Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-18
Struck by a Cyclone and Sent
to Bottom of the Chowan
River, Virginia
SEVENTEEN PEOPLE DROWNED
Others Who Were Rescued by the
Steamer Petit, Are in seriousscon-
dition and Members of Life Boat,
Which Left the Vessel, May Have
Pershed in the Storm.

| Norfolk, Va. Fab. lS.-A cyclone
struck the passenger steamer Olive,
which plies between Franklin, Va. and
Edenton, n. c., at $3.50 o'clock Monday
night and sent her to the bottom of the
Chowan river. off Woodley's pier, be-
tween Mount Pleasant and divers
wharf.
Seventeen people are known to have
rescued are in a serious condition.
The whirlwind when it struck the
Olive caused her to go over on her
beam end and when she righted it was
only to sink on account Of the water
she had taken. \ majority of the pas
sengers and crew ware below at the
time and had no opportunity to reach
the pilot house of the vessel.
This point was the only portion left
above water and in it from the time
of the accident until 6 o'clock in the
morning Captain G5orge III. Witty and
five others stood waist deep in water.
No complete list of the dead has been
obtained, but it is known that the fol-
lowing persisted:
Jacob Lssiter white, Rich Square,
North Carolina.
Mrs. BennJett and 12-year-old daugh
ter. Franklin, Va.
Mrs. Vaughan, Franklin, Va
Frank Hunter.
George Butte.
w. II. Edwards.
Andrew Vaughan
Abroham Cooper, John Preston
Scott, Enther Williams and John
Cooper, all colored, members of the
crew.
others being unknown.
At o'clock Tuesday morning the
river steamer Petit hove in sight and
rescued the almost frozen survivors.
The Olive was a small single screw
steamer owned by j. a. Pretlow, of
Franklin, Va, and has been plying be-
tween North Carolina aud Virginia for
several years.
According to the statement of Cap
tain Witty to the Associated Press
here last night there are
seventeen known to have been lost on
the sinking steamer ara a lfeboat
loaded with Engineer c. l.. Conway.
Assistant Engineer j. p. Murphy,
Purser j. n. Bell. one white and two
tolored passengers, unknown. and two
,olored deck hands, who left the stsam-
az in hopes of reaching the vessel whose
lights could be seen in The distance, is
,et unheard from. If these have been |
drowned the death list will reach |
twenty-five ~
Captain Witty reached Norfolk last |
evening. To the Associated Press cor
he made the following |
statements:
AT 8 o'clock last night we passed |
Iollies wharf and headed for Edenton
,ay The weather became so heavy /
hat would not risk that open water /
md put thu boat about to return up the
liver for safety 1t was just about 2
clock when everything became inky
lack and a terrible roaring broke out
# the night. was alone in the pilot
ouse and most of those below had
urned in. In second something
truck the boat on her port beam and 1
urned her over on her starboard side
thought she would never recover her !
elf and monster wave dashed over II
S. 1t flooded the hold and smashed
around us. With rush of
rater into her hold the Olive slowly +.
lighted and in less than two minutes
fter having been struck she was rest
lg on the bottom with only the pilot i
ouse above the river. Two lifeboats !
rere swept away and one was left Into $
MS the engineer, assistant engineer,
urser and one white and two colored +
assengers climbed and put eff in the Ii
ope of catching up with "a tow boat ,
nat could be seen ahlsad of us never
NV them after they left our side. Their
Ding left the stewardess and one white s
nd two colcred passengers on. board Iii
18th me. WE stood in water waist deep lii
nth O'Clock in the morning, when a i
orfolk & Southern steamer hove in ii
ght, took us off and landed us at o
denton. The boat sank SO quickly "
ter being struck that zone below had |il
chance to reach the deck and they s.
ust have been drowned in their a
erths.' II
II