New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-19
company bare and that the action Is stimulated by the
judgments obtained by the hoiers of the floating debt
BY A FIREMAN'S S1UPIDIIY Y.
THE GUYANDOTTE SUNK IN THE RIVER.

PUMP OPENED WITHOUT REASON AND BIG
STREAM OF WATER LET IN-DAMAGE 100000
hundred 'lOngshoremen worked all We'd
nesday night unloading the steamship Guyandotte. OF
the Old Dominion Line and they still busy yester-
day morning. OEly half tie having been unloaded
The vessel lay in her berth at the foot OF Beachs She
arrived from Norfolk early Wednesday evening, with
passengers and cargo OF peanuts tobacco walnut logs
and cotton goods. While the 'longshoremen were at
work about o'clock Fireman Sam Loflan rushed
ctedy ont OF the hold OF the ship in his shirt sleeves
sprang to the dock and of without looking behind
him. minute later another fireman. Frank. came from
the hold and shouted excitedy tor Captain Bourne.
The ship is sinking" he cried. The whole North
River Is running In at her bottomw
The sinking o. the vessel was already apparent BY
the time the captain could get down to the hold he
found the water there several feet deep. sheet OF
stout canvas held with ropes was worked under the
OF the vessel get 1t the leak but before this
could be properly done the water pouring In the
cabin windows and within twenty minutes after the
alarm the stern OF the Guyandotte rested in the mud
under twenty feet OF water Inside OF two hours her
keel nearly three hundred feet In length lay the
muddy river alongside the pier The cabins
filled and the water within few feet Of the upper
deck.
The engineer had ordered Loan take apart the feed
pump which supplies the boilers and oil it's valves
Loan had done this frequently, according to custom
however Lothian began to the cap from the cir
cuatng pump which Ia only used in of fires. 1t is
four feet the keel aud opens twelve hole In
the bottom OF the vessel Frank assisted him In remov-
ing the bolts and the cap still sticking fast. Loan drove
chise under it. Then it up to the ceiling the
top of q solid column OF salt water q foot thick.
My Godl" exclaimed Lolilan. didn't think"
Then he turned and from the vessel BY the time
the Guyandote had reached the bottom Captain Bourne
ha Of the companys tugs and four engineers from
the water At noon the leak had been closed by dis
the fire engines doing their best to empty the
barrels q minute Before night the floor Of the
cabin had been cleared and by midnight the vessel was
water The cabins handsomely furnished. and the
upholstery all destroyed; the machinery is also In
The superintendent OF the line said last evening that
the loss the cargo might be placed at from fifteen to
The injury to the Guyandotte will be great, but it
will be an entire loss as the company does not insure lis
sister ship to tho Seneca She Is an iron ship OF $500
aud was built by 59n RSaca Tor tne Gd @
largest vessels owned ny the COMPANY The Guyandotte
She sa Saturday but the vessel VIII require
entire cleaning and drying out after the cargo mas
been remoy and it may be necessary to place her on
the dry dock although it thought that this would
not have to be done She will have to be entirely re-
Nothing was heard Of Loffan. the fireman, after his
Disappearance He is brother OF the engineer be had
been employed for two on the Guyandotte aud was
regarded o trustworthy and Intelligent man. His
home is In Delaware and it supposed that he may have
gone there; he teegaphed for last night TO return
and explain. but nothing was heard from him. Frank
places the entire blame on Loflan.
we have 90 reason to suppose that the accident was
due anything but negligence stupidity, said the
OF the company; but II seems almost
mpOss that such accident could take place except
from malice unless the drunk The cap of the
circulating pump something that never removed un-
less the vessel Ia In dry dock and one should have
known this better than Lothian who had charge or tue
work for more than q year. These accidents are not
altogether uncommon but is the first Of the kind this
company has experienced"
ment houses In the nelghborhood gathered along the
watched tho progress of the work OF raising
tho vessel during the evening