The Dickinson press., 1902-06-14
NINE MEN DROWNED
WHALEBAcK STEAMER THOMAS
WILSON CUT IN TWO IN A
COLLISION.

tACCIQcNI OCCUTS JUST OuISIQC InS W
Iuth Harbor and the Wrecked Yes
sci Sinks neutrality-suspicious.
Were Mainly Members Of the Nigh.
Shift and Were in Their Bunks at
the Time of the Collision.
Duluth, June 9.-The whaleback
steamer Thomas Wilson, Captain Cam
eron master, was cut almost in two by
the steamer George G. Hadley, Cap.
tain Fitzgerald master, half mile
south of the Duluth canal and nine
men went down. They were mostly
men of the night crew who had not
time to get out of their hunks before
the vessel went to the bottom. The
names of the men lost are:
AARON TRIP, cook.
:. - FRANK, second cook, Superior.
JAMES M'DOUGALL, oiler, West
Superior.
JAMES M. FRAZER. oiler, Manitou.
ian Island.
JOSEPH MGRAW, wheelsman,
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
JOHN CAMPBELL, lookout, Green
leaf, Mich.
JOHN CAREY, deckhand, St. Cath
crimes, Ont.
THOMAS JONES, deckhand.r
WILLIAM ROEBUCK, fireman, Port
Hampton. .
The Wilson was coming toward the
canal and the Hadley going out, both
loaded. Just before reaching the ca
nal and when about opposite tle Will
son the Hadley was given orders by a
tug to go to Superior. Immediately
she sheared off for the Superior entry
and crashed directly into the Wilson.
The Wilson went down so quickly
that it did not seem possible to save a
life. One moment the two boats were
plowing through the water 200 yards
apart, the next the crew OF the Wilson
could be seen throwing Off their cloth.
ing and jumping into the water. One
man on the Wilson seemed to have
more presence OF mind than all the rest
He threw life preservers to those that
jumped in the cold water without
thinking and he certainly saved some
Lives. The crew of the Hadley also
threw preservers to the men strug-
Cling in the water. Immediately after
the collision the Wilson
Pitched Forward and Went Down.
AS she plunged the crew that was still
undressing rushed to the stern, jump
ing overheard as fast as they could
free themselves from their clothing.
The Wilson did not live a minute
after the collision. During the short
time she was on top of the water she
seemed to be supported entirely by the
Hadley's prov, which was sticking in
through her plates.
The plunge of the Wilson released
the Hadley and the latter boat swung
back with a tremendous jerk. AS the
whaleback went beneath the water
she spouted like submarine explosion
from the compression of air in her.
Two men that jumped last were ap-
parently close to the hull when it went
down. They were struggling there
just before the plunge and could not
be seen afterward. They were prob
ably sucked down with the hull.
The Hadley's steering apparatus
seemed to be paralyzed after the col
eral times and seemed utterly helpless.
However, her crew did good work in
throwing preservers to the unfortunate
seamen in the water. In a few mo.
ments it was apparent that the Had
ley was going down and the crew on
it could be seen stripping themselves
and lowering boats. Some of them got
into the boats, but when the Hadley
sunk to within foot of her deck, she
seemed to cease sinking for few mo.
ments and the men clambered back on
the boat. The race of the lifesaving
crew and the tugs for the wreck was
thrilling. The Hadley would not have
made the shore had it not been for the
tugs, and that probably means that
many more lives were saved. The
Evesaving crew did quick and reliable
service picking up the men in the wa
ter. The Hadley had a hard run for
shore and did not win the race by any
too great margin, for moment after
her bow went on the bottom just south
of the ship canal pier her stern began
to settle and finally went down. AS
the stern settled down to the bottom
the bow lifted little and the water
engulfed the vessel from amidships to
stern. Fully half of the way in from
the scene of the accident to the point
of beaching the decks of the Hadley
were covered with water and the
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