
Lowell She was leaking badly, so our meI
took turn at the pumps. The Gate City
came up Ia a few minutes and took all tile
! Tailapoosas crew. | want you t. say gooC
word for the officers and crew of that
steamer They treated us with the creates
| kindness Our men were destitute Of clothes
| but their wants were supplied by her officer
/ and men.
! COTTAGE CITY, Mass Aug. &.-Capt
! Reed, of the schooner Lowell, states: WheI
| two miles away, the lookout reported "Ligh
| ahead The course was not altered
until the green light could be seen
| To avoid collision, seeing the YES
sci bearing the light was doing nothing t.
| avoid us. | ordered the helm hard down, bu
before it could be done and before my vesse
| had altered her course the two vessels struck
their sterns seemingly coming together ex
actly. | found my vessel leaking badly
though not in immediate DANCE
of sinking. The Tallapoosa drifte'
| away ard sank in ten minutes, hefor
many of the officers and crew had left her
| Before she went down those who could tool
to the rigging, and We're taken off later. On
vessel is badly damaged. 1t is the mos
careless piece of work | ever saw Tn
night was clear, the lights of til
Lowell burning all right. and perfectly visi
BILE long distance Four persons lost thei
| lives, Dr. Black. the surgeon; ODonnel
seaman; JONES' "A landsman, and the saloo
boy (colored).