New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-24
CUT DOWN BY A FERRYBOAT

CUT DOWN BY A FERRYBOAT
THE STEAMER ATLAS SUNK IN THE NORTH
RIVER.
IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES THE IRON vESsEn
DROPS OUT OF sIGHT-rHE ELDoRADo
CRASHES INTO FLOAT AND TUMBLEs
EIGHT CARS OVERHEARD
The record Of unaccountable' steamship dis
asters was increased yesterday by the sinking
Of the Atlas Line steamer Atlas. by the New-Jer-
sey Central Railroad ferryboat Central That
the wooden guards of an ordinary ferry-boat
should cut ten feet into the side Of an iron ocean
steamship was so remarkable. that many mariner
doubted that such disaster had really occurred.
But the fact that the Atlas lies at the bottom
OF the North River less than 200 feet from Pier
No. 2l, with only the tip of her smokc-pipe and
about twenty feet Of the top of each mast showing
above, and that the Central is laid up to have
the demolished part of her rail repaired, is suH-
cient proof that the disaster occurred.
The Atlas il of the small steamers running
between this port and ports in the West Indies
and Central America. She was built in Scot
land in 1873, was of 902 tons measurement, has
no passenger accommodations, and usually car
ries only the regular crew. She had one deck
passenger on this trip, but neither the captain,
purser, agents nor any OF the crew could recall
his name. He escaped, however. with the others
on board. The vessel was last from Port Limon,
and her cargo consisted of 100 tons Of logwood.
5000 bags Of coffee, and fruit She arrived hero
yesterday afternoon, and left Quarantine
at 2:49 o'clock. in command OF Cap
tain ]. NJ. Tobin Pilot George Samson
and Captain Barrett. Of the tug Goodwin. which
was alongside, were on the bridge with Captain
Tobn Customs Inspectors Kane and Mallen
were deck. Besides there twenty-eght
officers and sailors of the Grew and the passenger
to whom reference has been made.
WHY WERE THE SIGNALS DIsREGAIDEDf
The steamer was run at slow speed after passing
the Battery, and when about 200 feet below the
Jersey Central ferry. the Central was observed
coming out Of the slip and Immediately two
whistles were blown by the Atlas to indicate
that the ferryboat should hold back. The
Central answered with two whistles and stopped
her engines. A moment later the engine gong
of the Central heard and the paddles
began working ahead. The Atlas again blew
an instant later her bows were clear into the
stsrboard side of the Atlas, just abaft the fore
rigging There were only few passengers on
the Central but they tumbled over one me an. another a
seriously injured. The Atlas at once began TO NIL
and settle at the bows, and those on board ran
which brought them ashore; In less than hvo
minutes the Atlas plunged beneath the surface.
her bows going down first. Captain Iobin went
to the company's office, but there were only
few boys and clerks there who did not seem
to know what to do except jealousy to guard the
captain from the attacks of the reporters, ana
warn him to say nothing; and then attemped 10
rid the office of the reporters by asserting that
none of the agents were in, nor did any one
know where they were. The ,purser refused 70
give any information, because the newspapers dld
tuifn
CAPTAIN ToBIN TELLS HIS STORY.
Mr. Forwood, one OF the agents. shortly arrived:
the office clerks grouped themselves in secluded
| corner. and after Captain Tobin had made his
| statement 10 Mr.. Forwood, the latter authorized
| him to give his story to the reporters, which ne
| did in a frank and unreserved manner. lie said:
We were coming up the North River soon after
o'clock afternoon and running at slow speed 'uss
before reached the slips OF the Jersey Central Terry
the Central was seen moving Pilot Samson blew
two whistles and the ferryboat answered and stopped her
engines supposed she would go back and let us pass
but she quickly started her engines ahead ana We again
blew our warning signal She kept on, and before wo
could do anything she cut about ten feet into
our starboard side minutes later my vessel went
down There confusion on my snip, out "e
were taken of By the tug Goodwin, which was alongside.
and taken ashore. There no dense fog; In fact
although there mist, we could easily distinguish
the buildings the Jersey City side
THE EXPLANATION OF CAPTAIN CURTIS.
At little after o'clock last night Captain
E. F. Curtis. Thomas Nelson. and other members
of the ferry-boat's crew called at the general
ferry supcrintendent's office in Liberty-st ana
made their official statement of the disaster.
CAPTAIN Curtiss account of the accident is that
the ferry-boat had barely got clear of her sup
when the Atlas bore down upon them througn
| the heavy fog Captain Curtis says they dld NOT
see the Atlas until she was on them Inc Asias S
blew her whistle and the ferry-boat responaed;;
Curtis thought that his boat would stop. instead
of which she went right ahead ana inc neAo
| moment had crashed into the Atlas. .
The superintendent OF the ferry noids inc
impression that the engineer IN some way, s mis-
understood the signals, but prefers TO witnnod any
decided expression Of opinion untli he mas re-
ceived the engineers report this morning Cap.sln
Curts has held pilots certlhcate since oos. %
| With him in the pilot-house at the time Oh tho
! accident was his assistant. Thomas Nelson, VINO
has been pilot for eight years
RUN DOWN IN THE FOG.
| The Morgan Line steamer Eldorado, while steam
| ing up the North River, shortly before O'CLOCK
last evening. crashed into Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western Railway float which was ID
tow of the tugs Vanderbilt and James A. Langton.
The float was at its slip in Hoboken, having on
board eight freight cars In the thick OF the
fog scarcely anything could be seen at short
distance away, and it was while the tugs werc
making fast TO the float preparatory to towing 10
across to New-York that the Edorado suddenly
loomed down upon them from tho mist and cut
midway into the foat, overturning the cars INTO
the water. -. c.n..,,. rrr
bar and DAILY who commanded the two tugs tho
EldoradO was running at last rate, ana was
scarcely more than hity feet from the snore'
The cars were laden with general mercnanuise.
| The damage was roughly estimated at sSo,ooos
No one on any of the vessels was injured.
About a year ago the Atlas sank schooner
| the Lizzie Wilson, at sea-