Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-23
A CLASH IN THE BAY
Chesapeake Bay Line Steamer and
Schooner CoIdes.
Ihe baltimore and tho General 9. E.
merwin Come Together, but the
Schooner wns tho Moro scrIou,l1
Damaged

The Baltimore Sun of yesterday saws:
Two vessels arrived in port yesterday
showing the marks of collision. They
were the Chesapeake Bay Line steamer
baltimore. Captain Bennett. from Nor
ioik with passengers and freight, and
the three-mastcd schooner General S.
Il. Merwin, of New Haven. Conn, COM
monded by Captain L. II. Smeed.
About 3;15 o'clock yesterday morning.
when the vessels were between Cove
roiht ana Sharp's Island. they came to-
sether with crash. The schooner
claims to have been sailing down with
tair wind and did not alter her course
and that all lights were burning bright
~. She mad fore and mainsails and
three headsailS set and the spankcr
slowed, and with the favorable wind
was making great speed. She left Bal
tlmore about o'clock the evening be-
1ore' bound TO Boston With LESS tons
of coal.
AS soon as the Baltimore. which was
IN charge of Mate Short, could free
herself from the wreckage of the sail
ing vessel she made a turn around the
Merwin, and placing her searchlight
upon her saw what the damage was.
captain Bennett asked Captain Smeed
IL he was leaking, which was found to
be the case, and then offered to tow
the schooner back TO port. The Balti-
more brought the Merwin as far as
Sandy Point. where she was given up
TO the tug Maude H., which brought her
to port. reaching here about O'Clock
p. IN. The steamer was delayed three
hours. arriving at 10 o'clock in the
morning.
BUT LITTLE DISORDER.
There was but little disorder on the
Baltimore among the sixty-three pas
sengers she had on board. although
many for while were much scared.
Their fear was soon allayed by Captain
Bennett and his staff. The cook of the
Merwin packed his clothes ready for
sudden desertIon If the schooner show
ed signs of sinking.
The Baltmore's stem was broken
down to the main deck. On the star
board side the bowsprt OF the Mcrvin
made sweep for about forty feet abaft
of the pilot house along the top OF the
saloon deck, carrying away the rail and
damaging the combing OF the saloon
deckhouse. The vessel did not leak a
force of men from Woodall's shipyard
were placed mt work making temporary
repairs to the Baltimore. which were
completed in time for the steamer TO
sail last night.
THE WERWIN'S DAMAGE.
The Merwin was less fortunate than
the Baltimore. Her damages are con-
siderable. She received the force of
Baltimore's stem on her starboard bow
about the cathcad. The whole of the
topgallant forecastle deck was turned
up. rail smashed and planking opened
to the inside. The jibboom guys, back
ropes. starboard forcrigging and
knghthead stays were carried away
The vessel also began to leak. but
could be kept under control by the
pumps. The steampipe OF the donkey
boiler was bursted and the brick floor
In the engine room was torn up. Pieces
of timber flew as far aft as the main
hatch.
Captain Smeed had the deck at the
time of the collision.
y most remarkable feature of the
collision was the position of the
schooners starboard anchor after the
baltimore had Withdrawn from the
Mervin. 1t Is wooden stock anchor
Weighing about $500 pounds The
wrought-iron ring, which held it to the
cable was broken In two nieces and
firmly driven into the wooden side of
the schooner. When all was cleared IN
and the condition of the schooner was
found to be safe, the immense anchor
was discovered hanging over the rail of
the sailing vessel by one of the nukes
and midway between the fore and main
rigging. In It's passage to that point
which was made as the steamer wore
around. 1t carried away the forcrigging
and was released from it's cantor by
striking Il heavy wooden hawser bit.
which IT split in half before becoming
released. The mate of the Mcrwin made
it fast with a fish-tacitle, and the man.
moth mudhook was secured in that
position when the vessel arrived.
The Gen. S. T. MerNvin belongs TO ].
Dowen. of New Haven. Conn. and was
built at West Haven in 1854 by Henry
Sutton. She registers $50 tons
The steamer Baltimore is wooden
hull vessel built by w. e Woodall &
Co. in 1885 for the Baltimore. Chesa-
pcake and Richmond Steamboat Com
pany. She registers lob tons.
MARINE GRAPHITES.
Woodall has the Chesapeake Bay Line
steamer Charlotte in dry dock. I'm Bal
timore. to complete a thorough over
hauling of the vessel begun several
weeks ago.
The British steamer Brator. which
was ashore near Cape Henry while
bound to Baltimore with iron ore from
Daiquiri, will be locked at the Column
bian Iron Works. Baltimore. for a sur
vey. The vessel has discharged her
cargo at Sparrow's Point.
The schooner Hattie II. Barbour
tdptdlH i-IShlnt, WniCn sailed from
Baltimore about 6 o'clock Monday
morning for Norfolk, arrived al this
port the same evening. Four hours
after she sailed she was seen below
Sandy Point. going at the rate Of about
twelve miles an hour under canvas
The Old Bay Line steamer Alabama
was put in dock at Baltimore Tuesday
for examination of hull and painting
The twin-screw steamer Tennessee
sailed in her place for Norfolk that