The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-27
SUNK BY AN ANNEX
Revenue Cutter Washing-
ton Run Down By P.
R. R. No. 8.
INSPECTOR BROWN HURT.
Panic Among Passengers-Slnk-
ing Vessel Towed to Her Piers

The Government revenue cutter Wash-
morning by Annex boat No. 8 of the
Pennsylvania Railroad just outside of the
Barge office dock. Special Inspector Tom
Brown was very badly, = not fatally ins
jured. He refused to go to the hospital
and was taken to his home, No. 401 East
Seventy-ninth street. The cutter had .
very narrow escape from sinking right in
the channel; and it was only due to the
presence of mind of the pilot, Captain
Jack Brown, that she was brought back
to her dock, where she sank in few
minutes with big hole below her water
line, just opposite the door to the IRE
hold about amidShipS.
The dozen men on board the Washing
ton were SO excited this morning that
they could not tell very connected stories.
There was not one in the lot, including
She eight men from the customs Office,
who did not have scratches or bruises as
a result of the collision.
The Washington left her pier at half
past seven o'clock sharp to go down to
Quarantine, where a number OF steam
snips We're awaiting INSPECTION. Ihe
pilot had scarcely cleared his pier when
he saw the Annex boat bearing down
on nkDl aU GFGdO SDeeQ anu CLOSELY
ging the shore. He blew one sharp
whistle of warning, but heard DO SOUND
in reply.
SHE SANK RAPIDLY.
The next momeu5 and the shock of the
collision threw everyone off his feet. The
boat began to sink immediately. Ths
ferrYboat stopped. Everyone on the cut-
ter made a wild scramble to board tha
Annex. Captain Jack Brown and the in-
jured inspector alone excepted. The
latter was too much hurt and lay groan-
ing where he had been jammed up
against the cabin, while the pilot only
thought of getting the crippled cutter TO
he. dock. He didn't wait to see If every
one had got back on the cutter, but
turned her nose right about.
AS soon as the passengers on the ferry
boat saw that the Washington would
probably be able to reach the dock, the
pilot put on steam and proceeded to Jer-
sey.
Among those slightly injured was
Boarding Officer Styles. who had bad
cut on the hand caused by breaking glass.
There was hardly a man on board who
did not suffer more or less from cuts and
bruises.
The force of the collision was SO great
that the little cutter nearly toppled over,
and the fear that she was going right to
the bottom gave every one on board Dig
scare.
UNWILLING TO TALK.
Those on the Government boat were
very unwilling to saik. They said that a
report must be made to the proper au-
thorities. 1t was genefS4ly conceded that
Captain Brown was very careful man
and that the Annex boats act generally as
if they owned the river. The great speed
they always make as they go around
the Battery was generally commented
upon.
They always hug the shore and are the
bane of the existence of pilots as they
leave the battery slips. 1t was only last
week that Annex climbed upon the big
transport Maryland, in whose wake she
was running to take advantage OF the
channel cleared in the floating ice.
Tom Brown, the injured inspector. -
one of the veteran employees of the Gus
tom House. He Is the side partner OF L.
J. Donohue. They are spoken OF as the
brightest men in their special branch OF
the Government service. One of the
Brown was in reality very skillful de-
tective. Many big captures have been
credited to him and his partner.
Brown was man who talked little
never about himself. From his appear
auce one would never suspect that he was
man of such resources. He is about
forty-six years of age, and veteran OF
the late war.
AT ten o'clock the Washington was
resting on the bottom at the Barge Offi;e
slip. The tide was low. and all her upper
works were above the water. The revenue
flag was still floating in the breeze from
her flagstaff. She will be raised inn
medlately,