The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-06
A FEDERAL TUG RUN DOWN.
THE WHITE STAR LINER RUNIC COL
LIDES WITH THE ORDNANCE.

Tho Government Tug Nearly Csp,ized by
the Big Freight Steamship In the swssh
ChanueI-Perii or It's Load Of Army On
eerp-A Damage of Only $4,000 Caused.
The Ordnance partm emit steamer Ordnance
was run into In the lower bay at noon yester-
day by tho White Star line freight steamship
Runic The Ordnance was on her way to the
Sandy Hook proving ground with army officers
and reporters aboard. The Runio was astern
OF the Govern ment steam or until the upper end
OF the Swash Channel was reached. when she
began going ahead.
Tho ordnance tug. being Of light draught.
was able to take a comparatively straight
course from Fort Wadsworth to Sandy Hook.
but the Runic was obliged to keen to the ship
channel. The liner drow abreast OF the tug
on the latter's port side. and was about 100
yards distant. She was going at q fourteen
knot gait.
On the Ordnance were Capt. d. A. Lyle. Ord
nance Inspector. U. g. A.: Major j. P. Sanger.
Assistant Inspector General. U. s. A; Henry
Is. Lewis Of the Carpenter Steel Company OF
Reading. Pa and James F. Sullivan and E. S.
w. Farnum OF the Midvale Steel Company.
Tho party was on It's way to the Sandy Hook
proving ground.
The big Runic. loaded to the m ark with NOR
chandise and live stock. kent her course until
at q point between Swinburne Island and the
turn of the Swash. when she seemed suddenly
to turn to starboard. Major Sanger was with
The SUN reporter in, the, pilot house where
Joseph Cav was at tho whee o. Major Sanger
had kept his eve on the kunlc. and he turned
That steamship seems to be getting closer
and closer"
Cav then turned the head Of the Ordnance
to starboard. and he had hardly done so before
tho Runic suddenly shifted her course an and
bore directly across the bow OF the tug. The
whistle warning
The ' pilot could be seen calmly pacing up
was evident there would be a collision. The
stern Of the RUM was sweeping steadily to-
Major Sanger rose quickly from his seat and
Yes they'r re going to striker Cav imme-
machinery below, whirred in answer But it
struck the bow OF the tug severe but glanc-
For moment it seemed as II the Ordnance
rolled in great waves upon her star board deck;
The passengers started from their seats and
upper deck. would have fallen overheard had
he not caught the rail OF the ladder. Then the
peculiar 10 times Of danger, Nobody spoke:
and eye seemed riTs ts upon the 9a tS
bubbline waves in her wake. She had made
no Sign either before or after the collision un-
on seeing the tug had not gone down. took up
her course.
Timothy Sullivan. Captain OF the Ordnance.
was In the cabin at the time Of collision. He
rushed on deck and sang out:
start the pumps!" They were put In mo-
ton. but the tug was not making water. An
examination showed the Runic had struck the
ORDINANCES guard rail. sprung all the forward
deck. split the deck house clear to the pilot
house and loosened several knee beams be-
low the deck. Sullivan said that If the tug
had not been OF stanch build she would I'M
doubtedly have been sunk.
Every one OF the persons on the after deck
said he thought the tug was going down. The
deck to find out what had made tho tug SILVER
from stem to stern. He said he thought at
first that shot from tho proving ground had
gone clean through her hull.
The damage is estimated at about $1,000. A
report OF the collision will be sant to the War
Department.