New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-11
STEAMER FLETCHER SUNK.
TRIES TO CROSS THE CAMPANIAs BOWS.
AND IS RUN DOWN

The little paddle wheel steamboat William
rletcher. whose occupation is TO carry immigrants
from the steamboat piers to the Barge ONCE re-
ceived terrible rebuke early yesterday morning
when she attempted to cross the bows OF the big
Cunard liner Campania which was steaming up
the North River to her pier and as a result OF her
temerity she was inside of hour lying sub
merged on the Jersey shore. with only few feet
OF her smokestack showing above water. The
Campania had just come into port and was moving
slowly toward her new pier. and was opposite Pier
NO ~ when the accident happened. Her passen-
gers were on deck. and the bridge c.
Scheubuer. the pilot who had brought her up the
pay. The Fletcher was lowering near by the
port side OF the Campania waiting for the immi-
grants. and the passengers the Campania were
iesning against the guardrails and watching her
with Idle interest. All OF a sudden without a note
OF warning, the Fletcher ported her helm and start
ed to cross the Campania's bows. There cry
from the bridge OF the Campana. and the latter's
engines were at once reversed but the smaller boat
Kept on her way. evidently foreseeing trouble In
clearing the bows OF the big liner She had slipped
past Tor three-Quarters OF her length when the
miscaculation proved. and the Csmpania's
iron bow struck the starboard side OF the Fletcher
ike the ram OF man-of-war The little boat heeed
over so that she almost capsized. and meanwhile
the liners bow cut slowly and surely for many
feet Into the stern OF the Fletcher tearing away
the woodwork and smashing everything In Its
path az though 1t cutting through tissue
paper.
Then the Campania came 10 a stop and the little
boat righted Itself. with great hole in Its side and
almost ready 10 founder. Both the Fletcher and
the Campania blew their whistles for assistance
and In few minutes there a swarm OF tugs
about the injured vessel. They took her in hand
and began a for life to the Hoboken shore
The crew of the Fletcher clambered aboard the
tugs. none having been injured. and the steamboat
was rushed 10 the shore. arriving there just in time
to sink gracefully TO the bottom while her captain
and officers, who had stuck their ship scrambled
of on the tugs. The Campania had a little paint
scratched off her bow by the encounter but re-
ceived other injury She proceeded 10 her pier as
soon as her victim had been hustled out of the
way. and the immigrants who thronged her bow
OF landing. as their stod faces betrayed no sign Of
emotion either during or after the one-sided COL
lision.
The Fletcher is an od-tme steamboat. and has
been used In this harbor for many years as pas
senger boat, excursion boat and mailboat. She was
built at Keyport. y. j. in 1864 and Ia at present
chartered by the John E. Moore Company and used
tugs began the work Of raising her yesterday after
noon. and IT is thought that this will not be DIM
cult task. The Campanas officers would not talk
about the affair yesterday. but the passengers on
the liner say that blame whatever attaches to
any one on the Campana. The pilot says that the
Fletcher simply ran great risk and got the worse
OF It, II is said that the Fletcher expected the
Houston-st instead OF the one, at Horatio-st..
and that she would have foreseen the result OF her
move and avoided II. II she had known that the
liner intended to keep the river.