The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-17
sYLPA IN A STORM
ooSryELT WAS STORM TOSSED
IN NAVAL YACHT.
VESSEL WAS IN DANGER
VAS 4 DAY AS "sTRENUOUs" AS
PRESIDENT COULD WISH.

v.o.;dent and Mrs. Roosevelt ana
Cuests Left Oyster Bay for New
yorIx Aboard the Sylph-Rain and
wind storm Overlook Them-Tug-
hoat Went Down Near the SyIph.
Norbt Sent No Assistance-RoOse-
Welt Regretted 1t.
New York, Sept. 16.-President
Roosevelt is on his train tonight after
dav of strenuous and varied expert
ences
While en- route from Oyster Bay to
New York on the naval yacht Sylph,
accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt and
PARTY of guests, he passed through a
terrifying wind and rain storm, during
which the vessel was in imminent dan
ger. subsequently he visited the i'm
migration station on Ellis Island, New
York bay, and made a thorough in
spection of the institution.
After dining on the Sylph tonight
he went on the revenue tug Chamber
lain to Jersey City, where he boarded
special train on the Pennsylvania
road. which is to convey him to the
battlefield of Antietam for the dedica-
ton ceremonies.
When the Sylph weighed anchor the
skies were dark and forbidding, and
as the vessel drew out of the bay
light rain fell. Less than an hour after
the Sylph had entered Long Island
sound she ran into a terrific wind and
rain storm.
The storm increased in severity rap
idly, and off Fort Schuyler it devel-
oped into hurricane. The wind blew,
according to an estimate made by
Lieut. Preston, commander of the
an hour. The Sylph. a comparatively
small vessel, pitched heavily, and off
Wlletts Point listed very sharply to
starboard.
The President and his guests had
been forced to go below, and beyond
drenching none of them suffered in
convenience.
The storm became even more severe
as the vessel neared He'll Gate. The
waves and wind swept the deck, max
ing it almost impossible for the sailors
to remain above.
TugBOat Went Down.
In He'll Gate a quarter of a mile off
the port bow of the Sylph, tugboat,
having in tow a large three-masted
schooner. was capsized by the wind
and waves. She sank stern foremost
but did not settle completely out of
sight, for perhaps five minutes. A
small boat from the tug put off with
the crew, except two men, who chung
to the bow until the vessel disappeared.
It appeared from the Sylph that the
two men were taken aboard the yawl
Lieut. Preston wished to stand by to
render assistance, but Capt William T.
Brainard, an experienced pilot, who
was at the wheel, declared it would be
foohaTdy for the Sylph to attempt
rescue in such a storm.
President Roosevelt knew nothing of
the capsizing of the tugboat until
nearly an hour afterwards. He then
expressed the wish that some assist
ance might have been rendered the
crew
MIS-. roosevelt anu TIE Ollcl lilOiH
bers Of the party were landed at the
Brooklyn navy yard, but the President
proceeded to Ellis Island, where ne
spent four hours inspecting the station.
A number of persons interested in inn
migration were at the island. Four of
these were appointed by the President
4 committee to make a thorough in
vestigatior of the station and its ad-
ministration.
Roosevelt Among Immigrants.
During the afternoon many interest
Ing incidents occurred, the President
acting upon his desires to go directly
among the immigrants themselves
with view of ascertaining personally
how they We're treated. He was par
ucularly interested by the fact devel-
oped that forty-nine out of fifty of the
applicants for admission were supplied
with American money.
The President talked with German
Won7r VIC had a baby in a wicker
basket .73 gave her a s. bill for the
cht of a Russian family
detai 'eoOrtation was person.
ally in ~a.ed. the President decid-
ing tn family need be detained
no louee.. son, already in New York,
DelnS financially able TO care for them,