The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-02-01
PRIDE OF THE NAVY,
Cruiser Brooklyn, struck on n Ledge OF
Rock, In Delaware River.

Cruiser Brooklyn, struck on n Ledge OF
Rocks In Delaware River.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, Jan. 81
The United States cruiser, Brooklyn
the latest pride OF a peerless navy cal
cula,ed to withstand the nercest on
slaught OF shot and Shell, to-day lies
almost utterly helpless because OF q
narrow ledge OF sunken rock in the
Delaware river above Marcus Hook.
Pa. on which she struck heavily yes
;erday afternoon. Her lower double
compartments. forward, We're com
plctely stove In and Il was only by the
mcrest good fortune that the big vessel
ala not sink. This would undoubtedly
have been the result had not her sinner
c1mpartments successfully wltn5t0ol
the shock. As Il was, she was pulled
clear OK the rocks and is now tied 20 the
big stone ice breakers at Marcus Ho]N'
protected from the heavy Ice goFges In
mid-river.
Tae big vessel Is seriously damaged.
and it is Impossible 70 say when she
will be able To 80 into active service.
Al present she IA IN no danger OF iur-
thsr damage. being fully protected IN
the safe anchorage Afforded by the ics
breakers. How the accident occurred
can only be established by a court ut
inquiry, and this Captain Cook, OF the
Brooklyn, has already asked Tor
The exact place whore the vessel
struck was on Schooner Ledge Roqk,
between Chester ani Marcus Hook, l2t
about I.4j o'clock What makes rhr
accident even more deplOraJle IS the
fact that this was the Nrst time thH
ship has been handled BY the present
officers and crew since guiug into
commission "a the early part OF De
cpmber Since then she had been lying
at League Island navy yard, and Ger
fain small repairs Ind delayed her
sailing By the early part Of the pres
emf month. however. all arrangements
had been completed f0r her going 70
sea. when the cold snap set IN and as
followed by the pIling up OF Ice M the
river and particularly az the bend IA
the river Immediately below che navy,
ward. known as the Horse Shoe The
cI;y Tee boa; managed 20 Keep the
channel clear of Zee, but on the sides II
piled up frlm two 10 sll- feet
The Brooklyn, lyIug az League Is
land with her PROV facing seawnrd,wIG
hemmrd In tight and fast by the tree2-
ing weather, and 1t was deemed ad-
yisable TO postpone sailing until a
clearer sea This ala not come the
cold weather continued and the lee be-
gan plllng until It was believed that
the position OF the big boat was very
serious. The fee was surginS around
and about her and her officers felt that
she must be moved or the heavy Hoes
would force her ashore.
one OF the city Zee boats was brouEh;
into redulsltl0n and broke the Ice
around the ship while four big tugs
stood by ready 20 lend hand 20 tow
her 10 her destination. At the last mos
ment Il was seen that 10 go through the
ice IN the Horse Shoe was frnught with
great difficulty and perhaps danger
Then Il was that Captain Cook asked
the pilots. CaptQin Walls ana Bennett
two OF the most careful ana expert
enccl men on the river " the ship
could be taken down the river, They
replied IN the affirmative and said that
, safe anchorage could be obtaincd at
Marcus Hook The Brooklyn. under
her own steam, got under way and
kept s.ruiFh, on down the river. the
ice boat breaking a way for her ana
twO tugs following IN her wake Both
pilots We're on the cruise. ANA she
muda hey way easily enough through
ing the ranges closely.
She had reached opposite nnd close
TO Schooner Lrdae. when the pilots
sent her slightly TO stlTbonra, where
they considered it better water. Al-
most Instantly the vessel struck the
rocks with a jar that shook her from
stein to stern. FOR moment all was
confusion, hut FOR a moment only, the
next her c00l-hyJdyd officers and meu
were at work The engines responded
beautifully and she was quickly back
od m The quick settling or her PROV
showed that damage had resulted. A
hastv examination followed hy clos
er one, showed that her inner compare
meats werC but slightly, " 3t o' dam-
aged. and that the bulk of The Injury
mad been done TO the outer ylmulrt-
ments. directly under thH engine fire
rooms AZ first many on board feared
that the splendid ship would sink. bus
this fear was soon d.sppllgd. tn" city
leo boat and tho tugs lent q hand pass
cd l'aps 60 the vessel and tUwed her 90
Marcus Hook. where s1e was made fast
lo hn lee breaker
Here she lay tl-day, when an Asso-
clatcd Press reporter boarded her. Her
bow had settled over foot In the river,
bu, otherwise nothing seemed out OF
the ordinary order Of things, on board.
however. general feeling OF gloom
pcryldcd the officers and men aud all
though none could be prevailed upon
talk about the matter Il was evident
thnt trcy felt deeply the accident 90
thcir ship. Clptoin Cggk was seen, hu,
politely and firmly declined 20 discuss
thr situation He cuut"ntci himself
hy saying that he had notified the navy
department anl had asked for the ape
pbmmunt of n court NJ inquiry in
was uulhl" t1 say when the rns1 ]
would ,Jr able 60 leave her present ID-
rhururc, but 90 Is evident from O..
heavy lee In the river mat this cannot
be done uutIl % general th2w has snt
An and the river is pr1ct.'Bll#
free from lee This depends entirely up
nm LHn LN.llnnr. Snnnll N ruM.LMu.