New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-04
COLLISIONS IN THE FOG.
IUNIGR1NT BOAT LOST.
Correction Department Steamer on
R0ckS-Ferryboat Sinks Barge.

In the bianketing fog which lay over the har-
Dor yesterday four ferryboats were in collision
win other craft half a dozen more went astray,
inc correction Department steamer Minna-
hanonck went on the rocks off the south end Of
BIackwelrs Island, and two barges laden with
immigrants from the Oceanic were lost for
hours in the North River
lhe chicago left her Jersey City slip for Man
hattan at 80 a m. crowded to the guards with
commuters. She is a big double deck. twin
screw boat When she reached midstream she
had TO stop to allow Jersey Central boat to
pass her bows. and then. with no answer to her
continuous whistling, she started ahead at full
speed. She kept on for three minutes when
those forward saw long stream Of canal boats
dashed in pairs, with the tug lost TO sight in the
fog directly ahead of them
Full speed asterE signaHcd to the engine
room Of the Chicago. but before she could gain
sternway. or even a7preciably slacken speed. she
had crashed into the Henry NJ Tyler one Of
the barges The Tyler was thrown with crush
ing force against the boat beside 1t, STAYING in
the thick timbers like egg shells The Tyler as
II sank careened, and the stern was thrown up
higher than the deck Of the ferryboat. Just be-
lore the little cabin aft disappeared a man and
two women fed TO the sloping deck one OF the
women carrying a baby. They reached the bow
OF the sinking barge ana dropped to the deck of
the Chicago not a second too soon, for before
they could regain their feet again the boat had
disappeared
At about the same time the Westheld. of the
Staten Island line, left South Ferry She had
scarcely started when she scraped against a
tugboat. frightening her passengers few
minutes later, when she was off Liberty Island
the captain heard whistles, and n second later
the Robert Garrett, of the same line. doomed up
Each boat saw the other ut the same time
Full speed astern was signalled just in time to
bring the boats to stop less than three feet
from each other When the Westfeid was off
Robbins Reef she struck n three masted
schooner at anchor a glancing blow on the bow
spirit. TIE jibboom raking along the ferry is
size, penetrating the cabin and ripping up the
windows and woodwork for a dozen feet.
While the Baltimore was going toward her
slip. at Deshrosses-st.. the tug Terminal was
seen bearing down on her. II was too late for
either craft to change direction, but the engines
OF both were reversed The Terminal struck
the Baltimore on the port side and tore away
the woodwork Of ceveral windows of the wom-
ems cabin. The excitement on the Baltimore
was quickly allayed.
The Minnahanonck. which carries prisoners
supplies and visitors to and from East Twenty.
siNth-st. and Backwels, Harris and Randalrs
islands went on the rocks I'm the fog of the
south end Of Backwers Island, about opposite
Forty-thrd-st. The vessel in charge OF
Captain Ward. and ne informed the Correction
Department that the Miunahanonck was I'm no
great danger. Il Is thought she will be hoated
without difficulty.
on the Oceanic were 40 steerage passengers
who were to be transferred TO Ellis Island in
two barges. About II o'clock tie barges started
for the island in tow Of the sidewheclcr Johr
J.. Moore Somewhere In the river the captain
lost his bearings and steered the vessel up and
down the river and all around the harbor look
ing for the immigration station. Finally land
was discovered of the port bow. and the cap
tain ran into a dock where he made fast. A
scouting party sent out 10 discover the where
abouts OF the boat returned and reported that
they had landed i'm Germany or Hoboken As
they had only been steaming for four hours
il was decided that the foreign and strange
country must he Hoboken. and the captain
hied himself 10 a telephone 10 inform Ellis
Island OF his plight He was told TO take the
immigrants to the island as soon possible.
hut the foreigners became alarmed at their
continuous trip that the Moore was put back
TO the White Star pier where the immigrants
were again put aboard the Oceanic. They VIII
he taken TO Ellis Island to-day.