Evening journal., 1888-10-24
SUNK IN THE RIVER.
Two Collisions in the Hudson
at New York.
CARELESS WORK OF PILOTS

oNA W. vi 81 VI AfAlt tAAh MUS was Juoh ~
ing to her dock at 4:25 yesterday afternoon,
after fair voyage from Costa Rica, when
she was run into by the ferryboat Central, Of
the Central railroad of New Jersey ferry line,
off the foot Of Liberty street.
A great hole was smashed into the Atlas
starboard side. Although brave effort was
made TO get her TO her dock, she sank within
five minutes OF the foot Of Barclay street, in
seventy feet of water, and in the direct path
Of the Hobolsen feryboats.
Happily no one was lost. though none Of
the crew had time TO save an article of per
sonal property.
The Atlas was steaming up the river at
slow speed, under command Of Capt James
". Tobin, who has been with the Atlas line
forty years Lashed to the port side Of the
steamer was the tugboat w. Goodwin, Capt
Barrett, commander who, with Capt Tobin
was on the bridge of the Atlas directing mat
ters and the crew of thirty men, mostly
Spaniards, were scattered over the deck and
in the cabins
Opposite Liberty street the ferryboat Cen
tral was seen to suddenly shoot out of her
slip. Pilot Simmons instantly blew two
whistles, meaning that the Atlas demanded
the right of way, and the Central responded
coneeding it. But before those on the steamer
could realize what was going to happen the
ferryboat crashed sqnarely into the Atlas
| just forward Of the bridge
The shock Of the collision threw the Atlas
! clear over on her beam ends, and as the ferry
boat backed out it was seen that a great
hole was knocked in the steamers side 1t
was followed by a scene Of the widest ex-
element The men oR the Atlas, shaken
from their lethargy. rushed to the decks,
while the engineers and stollers warned by
the water that poured in upon them, dropped
their working instruments and made for the
decks
And none too soon. for hardly had they
gained the air when it was discovered that
nothing would save the ship from going
down. Captain Barrett put more steam on
the tug and tried to get the Atlas TO the
Guion dock, where she was 70 have landed
but all such efforts were in vain The great
volume Of water rushing into the hold rem
dered it impossible for the steamer to keep
afloat and She rapidly began to sink.
The crew seeing the water coming every
second nearer to the decks, climbed into the
rigging. swearing and cursing at the ferry.
boat which had caused the catastrophe
From the rigging they climbed to to tug
boat, whose lines had been cast of, and which
lay now floating above the fast disappearing
steamer
Three men lost their balance and fell into
the water, but were easily rescued. Capt
Tobin was the last TO leave his steamer, and
then the Goodwin steamed quickly away
Suddenly the Atlas bow ducked under the
water, her stern rose high out, her screw
still working, and then quietly and with
hardly a sound, she dived forward the wa
ters parted moment to receive her, and the
next instant she passed out Of sight, the wa
.ln .
ural currents.
There were lively times on the Central.
Not many passengers, owing to the drizzling
rain, were on the bow, but the saloons were
filled with men and women, most Of whom
sat quietly reading or gazing out on the
uneven waters of the North river
Those who recovered themselves first made
a mad rush, some for the bow, some for the
life preservers while Others especially the
women, sat white and scared as though ex-
pecting another shock. For two or three
minutes panic ragged
The ferryboat stopped swung around as
though 10 view her work for a moment, then
jngling bell pulled by nervous hands in
her pilot house sent her ahead at fun speed
for the Jersey shore.
I Feeling the beat again throbbing with the
pulsations of her engines the passengers be-
came cool
I Capt Tobin was afterward seen at his
!, home, No. l3G Concord street, Brooklyn. He
gave brief account Of the collision
"The cargo of the Atlas he said. icon
sisted of 3 200 bags Of coffee 100 tons Of log
b wood, ] LOCO punches Of bananas and about
100 hides being worth in its entirety nearly
Sl3O,0OO When passing Liberty street Pilot
Simmons Capt. Barrett, Of the Goodwin, and
4 myself We're on the bridge, and Simmon.
held the whistle cord in his hand IL was
: clear enough to see the Jersey shore As thc
4 Central came out from her slip Simmons
! blew two blasts three times, and the Contra
stopped her engines for Rmoment, but instead
, Of going astern as she should have done. sud
: denly started forward and struck us forward
of the bridge, on the starboard side Tw,
/, revolutions Of her wheels backward woult
= = have prevented the collision"
About an hour and quarter after the sink
ing Of the Atlas another collision occurred Ii
almost precisely the same spot
The steamer III Paso, Of the Morgan line
d was steaming down the river, outward bound
q when she coliided with "A railroad float in TOW
r of the tug Vanderbilt Five freight cars wen
on the float and We're thrown into the water
I, The hawser was snapped, and the float so
adrift from the tug also.
ar The steamer, however, suffered no apparen
10 damage and continued on her way. while tie
iy float drifted into pier 10, and the cars, benz
OF light, drifted into pier = The TUG the
4 went after the cars and secured them agains
y the danger of drifting ont into the river, an
=, the float was also secured.
The tug Goodwin, which was Just return
ing after landing the crew of the sunke.
iP steamer Atlas at Twenty-fifth street. naI
I.a,rr mi fif,tuft f,r tt. D.