The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-11-06
BOTH STEAMERS WENT DOWN.

BOTH STEAMERS WENT DOWN.
The Steamers Cleopatra and Crystal
Wave Sunk in Collision Of the Dela-
ware Capes.
New YORK, October 3O.-The steamer
Kanawha, from Newport News, arrived
here this morning with the crew of the
steamer Cleopatra, twenty-six in mum
Der, and the crew of thirteen of the
steamboat Crystal Wave, which were
both sunk in collision at $50 O'Clock
Yesterday morning off the capes of Della
ware. All hands were 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, for New York. The
Crystal Wave was a side-wheel river
steamer and was bound hence for a
Southern port. The boats came together
about $50 o'clock yesterday morning.
The Crystal Wave was cut down to the
waters edge and the Cleopatra COM
menced to break up, and as she was
sinking rapidly her officers and crew,
twenty-six in number, decided to aban-
don her and were taken off by the
steamer Kanawha, from Newport News
for New York. The Kanawha also took
off the officers and crew of the Crystal
Wave. She attempted to tow the Cleo
patra, but was unable to do so, as the
latter vessel filled rapidly and became
complete wreck.
The Cleopatra had no passengers.
The crew of the Crystal Wave consisted
of thirteen all told. The Crystal Wave
was bound for Washington.
The Crystal Wave was purchased a
week ago for $45, 900 from the Bridge
port Steamboat Company, by E. S. Ran
dali of Washington, d. c. Captain
Dan Martin, one of the best known
steamboat men in this port, was placed
in command, and she left last Saturday
afternoon for Washington. The wea-
ther 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 that night the boat resumed her
voyage, proceeding without further in
terruption until a few minutes after .
Tuesday morning. At this time the
darkness was intense. Captain Martin
was in the pilot house, and
he says the vessels side
lights were brightly burning. Suddenly,
and without any previous warning, a
great black object loomed up. Before
he could signal the engine to slow down
the black object, that Captain Martin
now saw was the bow of a steamer,
crashed into the Crystal Wave. Her
captain Just had time to make out the
name. cleopatra" on approaching the
vessels 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 the stern on the
starboard side. The Crystal Wave was
cut clear through to the keel. The
C!eopatra's planks parted, and in an IN
slant both vessels began TO till.
1t was not then known that any YES
sci other than the two in collision was
within miles of them, and hurried pre-
parations we're made on board each
vessel to take to the boats. The Cleo
patra was the 1east"t!ett,11llaassed, apdGapf
Dale ordered his crew to lower the lite
boats and endeayor 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 Kanawba
came in sight, and all on beard both
vessels were transferred to the kanawha
in life boats, with the exception OF
Capt. Martin, who refused to leave his
vessel.
The Crystal Waves owner, Mr.. Ran
dali. who had been taken Off, saw his
vessel was sinking, and shouted to cap
tain Martin to enter the lifc-boat that
was waiting for him, but the captain
refused and remained on board for an
hour after the collision. Then the
Crystal Wave plunged down, DOW first,
with Captain Martin still il the pilot
house. when she sank. He was subsc-
qucntly picked up by one of~the llte-
boats. No lives were lost.
The Cleopatra, which carried vaIu
able cargo of cotton, still renamed
aHoar after the Crystal Wave had sunk,
and was taken in tow by the hanawha
She was towed for an hour, when the
water had risen over her hurricane
deck, and it was impossible to tow her
f,,rther She was abandoned off the
Delaware Lightships, SIX miles from the
place where the collision occurred.
The captains of the lost boats each
claim that his vessel was not at fault.
The Cleopatra had recently been pur-
chased by the Old Dominion Company
as an extra vessel She formerly be-
longed to the international Steamship
Company and piled between Nova Scotia
and Boston. She was a wooden vessel,
schooner rugged and of about 500 tons
burtheu. She was valued at between
$50, OGO and $4,000 and was not in
sured. The value Of her cargo could not
be learned.
The Crystal Waves owner, Mr.. Ran
dali, said to-day that he had invested
his llfeS 5 savings III uel puieh''S1 t'uo
had not a dollar of insurance on the
boat.
STEAMER DISABLED.
New YORK, October 30.--Thc Mai
lory Line Steamer Colorado. which sailed
hence for Galveston October "a, has
been lying at anchor off Sandy Hook all
the morning. having returned with her
rudder disabled.
-. o.. I.;1rl,t "a tho n,aAi,