Evening journal., 1894-10-02
IN THE BOTTOM or The BAY.
THE BIG OCEAN STEAMSHIP AND
HER IMMENSE CARGO.

Details of the Costly Accident and Mar |
row Escape From Great Loss OF Life in |
thel Delaware Bay-The Grow First
Brought TO New Castle.
Special Correspondence Evening journal
NEW CASTLE, oct . The collision Of
the two ocean steamships Caucasse aud
Allegheny in the Delaware bay just
above Snip John Light, was the nost
damaging aecldentlth has occurred Ia
the Delaware within ten years.
Two oil tank steamers one 10 ballast
and the other with a cargo Of oil, we're
in collision in Delaware bay, near Ship
John Light yesterday morning, aud ten
minutes after the loaded vessel, the
Allegheny, went to the bottom, but
fortunately every one Of her crew Of
thirty or more was saved. They met
between and 80 o'clock, yesterday
morning, aud, through misunderstood
ing of signals, the Allegheny was struck
amidships by the Caucasss. The Allie
gheny's tanks were pierced, and the
great hole in her side let torrents Of
water into her ships hold. THIS other
boat, responding too late to her rndder
aud reversed engine, drew away with
shattered bow and twisted stern 1t
4
sink. ana the Caucasse's men sroused
from their bunks BY the jar Of the collis.
/ ion, began to look out for their own
safety.
Nearly sll the AlleRheny's crew were
able TO reach the deck without trouble
Three Gremen and the third engineer
were on duty when the crash came.
The former reached the deck all right,
but the engineer was met, as be rushed
for the companion. way, By a wave that
seemed almost impossible to pass
/ through. With the prospect OF death
before him, however he made a
| desperate effort and succeeded in reach
| ing a place OF temporary safety
The ship, filling fast with the water
that poured through the big hole in her
side, listed badly and the crew, who st
| rst had sought safety in tue rigging
we're driven to the bow, which still re-.
mained above water.
The tugbost Pioneer putting b-iskly
up the river was sighted by the men on
the sinking steamer, and in answer to
their shouts she headed towards them
| When in close proximity, the captain Of
the tug WAS afraid of being
swamped by the Allegheny should
she 20 down suddenly but the cries Of
the sailors brought him to bis senl e.
aud he sent his boat right alongside the
sinking hulk and began the work OF
rescue.
Captain Tucker and Pilot Church
would not leave their vessel until every
man In the crew was rescued. Just as
the Pioneer was about to steam away
the floating oil Ia the river took fire,
having caught from the light on the
Alleghenys masthead, and a terrible
blaze ia sheets sprung up like lightning,
lighting. up the river for nearly ile.
Before starting for Philadelphia with
the large crew OF half clad men, the tug
Pioneer brought them into New Castle,
where they were refreshed and better
equipped for the trip
Ths Maritime Exchange reported last
evening that "the Allegheny now lies al
tho bottom or tho Delaware bay, with
Ship John Light showing red and bear
Il ing northwest one.half north two and
half miles and Joe Flogger Buoy
southwest. I he sunken craft lies vel
to the eastward and does not interfere
with navigation"
The Allegheny, under Captain Tucker
was laden with /. III $50 gallons Of crud,
oil, valued at $32, 290.75 She is owned
in London by Alfred Stuart, and wa!
built at Stockton.on Tees by Craig
! Taylor & Co., in 1890. Her dimension
are Length, 800 feet beam, AZ feet. anC
: depth. 10 feet She is supplied with
3 triple expansion engines, with cylinder
| % inches. 40 inches. &C inches, with As
Z inch stroke. George Ali, the Philadel
l phia representative of the Standard OF
! Company, which owns the cargo, state
that both vessel and cargo arc insure'
3 abroad.
The Caucasse, Captain Alix, from Aut.
werp for Philadelphia, is owned in tn
former city. by L Lambert. She wal
built in 1888, measures $50 feet il
length, 35 feet in breadth, and "a feet
: inches in depth Her gross tonnage
! 666; her net tonnage 0S7 She classe
I2-2-L-1=1 French Neritas.