Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-10-28
PRESIDENT LOST 4 LITTLE
SLEEP, that WAS ALL
PRESIDENT NOT OTHERWISE Dis
TuRRED AS RESULT OF COL
LISBON OF VESSELS.
Mr.. ROOSEVELT TRANSFERS TO
y SISTER SHIP AND coNTiN-
!. s ! UEs HIS VOYAGE.

New Orleans, Oct. "a. After mar.
row escape from losing his life in an
early morning collision In which the
lighthouse tender Magnolia, on which
he was travelling. was SO much dam.
aged that he had to abandon her, Pres.
ident Roosevelt Is now safe on board
the armored. cruiser West Virginia.
bound for Hampton Roads s..
The Magnolia collided with the fruit
steamer .Esparta. bound for New Or.
leans, and the accident was the result
of q confusion OF signals. g n. q
The rail and port bow Of the Mag
nolia was damaged and two or three
holes made IN the hull below the water
line. No one was hurt. The Mag.
nolfa Immediately on being struck was
beached, her bow being high and dry.
After a careful examination Of the
damage to the vessel 1t was evident
that there was no danger and the pres.
ident and his party went to bed. Major
sCraighill of the United States engi.
neers was aboard the Magnolia His
ship, the Ivy, a sister ship of the Mag
nolia, had preceded the Magnolia and
was some distance ahead. A boat was
Immediately put off for the nearest
telephone, about mile and a half
away, and the order given to head the
Ivy off at Pilot station and have her
return for the president and his party.
The transfer was made at o'clock in
the morning. The vessel got under
way Immediately and the West Viz.
ginia was boarded on schedule time.
President Asleep at the Time.
The lighthouse tender Ivy returned
from the sea after putting President
Roosevelt on board and stopped at
Pilot Town. Those on board reported
that the West Virginia had sailed at
1906. They said that the president
was in excellent spirits and mistaken
by the accident. At the time of the
accident the president, absolutely worn
out by his strenuous experience in
New Orleans, was fast asleep. He
had retired shortly after the vessel
left New Orleans. The two ships were
near the west shore when they came
In contact in an effort to avoid running
into each other. The prov Of the
Esparta struck the Magnolia on the
port bow. 1t was not known to what
extent the Magnolia might have been
injured and there was great haste il
pushing her ashore. Both vessels
grounded, but the Esparta got off un
der her own steam and was found not
to have suffered any damage.
The president showed no excitement
when informed of the extent of the
disaster, though he was somewhat an.
noyed by the probability of a delay be-
cause 1t was evident that the Mag
nolia could not proceed on the way.
He dressed Immediately and those OF
his party hurriedly made arrange
ments for his transfer to the Ivy,
which was Intercepted and brought
back to the scene OF the accident. Elk
cept for the loss of some sleep the
president suffered nothing by the col
ltsion. With the whole party trans.
ferred to the Ivy that vessel was
speeded down the river. meeting with
no further mishap.
OFFICIAL REPORT or DIsAsTER.l
Both Vessels Running Close TO Shore
When COLLATION. Occurred.
New Orleans, Oct 2S.The light
house Office here has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Commander
James II. Sears. U. s. NJ. dated Marin,
La: .