Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-09-22
THE REBECCA WRECKED
BY Running Into the New
Breakwater Yesterday.
NO LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE
ROBERT H. BROCK, HIS TWO
GUESTS AND GREW SAWED
YACHT A TOTAL LOss-WHAT
COLONEL RAYMOND SAYS.

by Robert G. II. Brock, of philadelphia
lies submerged at the new Delaware
Breakwater. Yesterday morning. short
ly before 4 o'clock, she struck upon the
new structure while endeavoring 10
reach the shelter of the old Break
water. Her owner says there were no
lights to show the location OF the dan
ger. The yacht is total loss, a large
section Of her port side having been
ground off against the rocks. Mr..
Brock, his two guests and the crew
were saved.
Mr.. Brock, together with ]. p. Sinkler
and Henry Winsor, went to Philadel-
phia last night on the 7SS srain over
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal
timore railroad. AL three were dressed
In sorry-,ooking yachting costumes.
Friends of Mr.. Brock who greeted him
at the Broad street station remarked
on his appearance. YES" said he.
glancing down at his costume, These
have been under water this nzorning." "
And, indeed, the shipwrecked party
was fortunate TO come off with no
lives lost. Two minutes after the
yacht struck she sank, and as she did
so the last of her crew of eight men
jumped to the rocks OF the Break
water.
The Rebecca was purchased last
Spring by Mr.. Brock from Edward
Dudley. of New York, formerly Of
Camden. She was a centred board boat.
but was changed over, a Keel being
put on her. She was 81 feet 3 inches
over all and 20 6eet 3 inches water line.
She drew feet inches. She was a
speedy boat and handsome, and consid-
cred an interesting addition to the
feet of Philadelphia yachts. Size was
on her first cruise since she changed
ownership. Mr.. Brooks family had
been at Bar HarTbor for the Summer,
and the yacht had been there, Ilaking
occasional cruises along the Maine
coast. Mrs. Brock went from Bar
Harbor to the White Mountains. and
Mr.. Brock and his guests started for
Philadelphia.
CABLE OF THE YACHT SNAPPED
There was little of unusual incident
to the trip until Tuesday night. Then.
however, there was plenty o. excite
ment to fill in for the whole trip. At
IL o'clock it began to blow, and the
yacht was anchored, 80 fathoms OF
cable being paid out. The sea was
running very high, and in the midst
Of the blow, between and o'clock,
the anchor cable snapped. Mr.. Brock
had the alternative of putting out TO
sea or running behind the breakwater
for safety, and decided upon the lat
ter course. He did not, however, know
that the work on the new breakwater
had been begun, and made an effort
to run behind the old oIe. He could
see the lights on the old Delaware
breakwater, and, in going there, he
saw ahead what he supposed to be a
vessel without a light. He says that
there were no lights to show that II
was really the new work of construc-
'tion. The yacht struck on what was
thought to be submerged pile Of
rocks, and then drifted upon section
OF the breakwater. Mr.. Brock and Mr.
SinIkler were on the deck at the time
of the collision, but MIR. Winsor was
below. There was barely time to no
tify him of the danger for
him to catch up some clothes,
and for all to jump to the rocks when
the yacht sank. The small boats were
dashed against the rocks, and were in
stantly reduced to kindling wood. It
was shortly before 4 o'clock when the
yacht sank. and the party had a cold,
wet wait on the rocks. At Z o'clock
they were seen, and the tugs Vidette
and Hughes went to their relief.
Lieutenant4Colonel c. w. Raymond,
who has charge of the engineering de-
partment of the port, said last night:
''Thare was one light on the upper end
Of the Breakwater, and it should have
been lighted. The contractors are
bound to maintain that light. I have
not as yet received definite informa-
ton as to whether it was burning.
There is no responsibility so far as
the contractors are concerned, II the
light was burning. If it was not It is
another matter.
"There was no light on the lower
end. I had a stake placed at that
point, intending to have a light there,
but when the matter was put before
the Lighthouse Board 1t was decided
that, as there were number OF lights
near the plaoe. one at the lower end
would only tend to confuse. SO 1t was
decided by the board not to place the
second light. The pilots have petit
toned for a light on the lswer end.
and that petition is now before the
Lighthouse Board for consideration.
ILL., - -. -. q.