The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-31
STEAMERS IN A CRASH.
THE CLEOPATRA AND CRYSTAL
WAVE SINK EACH OTHER.

Each Crew Lays the Blame on the
Other-The Night as Black as Ink,
and No Lights Seen on the Former
Craft Not q Man of Either Crew
Lost.
NEW YORK, Oct. 30-The steamer Kan
awha, from Newport News, arrived this
morning with the crew of the steamer Gle
opatra, twenty six in number. and the crew
of thirteen of the steamboat Crystal Wave.
W hich were both sunk in q collision at $50
o'clock yesterday morning off the capes Of
Delaware. All hands we're saved. The
Cleopatra was an American screw steamer
of 523 tons register, and was built in 1865.
She was running in the Old Dominion line,
and was bound from West Point, Va, to
New York. The Crystal Wave was a side
wheel river steamer.
THE CRASH.
The boats came together about 80 O'Clock
yesterday morning The Crystal Wave
was cut down to the waters edge, and the
Cleopatra commenced to break up, and as
she was sinking rapidly, her officers and
crew decided to abandon her, and were
taken off by the steamer Kanawha. The
INonei W Alt dlSO bOOh Ol Luc OIllCSIS diiu CTSW
of the Crystal Wave She attempted to
tow the Cleopatra, but was unable TO do SO,
as the latter vessel filed rapidly, and be-
came a complete wreck. The Cleopatra
had no passengers. The Crystal Wave was
bound for Washington.
BOUGHT ONLY WEEK AGO.
The Crystal Wave was purchased a week
ago for $45, 900 from the Bridgeport Steam
boat Company by Z. S. Randall of Wash
ington, ID. c. Capt. Daniel Martin, one Of
the best known steamboat men in this port,
was placed in command. and she left last
Saturday afternoon for Washington. The
weather was clear, and the sea smooth until
the vessel reached the Horse Shoes. There
slight storm came up, and the boat
anchored until Monday night. At 7:30
o'clock that night the boat resumed her
voyage, proceeding without further inter
ruptiOn until few minutes after 5 o'clock
Tuesday morning. At this time the dark
ness was intense Capt. Martin was in the
pilot house, and he saws the vessels side
lights were brightly burning.
A MONSTER OUT OF THE GLOOM.
Suddenly and without any previous
warning a great black object loomed up.
Before he could signal the engineer to slow
down, the black object that Capt. Martin
now saw was the bow of steamer, crashed
1ItO oho OrySbdA WuNe I16E CdpDtlu Hdu
just time TO make out the name
cleopatra" on the approaching ves-
sells bow when he was thrown to the
floor of the pilot house by the shock of the
collision. The Cleopatra struck the Crystal
Wave at right angles between the paddle
box and stern on the starboard side The
Crystal Wave was cut clean through to the
keel The Cleopatra's planks parted, and
in an instant both vessels began to fill.
READY TO TAKE TO THE BOATS.
1t was not then known that any vessel
other than the two in collision was within
a mile of them, and hurried preparations
were made on board each vessel to take to
the boats. The Cleopatra was the least
damaged, and Capt Dale ordered his
crew to lower the lifeboats and
endeavor to save those on board the Crystal
Wave. One or two boats had been lowered
and several men taken from the Crystal
Wave when the coal boat Kanawha came
in sight, and all on board both vessels were
transferred TO the kanawha in the life
boats, with the exception of Capt. Martin,
who refused to leave his vessel
FooLHARDY RECKLEssNEss.
The Crystal Waves owner, Mr.. Randall,
who had been taken off, saw his vessel was
sinking, and shouted to Capt. Martin to
enter the life boat that was waiting for him,
ONb Sdps 1neh III duu T0udlu0u Oh
board for an hour after the collision. Then
the Crystal Wave plunged down bow first,
with Capt. Martin still in the pilot house
when she sank. He was subsequently, picked
up alive by one of the life boats.
THE ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE CLEOPATRA.
The Cleopatra, which carried valuable
cargo of cotton. still remained afioat after
the Crystal Wave had sunk and was taken
in tow by the Kanawha. She was towed
for an hour, when the water had risen over
her hurricane deck, and it was impossible
to tow her further. She was abandoned
off Delaware lightship, six miles from the
place where the collision occurred. The
captains Of the lost boats each claim that
his vessel was not at fault.
RECENTLY PURCHASED.
The Cleopatra had recently been pur-
chased by the Old Dominion Company as
an extra vessel. She formerly belonged to
the International Steamship Company, and
piled between Nova Scotia and Boston.
She was wooden vessel, schooner-rigged
and of about 500 tons burthen. She was
valued at between $4,000 and $25, 900, and
was not insured. The value of the cargo
could not be learned. The Crystal Waves
owner, Mr.. Randall, said to-day that he
had invested his life's savings in her pur-
chase, and had not a. dollar of insurance on
the boat.