New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-17
ROOSEVELT IN PERIL.
THE SYLPH STORM TOSSED
President and Party Hare an Ercit-
ing Sail on the Sound.

.sse- an eventful voyage down the Sound
g., oyster Bay. in which his vessel the naval
...,s. sylph. was battered by heavy seas. torn
= no-theasterly gale thrashed by downpours
= s-,,.inc rain, and on several occasions was in
-,-ous danger President Roosevelt oisembarked
:, Fnis Island on his visit OF inspection yester-
AZ afternoon. nearly three hours after the
.o,- originally set. So great was the force Of
-. storm that the Sylphs commander was
..-,reIled 70 take q chance OF running with the
,.o--n OF WIletts Point, when the entire strength
:. she eerce gale struck the yacht. and there
mere some on board who feared greatly for the
,.,e,v % the President and Mrs. Roosevelt
eb,-.lv before 10 O'Clock yesterday morning.
.,.-lv an hour later than had been arranged.
p-ss,serf Roosevelt boarded the sylph. in
o,.,,e- BAY He was accompanied by Mrs.
,,os.vef and their son Kermit: Mrs. RichCrd-
- q New-York friend Of Mrs. Roosevelt; Sec
- Loeb. Professor Albert Bushen Hart, OF
,5.--s-s College: Professor J. B. Moore, OF
,o,r-rb,a University. c. Grant la Fargo. OF
-.yo-p and Jacob A. Riis. Of Richmond
10, In addition. the guests OF the President
,-.,rs.s members OF the executive stan and
-.,-.ssn-at,ves Of the press associations.
un., the Sylph weighed anchor the skies
=. ss-r ana forbidding. and the vessel
- o,,- ~ the hav a light rain fell In less
., an hour after the Sylph had entered Long
,,,,,s Sound she ran into terrific wind and
-, storm The storm increased IN severity
-,,,slv and OF Fort Schuyler ~ developed into
hurricane. According 20 estimate made by
lieutenant Preston. commander OF the Sylph.
,hs vino blew a. the rate Of sixty five miles an
hour. The sylph pitched heavily. and off VIII
l.,ts Point listed very sharply to stsrboard.
The President and his guests had been forced
~ 20 below but beyond a drenching had I'D
~ that time suffered little inconvenience
Tho storm became even more severe the
vessel neared Hell Gate The waves and wind
swept the deck making it wellnigh impossible
Tor the sailors 10 remain exposed TO their force.
The baggage Of the party. consisting principally
OF hatbozes and dress suit cases. was swept
about the deck and everything movable on
deck had 70 he clewed down 70 prevent its being
swept overheard.
TUGBOAT SINKS NEAR THE sYBPH.
In Hen Gate a quarter OF a mile of the port
bow Of the sylph. q tugboat having IN tow a
large three-uastea schooner. was capsized by
the wind and waves She sank stern foremost,
nut dd not settle completely out OF sight for
perhaps Eve minutes. The tugs crew put of in
small boat except two men. who chung TO
tho bow until the vessel disappeared. II ap-
peared from the sylph that the two men were
taken aboard the yawl Lieutenant Preston
wished to stand by TO render such assistance TO
the TUG crew as he could, but Captain william
p Brainard. an experienced pilot who was at
The wheel declared % would be fooihardy for
the syiph 10 attempt rescue in such a storm;
that she almost certainly would be wrecked her
sell IN the attempt.
President Roosevelt knew nothing OF he cap
siziag OF the tugboat until nearly an hour after
ward. He then expressed the wish that some
assistance might have been rendered 20 the
crew
II was the expectation that Mrs Roosevelt.
Mrs Richardson and some Of the guests OF the
President could be landed at Twenty-third-st
Mrs Roosevelt desiring TO pass the day in the
city with relatives. Owing TO the severity OF
the storm, which stiIl ragged with furious energy,
Il was found impracticable TO make a landing at
that point
The naval tug Powhattan in command Of
Lieutenant Commander Homer c. Poundstone.
nan alongside the sylph. The commander sug-
fested that landing be made at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. Lieutenant Preston reported 20 the
President the absolute inlpra cticabnity OF pro-
oeeding 70 Ellis Island in the face of the storm.
ne was supported IN his judgment by Lieutenant
Noinmanoer Poundstone. who megaphOned that
would be impossible TO effect a landing at the
hand IN such a gale. Very reluctantly Presi-
oent Roosevelt consented 10 abandon FOR the day
ah IT'D 10 the immigrant station.
Ars Roosevelt. Mrs. Richardson. Kermit
aoosevelt. Professor Moore Professor Hart and
Ia Fargo were landed at The Brooklyn
-NeNf Yard. Rear Admiral Rodgers, COM
nanosnt ~ the yard. went aboard the Sylph.
sll- after a consultation with the President u
Va oecided that the trip 10 the island could be
maze safely. At 205 the Sylph again weighed
"iohor and arrived OF Ellis Island al IS p. m.