Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-21
A FATAL COLLISION.
Vessel Sunk on Lake Michigan-Stories of
the Captains.


MINIATURES, Oct. 14.-The propellor,
John Pridgeon, Jr., running between Og-
densburg and Chicago, with merchandise,
arrived at this port this morning with
her bows stove IN and otherwise damaged.
Capt. d. n. Sherwood, her commander,
reported that about o'clock last even
ing, when about three miles of Sheboy-
gan, his vessel was in collision with the
steam barge Selan Chamb erlain, and that
the barge was sunk and five of her crew
lost. The Pridgeon came to this port
and to-day is unloading consignment
of merchandise near elevator A.
The Chamberlain is owned by Nj. A..
Bradley d Co., of Cleveland, was built in
1873 at Cleveland, has carrying capacity
of 1000 tons and was valued at $4,000.
The vessel was commanded by Captain
Greenley. of Cleveland, and carried six
teen men, including officers. The Cham
berlain cleared this port light at one
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, for Erie,
the schooner Fayette Brown in consort.
Captain Sherwood, of the Pridgeon, states
that when the collision occurred fierce
gale was blowing from the south-south-
east, 1T was raining heavily and the
weather was so thick he could not see
boats length ahead of him. The Prid-
geon was proceeding under check, the
wind nearly dead ahead, and the whistle
was sounding every half minute. He was
on deck, and the first watch and the
Waterman, were on duty. He heard a
horn sound dead ahead and ordered the
wheel to port, SO as to shear out of the
way of the vessel supposed to be ap-
preaching. AS he did so he saw in front
of him and above, the mast-light of a
barge not ten feet distant.
THE CRASH CAME
an instant later, the Pridgeon striking
the Chamberlain on the port bow and
cutting her down. Both vessels sheared
off, and, after hasty examination, the
Pridgeon was put about and kept
in the vicinity four hours. After the
vessels parted Capt. Sherwood heard the
Chamberlain sound from her whistles
He heard nothing further and saw moth
ing of the steambarge after the collision.
Mate Hodges and members of the crew of
the Pridgeon say that the Chamberlain
was running under steam and said
that her whistle was not heard to sound
until after the vessels came together.
In his statement to r. P. Fitzgerald d
Co., marine insurance agents and vessel
agents, of this city, Capt Greenley, of
the Chamberlain, says he saw
nothing of the Pridgeon until an
instant before the collision, when
his boat gave one short whistle. He
found he was sinking and ordered the
crew to clear away the boats. The sec
ond engineer, fireman and three deck
hands were in one boat, the lowering
tackle of which fouled. The boat went
into the water with a crash, and these
five were drowned. Their names are not
known. They were from Cleveland. The
Chamberlain sank a few minutes later
three miles off Sheboygan point, in
forty-two feet of water. Capt. Green
ley remained in Sheboygan and is
searching for the bodies of the men who
were drowned. He expects to leave She
boygan this afternoon, accompanied by
the members of the crew who were saved,
for Milwaukee.
The propeller Pridgeon belongs to the
New York Central line and runs between
Ogdensburg and Chicago. The collision
left the propeller in bad shape; her bows
are stove in, the bridge carried away and
the cabin partly wrecked. The vessel
will probably proceed to Chicago tonight,
where she will be placed in dock.