The evening world., 1894-08-15
ARE AROUSED.
Alarmed Over the Explosion Of the
Shell Near the Schuyler
Complaints About The ReckIessness
OF Sandy Hook Gunners.
Three Hundred Lives Imperilled by
the Marksmen.

The narrow escape from destruction
OF the fishing steamer James b. Schuy-
Ter and the 800 passengers on board
yesterday. while off Sandy Hook, by
the explosion of a projectile fred by the
Sandy Hook gunnes. has aroused the
pilots and commanders of vessels that
ply about the harbor of New York.
This Is the second narrow escape re-
ported from the same source within a
month. and several other cases have
been mentioned since the experimenting
began. In no other case, however, has
there been such q narrow escape from
great loss of life.
According to the report of Capt. Han
cox. less than fifty feet separated the
passengers from certain death.
The vessel, with 800 anglers aboard,
had been out to the fishing banks. and
was about half way between the Hook
and the Navesink Highlands when the
shell exploded Not another vessel of
any kind was in sight, SO that had the
projectile struck the steamer all on
board would probably have been lost.
Capt. Hancox says that from the deck
OF the vessel they heard the sounds of
the firing. but no one dreamed of dan
ger. Suddenly heavy .projectile
in straight line from the side. At the
same instant 1t exploded.
simultaneously with the explosion
mountain of water, as 1t seemed, was
forced up into the air to a height Of
over twenty-five feet. Some of 1t even
fell over the vessel while immense
waves rocked the steamer as II she were
a log. The sea for several hundred
yards around was agitated as II by
hurricane,
The passengers became panic-stricken,
and wild rush was made for the life
Hancox and the crew prevented serious
accident.
When the real nature Of the danger
was discovered the passengers became
in order to get as far away from such
reckless marksmen as possible.
capt. HancoN sent formal complaint
to the Ordnance Department. If this
is not needed 1t Ia said, the pilots and
captains will get together and issue
stronger protest to a higher authority.
Just as soon as Capt. Hancox, who
is more than eighty-one years old,
reached his home he wrote and forward
ed the following letter:
BELLEvILLE. y. j., Aug. IA. 1894.
Commandant and Chief OF Ordnance Department.
H. Fort at Sandy Hook n i so,,v,.r
was returning from her daily trip to the Fish
ing Banks, on Long Branch. this afternoon with
Hook and the Highlands OF Navesink a shell dis
charged from your ordnance burst not further
than fifty feet from the the bow OF the steamer,
forcing the water in torrents at least twenty
Had this shell struck the steamer the loss of
life would have been great. As 1t was. 1t created
a serious panic on the vessel.
trust such orders my be issued that we
may consider our steamers safe when navigating
yours J. W. HANCOS. President
A report will also be filed this morning
with the United States Steamboat In
spectors, and the latter will be asked to
take immediate action. as vessels OF al
kinds pass about Sandy Hook at all
hours of the day and night.
1t Is possible that a meeting of pilots
will be called in day or two to take
action in the matter.
The pilot on board the James B.
Schuyler yesterday, was John Simmons.
1T was the closest call l received in
my life" he said this morning. 81 was
in the wheelhouse and we were making
for buoy No We fr Were tb th Hoo rb @nd
about a mile and half from the beach.
Suddenly I saw a dark object rushing
straight at us and 1t was apparently
coming out o! the sky. 1t did not, look
to me any bigger than a fish hawk. II
struck the water about fifty feet from
the port paddle. made big splash and
disappeared.
plosion violent enough to shake down
half a New York block. and the water
shot up in the air. like waterspout,
shaking the boat from stem to stern
and causing tremendous waves to roll.
j knew at once that 1t was dynamite
shell. heard the whirr of 1t distinctly
and saw 1t strike the water after II mad
passed over US. 1t all happened so
quickly and Unexpectedly that the panic
was short Fortunately the women did
not know what 1t. was all about until
the danger had passed. Then we
crowded on steam and got as far away
as possible"
In speaking OF the recklessness OF the
men in charge OF the firing, plot sim
years ago schooner was instantly
sunk Off the Hook by Finch shell
which blew her stern to pieces.