Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-07
PERISHED IN THE BAY
TWO RICHMOND MEN DROWNED ny
THE SINKING or THE WILSON.
OTHERS FROM HERE WERE ON BOARD
ssd rate of James u. Chiidress and
charles {. Ihnpeli, Of Fuiton-Thc
Ting Owned by Mnrwick-Park
transportation Company.

/ k.a.e. ol tNc suihiiS OF the tug JOD 4.
wilson. o0 Fort Carroll. Md. one was
rm,s II. Chldrcss. the chief engineer.
/ vi5 resided at No. 5s7 State street. Ful-
,,r and the other was Charles c. Chap
,.n whose home is on Fourth street. Ful-
~ and who was a son Of Captain Sam
... Chappcl. commandant Of the tug
The cause OF the catastrophe was a col
r..a with the Howard. a big steamship
q, tae Merchants and Miners Transpor-
,.on Company. running between Boston
,- Norfolk The accident caused much
concern in this city. especially in the East
Tl yesterday. The collision appears TO
i..e been due 20 misunderstanding of
ssaa.s.
special received by the Dispatch last
reh. from its Baltimore correspondent
. ,he following TO say Of the accident:
"Ife Wilson now lies In thirty feet OF
v.- and is q dangerous obstruction 10
iar.-at0n. Tho iI-fated tug with the
fl Annie. also OF Richmond. has been
,l-soi for some weeks past acting as
rr..r to the floating dredges Of the Nir-
g Wrccking Company. which firm has
OIL. Initci States contract for deepening
g., S.yen-Foot knoll where the Patapsco
ft.r enters the bay
SOW THE COLLISION OCCURRED.
"Iast night the tugs came 10 the city
fr supplies At 4 o'clock this morning
r.f started 10 return 10 the dredges.
fHa Wilson took the lead. the Annie fol-
loving her closely. II was very dark.
grl the river was quite rough outside Of
Che h1rbor and the vessels We're rolled
sal pitched roughly. Captain ~Chappell
vas OH the forward deck and Mate L. H.
Walker 40 the wheel Engineer Childress
WAS on duty In the engine-room, while
young ChapDell was preparing a cup of
coffee for his father Fort Carroll is
lt.lt seven miles from the city. and
sands directly i'm the centre OF the
Stream. Below the fortihcatlon the red
slea-ht. headlight and west headlight Of
na Howard were sighted. As the vessels
drew nearer TO each other. Mate Walker
Blew one whistle indicating that he
vo-id pass the incoming steamer on the
rent or starboard side He claims that
GID whistle was answered by the steam
s.u 90 signify that his signal was un-
Carstood. With both vessels showing their
I.- or port lights. they bore down upon
tch other Suddenly they crashed to-
Gthcr
TUG CUT NEARLY IN TWO.
"The big steamships sharp iron bow cut
tte tug nearly I'm two. and she filled and
tstantly began 10 sink The members of
t.r crew were soon struggling I'm the
cafk waters. and would have drowned
DAB not the Annie FASTENED 90 their as
sstance and picked them up The How |
.ri was stopped as soon as possible. and |
O. boat was lowered. 10 was unable TO !
rnder amy assistance. and returned TO |
re ship which proceeded 10 port
Mate Walker. of the sunllcn tug
claims that the Howard suddenly changed !
a. course which caused the collision. |
H says he blew four whistles, or the |
Danger signal. when he saw both her red |
ara green lights. and the next instant she |
Uashed into the tug. The collision Oc- |
cured al $50 o'clock"
THOSE WHO WERE RESCUED.
"Th0se rescued from the sinking tug |
were picked up by the tug Annie. who |
vas following close behind the Wilson |
She was in command of Captain James |
Dawes Those saved were Captain S. j. /
Crappel, Of Richmond; IT, II. Walker |
plot and mate. of Norfolk: Marshall |
E.rsey. assistant engineer Of Norfolk;
lawrence Smith. fireman Richmond; |
Back r. Tindan. Wilmington, n. c..
.s hand. and Captain John G.. Trent, Of
Richmond. superintendent Of the Virginia
Dredging Company. Captain Trent was
ir The cabin asleep when the collision Oc-
ured. and his experience I'm the icy
waters was a terrible one. The Wilson
il in tow a barge with water and
tr.rty-seven tons Of coal and an empty
F0v The Howard cut through the barge
and t sank the tug beginning 10 settle
Immediately after. When the vessel
struck the tug Pilot Walker was thrown
o. tha floor of the pilot-house and had to
break tie glass out OF the windows in or
tsr 70 escape.
Captain II ent. was awakened by the
shock ard with Smith. clad only in their
sight clothes. rushed out on deck. Trent
Immediately saw the danger and
jumped into a small boat while Smith
dung to- a floating log. Kersey cluns to
a bow Tn the bitter, cold morning air,
vfh the water rushing over them, these
i.l were exposed for nearly fifteen min
mes before help came. Smith was
thrown q rope, which was made fast 10
r. Annie and he clambcrcd aboard,
band over hand. The rope was about 10
detached when Captain Trent was
missed and with Tindall. he was pulled
aboard almost exhausted After these
DAB been rescued search was made for
ne drowned men, but their bodies could
rut he found Captain Chappen tele-
eunheI Colonel G. p. +. Burgwyn,
.r.utendent of the Warwick-ParS |
Trans portation Company. which owns the
rs Tor Instructions as 10 raising It,, and |
replied that ne would arrive here to-
r.rrow.
Nate Walker who was al the wheel
o. tte lost tug claims that he was right !
aal not TO- blame for the collision. The
Merchants and Miners Line officials.
while regretting the collision. say that
t.y VIII make no statements until after
o. .uvcs lgation."
HichmOndcrs on the Tug.
Those on the tug Wilson from Ricn-
ronl were. Captain Samuel j. Chappell !
ommandant of the boat and his son
CHARLES g. Chappen the cook; Captain
John g. Trent. superintendent Of the Vir-
.na Dredging Company; James +. Chill
Dress engineer Of the tug, who resided az
40. l31 State street and who leaves
wife and four children; Lawrence w.
Smith. Of No. 7S9 state street, who has a
"i0 and one child.
The drowned men were well and !
'atordbiy known in Fulton. Mr. Chill
o'as was abo.t 50 years Of age, while Z
Af Dnappel. the cook. who also perished,
"lt not over l9 years Of age. :
TOO families o. both men were In great
Uttess last night. but had not received ,
any definite Information regarding the I
e'eacnt The bodies OF both Of the de- !
ceased VIII be brought TO Richmond for
N'eiment as soon as they can be re-
covered.