Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-08


steamer Thomas Wilson. Captain Cameron,
master, was cut almost in two by the
steamer George Hadley, Captain Fitzgerald,
master, a half mile south Of Duluth canal
today and nine men went down. They
were mostly men OF the night crew who
had not time to get out OF their hunks be-
fore the vessel sank.
Names of the Lost.
AARON TRIPS, cook.
- FRANK, second cook, Superior.
JAMES M'DOUGALL, oiler, West Supe-
rior.
JAMES NJ. FRAZER. oller, Manitouan
island.
JOSEPH MGRAw, wheelman. sault ste
Marie Mich.
JOHN CAMPBELL, lookout, Greenleaf.
Mich
JOHN CAREY, deck hand, st. GATHERINGS,
Ont.
THOMAS JONES, deck hand.
WILLIAM RoEBUCK, fireman. Port
Hampton.
Wilson was coming toward the canal and
Hadley going out, both loaded. Just before
reaching the canal and when about oppo-
site Wilson, Hadley was given orders by a
tug to go to Superior. Immediately 1t
sheered off for the Superior entry and
CidSuSu ulIeClly NllSOu.
steamer Quickly Sinks.
Wilson went down so quickly that 1t
did not seem possible to save life. One
moment the two boats were plowing
through the water 200 yards apart; the
next the members of the crew could be seen
throwing off their clothing and jumping
into the water. One man on Wilson,
with great presence of mind threw life pre-
servers to several struggling in the water.
The crew of Hadley also threw preservers
to those in the water
Immediately after the collision Wilson
pitched forward and went down. As
it plunged the crew still on board rushed
to the stern, jumping overheard as fast as
they could free themselves from their
clothing. Wilson did not live a minute
after the collision. During the short time
1t was on top OF the water II seemed to be
supported entirely by Hadley's prov,
which was sticking in through its plates.
The plunge of Wilson released Had
ley and the latter swung back with a tre-
mendous jerk. AS the whaleback went be-
meath the water 1t spouted like a submarine
explosion.
Two men that jumped last were appar-
emily clinging to the hull when 1t went
down. They were struggling there just be-
lure Tue pluuBe anu not Dc seen att
erward. They were probably drawn under.
Steering Apparatus Fails to Work.
Hadley's steering apparatus seemed to be
out of order after the collision and It
swung round a circle several times and
seemed utterly helpless. However, its
crew did good work. In a few minutes It
was evident Hadley was going down and
the crew could be seen lowering boats.
Some OF them got into boats, but when
Hadley sunk to within a foot OF its deck
1t seemed to stop and the men clambered
back aboard. The race Of the life saving
crew and the tugs for the wreck was thrill
ing. Hadley would not have made the
shore had II not been for the tugs, and
that probably means that so many more
lives were saved. The life saving crew did
quick and reliable service. picking up the
men. Hadley had hard run for
shore and did not win the race by any great
margin, for a moment after its bow went
on the bottom Just south Of the canal pier
it's stern began to settle and finally went
down. AS the stern settled to the bottom
the bow lifted little and the water en-
gulfed the vessel from amidships to stern.
Fully half of the way in from the scene of
the accident to the point OF landing. half
the boat was covered with water, and the
members OF the crew that were compelled
to stay with it, took the upper works.
Wilson is in eighty feet OF water and only
a few feet of its spars can be seen. Will
son was loaded with ore and belongs to
the Pittsburg Steamship line. Hadley car
| ried coal.