New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-10

water-tieht doors leading to the other parts or
the ship. This was successfully accom- .isheu'
and then the water had gained such depth III 'he
engine room that the ship had heeled over ana
sunk to the bottom resting easily on the mudpahh
formed by the eddy of the tides around the stern
of the receiving ship Vermont. which is fastened
to the same wall a little to the east of the Texas-
The Navy Yard tug Narkeeta came alongside
and as quickly as possible word was sent to the
Chapman Wrecking Company. and little later
the w. f. Chapman. the Hustler and couple
of wrecking tugs were alongside the warship'
A diver sent down. and after an examiha-
ton Of the hull Of the ship he reported that the
yoke which held the bonnet covering the thirteen
inch seacock on the starboard side OF the snip
had broker, allowing the waters OF the Easi
River free access to the engine compartment
through an aperture thirteen inches in diameter,
which is usually about ten feet under water
when the ship is afioat in normal trim. This sea-
cock connected on the in side with ten-foot
flange which led to the starboard condenser.
where the exhaust steam from the cylinders was
condensed and fed back to the boilers as water.
The condensers were kept cool by the volume or
water taken in through the seacock and forced
by the circulating pumps through the con-
densers and around the pipes conveying the
steam. This fange had been disconnected IN
the work of overhauling the engines, and the
water admitted by the break had no impeachment
TO It's flow.
Some of the water seeped through into the
boiler and fire rOoms and the fires were drawn
to avoid the danger Of an explosion but later
1t was found that the water-tight doors were all
right and the fires were lighted again. Passed
Assistant Engineer Robert ]. Higgins, who was
on duty at the time of the accident had mar
into tI,o peyin
rooms was so great that he had scarcely time to
reach the deck after seeing that the doors were
closed.
ONLY THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FLOODED
As the ship lay last night, no part of her is
flooded save the engine compartment. and pow
erful pumps at work reducing the water in
the compartment. 1t Is expected that she will
be clear Of water this morning. and the mud
en- which she rests acts stopper for tho hole
in her hull. the work Of getting her afoat is not
believed to be as hard as was at frs. expected.
She will be placed in the timber dock at once
and be thoroughly overhauled. Late yesterday
afternoon the torpedo boat Ericsson, which had
been In the dock. was foated out with a tempo
rary patch on her stern and her bow open to the
sea as far aft as the collision bulkhead and the
big pumps started clearing the dock of water
All through last night the work OF pumping out
the ship and the dock was continued and early
this morning ii was said. the shift would be
made.
The accident while particularly unfortunate
ut the present time is not thought to be of q
serious nature far damaging the ship Is
concerned. as the engine-room is the only part
TO which the water had access and there is moth
ing there which cannot be made ready for use
within short time, unless the engines are seri-
ously injured by the water and mud.
Officials at the yard and the officers of the ship
silent to the question of responsibility for
the accident and nothing will be said on that
subject until after the decision of the Board of
Inquiry which has been ordered by Secretary
Herbert. The personnel of the court was not
known at the yard last evening but there will
be no delay and 1t is expected that a session will
be held tomorrow or Thursday. The main point
Of the whole affair is thought. by those CONVEX
SAINT with the facts. to be the showing Of the
weakness Of the Texas. and, in fact. all the other
ships Of the Navy.
The fact that the same accident might have
happened when the ship was at sea- with the
probable immediate laundering of the vessel and
the loss OF every man on board, was the chief
subject Of conversation among the officers who
would talk about the occurrence. The piece Of
steel forming the yoke Of the seacock or, prop
eriy speaking. the injection valve. weighed not
more than fifty pounds. and the strength of
this small piece Of metal rested the safety OF the
great ship and her crew Of about five hundred
men.
LONG SERIES OF ACCIDENTS.
The Texas. since she was launched has
been regarded as the "hoodoo' ship OF the Navy.
and has been through more accidents than all the
rest Of the ships OF the North Atlantic Squadron
together. Even before she was launched she
was the victim Of several strokes Of i'll luck,
lightning striking her while she the ways
at the Norfolk yard. where she was built and
several men being injured while at work on her
hull. When she was launched she was found TO
list to starboard slightly. her sectional cross
beams were shown to be weak. and there was a
large amount Of vibration when her engines were
run. All this was regarded by the superstitious
~ only the natural result of the Ill luck which
first manifested itself in the delay attending the
delivery Of her armor-plate which was nearly
two years behind time.
Aftef she was fairly ahoat series Of accidents
begsn. eliminating with the sinking Of the shp