Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-03
A 7UGBOAT'S PERIL
Tick|ish Times While Plant
ing,Mines in the Bay.
FEAR OF BEING BLOWN UP
Captain i:Gller on His Muscle. Schoon' $
Narrow Escape. Charged Win
Mni.stinS Pounds.
other Items.

The big steam tug Powhatan owned
by the Messrs. Darling. or this city
and used as an oyster drcdge. met
With an experience last week which
will not soon be forgotten by he:
crew. The Powhatan is not only one
Of the staunchest boats plying the wa
tiers of the bay. but is noted for the
promptness With which she obeys the
slightest movement Of her rudder. In
short she is a remarkably smart
craft, as that term is understood
among experienced sailormen.
When the work OF mining the har.
Dor at Old Point was commenced the
authorities realized that they needed
just such q vessel as Mr.. Darling's
strong and sprishtly Powhatnn. -\c-
cordingly 4 proposition was made to
the owners of the tug and she was 81
lowed to so into the service of tins
country to assist in the dangerous
work of planting gun cotton and other
high explosives in the bay. X young
lieutenant from the garrison was de-
tailed TO so aboard the boat and SUI
perintcnd operations. All went We'll
until Saturday, when all hands We're
given a first-cass scare.
According to the story told by one
of the men on board the tug VAS
steaming along toward point in the
Roads at which a number of torpe-
does, which We're hunning along be
Great care had been exercised To prc-
vent them from striking anything and
the officer in charge and the crew
We're ready to congra tu(ate themselves
upon the successful termination OF
their peri1ouS work, when someone
nervously announced that the line by
which the torpedoes were being lowed
had became entangled in the propeller
and the deadly cisarShaped bombs
We're in danger of being bumped
against the boat and exploded. The
machinery was instantly stopped and
the lieutenant proceeded to relieve tht.
Powhatan and her crew from the peril
in which the accident placed them.
Nor was any time lost. for indeed
| there was not a moment to spare. But
when the officer undertook to remove
the line from the propeller he found
that the task was 4 much more diff
cult one than he had anticipated In
spite Of his most careful efforts to un.
do the provoking tansle without per
hitting the turpcdocs from coming in
contact With the hull of the tug.
which he knew meant disaster, they
seemed determined to plunge their
sharp points into the Powhatan's hard
oak. 1t was at this point that the sit.
uation is said to have become cxtrrmc-.
| ~ alarming. All bands We're ut tilrir
wits end and, it is alleged. some OF tho,
men announced their intention Of
jumping overheard ana taking cTiancca
of swimming ashore r:,thcr than re.
| main on the vessel and face th. dan.
ger OF being blown into eternity by
the torpedoe route. II is aN.led that
| the lieutenant declared that all hands
| We're en- route to q Community n thou
sand times hotter than Dead Mans
| valley. and In order to escape 4 visit
| to that section informed his associates
| that the only wise thing to do was to
leave the boat. 1t is probable, how
| ever. that the officer said nothing OF
| the Kind. At any rate it is unlikely
| that he advised forsak!ng the Tug.
But however that may lie the CREW
| ground their teeth and stuck To the
Powhatan. They didn't relish the idea
Of being blown up. but they resolved
not to show the white feather Final
| ly the torpedoes We're disconnected aud
| the boat was towed to the dock of the
Old Dominion Steamship Company
at the foot OF Ring street. where the
| line was removed from her propeller
| But the Powhatan is no longer in the
| service of the government.