The Indianapolis journal., 1897-02-01
LATEST PRIDE OF THE NAVY
BOTTOM STOVE IN, AND PUMPS
ALONE KEEP HER FROM SINKING.
Accident Again Calls Attention tn the
Mretched United States Navy
Yard Accom- Odations.


to-day lies almost utterly helpless because
of narrow ledge of sunken rock in the
Delaware river, above Marcus Hook, Pa,
on which she struck heavily yesterday aft
ernoon. Her lower double compartments
forward were completely stove in, and it
was only by the merest good fortune that
the big vessel did not sink. This would
doubtedly have been the result had not her
inner compartments successfully withstood
the shock. As 1t was, she was pulled clear
off the rocks and is now tied to the big
stone ice breakers at Marcus Hook, pro-
| tected from the heavy ice gorges, in mid
| river. The big vessel is seriously damaged
| and it is impossible to say when she will
be able TO go into active service. At pres
| ent she in no danger of further damage,
being fully protected in the safe anchorage
afforded by the ice breakers. How the
| cident occurred can only be established by
| court OF inquiry, and this Captein Cook,
of the Brooklyn, has already asked for.
The exact place where the vessel struck
| was OH Schooner Ledge Rock. between
| Chester and Marcus Hook at about 1:i5
o'clock. What makes the accident even
more deplorable is the fact that this was
| the first time the ship has been handled
by the present officers and crew since go
| December. Since then she had been lying
] at League Island navy yard, and certain
small repairs had delayed her sailing. By
| the early part of the present month, how
ever. all arrangements had been completed
for her going TO sea, when the cold snap
! set in and was followed by the piling up of
| ice in the river, and particularly at the
! bend in the river, Immediately below the
navy yard, known as the Horseshoe. The
/ city iceboat managed TO keep the channel
| clear of ice, but on the sides it piled UP
| from two to six feet. The Brooklyn lying
| at League island with her PROV facing
| seaward, was hemmed in tight and fast by
| the freezing weather, and il was deemed
| advisable to postpone sailing until n clearer
| sea. This did not come, the cold weather
! continued and the ice began piling until
| il was believed that the position of the big
| boat was perilous The ice was sIlrgiug
around and about her and her officers felt
! that she must be moved or the heavy foes
would force her ashore. IT, as has been
| frequently asked for, the government had
| built wharves sufficiently long enough to
| protect such vessel, there would have
been no necessity for moving the vessel
1t was evident, however, by the tugging
| at her anchor chains that a safer berth
should be given her, and so it was decided
TO take her to Cramps yesterday, where
one had been provided for her.
PREPARING TO MOVE
One of the iceboats brought into req
uisition and broke the ice around the ship
while four big tugs stood by ready to lend
hand TO tow her to her destination. At
the last moment it was seen that to go
through the ice in the Horseshoe was
! fraught with great difficulty and perhaps
danger. Then it was that Captain Cook
| asked the pilots. Captains Walls and Ben
nett, two of the most careful and exper-
| fenced men on the river, if the ship could
| be taken down the river. They replied i'm
| the affirmative and said that safe anchor
| age could be obtained at Marcus Hook. The
Brooklyn, under her own steam, got under
way and kept straight on down the river
! the iceboat breaking a way for her and two
of the tugs following in her wake. Both pi-
! lots were the cruiser. and she made her
way easily enough through the masses of
| floating ice, and following the ranges
| closely
She had reached opposite and close to
! the Schooner ledge when the pilots sent
her slightly starboard, where they consid-
cred it better water. Almost instantly the
vessel struck the rocks with a jar that
] q
ment all was confusion. but for a moment
only; the next her cool-headed officers and
men were at work The engines responded
| beautifully and she was quickly backed off.
! The quick settling of her prov showed that
damage had resulted. A hasty eXamna-
tion followed by a closer one, showed that
her inner compartments were but slightly
| ii at all damaged, and that the bulk OF the
! injury had been done to the outer compart-
ments, directly under the engine and fire
rooms. At first many on board feared that
the splendid ship would sink. but this fear
was soon dispelled. The city iceboat and
| the tugs lent n hand, passed lines to the
vessel and towed her TO Marcus Hook
where she was made fast to the ice break
er. Here she lay to-day when reporters
boarded her. Her bow had settled over
foot in the river. but otherwise nothing
seemed out of the ordinary order of things.
| On board. however, "a general feeling of
/ gloom pervaded the officers and men, and
although none could be prevailed on TO talk
| about the matter, it was evident that they
felt deeply the accident 10 their ship Capt
Cook was seen but politely and firmly de-
clined to discuss the situation. He con-
| tented himself by saying that he had noti-
| fed the Navy Department and had asked
for the appointment of a court of inquiry.
! He was unable to say when the vessel
would be able TO leave her present anchor
| age. but ii is evident from the heavy ice
| in the river that this cannot be done until
| a general thaw has set in and the river is
| practically free from ice. This depends en-
/ tirey on the weather. Should il continue
cold it will not be until the latter part OF
| the month the early part Of March that
she be brought up with safety and
/ only then, when she is docked can the
! extent of the damages become known.
GOVERNMENT AT FAULT
The accident In the opinion of those who
claim TO know, shows the Importance of
| the government taking some action to
bring the navy yard up to the standard of
| excellence il deserves.
If this had been done in the particular
of better docking facilities the Brooklyn
would not have been compelled 10 leave the
yard at all. And il is also suggested that
it would not be at all amiss IL some steps
were taken to afford a wider and deeper