The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-11-03
CLOSE CALL.
President Roosevelt in Danger
by the Collision of His
WITH ANOTHER

aeEt anu Delay tic President was
Unmoyed by the MisIap, and
R e unied His Voyage
Aboard Another
Vessel.
a dispatch from Now Orleans saws
at IL O'Clock Thurday evening, through
confusion Of signals, the fruit steam.
er Esparta collided with the light.
house tender Magnolia, which was
conveying the President, Secretary
Loeb and DR.. Rixey to the cruiser,
West Virginia. The rail and port
bow of the Magnolia were damaged
and two6r three holes made In the
hull below the water line. No one
was hurt The magnolia Immediate.
ly on being struck was beachcd. her
bow bei1g high and dry. After a
careful examination Of the damage to
the vesseIs 1t was evident there was
no danger and the president and his
party went to bed.
Maj Ctaighlll Of the United States
engineers was aboard the Magnolia.
Ills snip, the Ivy, q sister Ship of the
Magnolia, had preceded the Magnol.
In and was some distance ahead, A
boat was Immediately put Cff for the
nearest telephone, about q mile and a
hall away, and the order given to
head theIyy of at Pilot station and
have her return for the president and
his party. The transfer was made at
8 O'Clock Friday morning. The ves-
sci got under way Immediately and
the West Virginia was boarded on
schedule time.
me 1iis5 news Of the accident reach
ed New Ofleans by telephone early
Friday morning In an appeal for help
froin Capt. Rose Of the United Fruit
company3s steamer Esparta, which
came frGm Marin, La, near where
the accident occurred. His report gave
no details The Magnolia left New Or.
leans alto 30 Thursday night and the
F3parta sgas due to arrive Friday at
Chalmette.e The weather was fine.
With comparatively little wind on the
river. Immediately upon the receipt
OF the news communication was open.
ed With TUG owners here and the pow.
erfuls ties 4. Wilmot and b. ID. Wood
left news Orleans shortly after 4 O'Clock
Friday oorning with orders to 20 at
full sI9eedS t0 the scene Of the accident.
MeanttEF 1nWeVer, the p%resident,s
epe> ~ nad manaReo 10 geuI n CDYnmijne
icRtion with the lower part of the
river where 1T was known that the
lighthouse tender Ivy way lying. At
l O'Clock the operator at Pilot Town
was rung up by Maj. Craighill, the
government engineer, with orders that
the Ivy should be sent to 60. mile point
with all possible speed. The Ivy i'm
med'ately got under way and covered
the 40 miles in rapid time. President
Roosevelt, Secretary Lob and Surgeon
Rixey, With their baggage, wee at
once transferred and the Ivy proceed.
ed down the river. At 9.15 the wv
passed Plot Town on her way down,
signalling that the president and party
were on board and that all were we'll.
Tie Ivy reached the West Virginia
at 8 40 and the president at once
went aboard. The lighthouse tender
Ivy returned from sea after putting
President Roosevelt On board and
stopped at Pilot Town. Those aboard
reported that the West Virginia had
sailed at 1905. They said that the
president was IN eXcollant spirits and
uushaken by the accident. At the
time OF the accident at II o'clock the
president, absolutely worn out bv
his strenuous experience I'm New
Orleans, was fast asleep. He had
turned IN shortly after the vessel left
New Oieans. The two ships were
near the west shore when they came
in contact In an effort to avoid run.
ming into ea"N other. The PROV of the
Esparta str'Ok the Magnolia on tho
port bow.
IL was rot known to what extent
the Magnolia mis ut have beon Injured
and there Was great nasto IN pushing
her ashore. Both vessels grounded
but the ESparta got off under her own
steam and was found not TO have suf-
Tered any damage. The president
showed no excitement when informed
or the extent Of the disaster, though
he was somewhat annoyed by the prob.
ability Of q delay because 1t was evil
dent that the Magnolia could not pro-
coed on the way. He dressed immedi-
ataly and those CT bis party hurriedly
made arrangements for his transfer to
the Ivy, which was Intercepted and
brought back to the scene OF the acct
dent. Except for the loss OF some
sleep, the president suffered nothing
by tho collision. With the whole
party transferred to the Ivy, that YES.
sci was spceded down the river, mcet-
ing With no further mishap.
The United Fruit Company, by
which the Esparta Is chartered Issued
the Following statement Friday night:
THE Esparta sighted a vessel,
aftefward found to be the Magnolia.
The Magnolia blew two whistles, sig.
nifying her intention of passing TO
Starb0ard, which was answered by the
E3paIta, which latter vessel continued
on up the river and at the time OF
such signal was within 100 feet of the
west bank Of the river. About two
minutes after the Magnolia blew the
first signal, she blew ono whistle, Sig
nifying her intention of changing her
course and crossing to the inside Of
the Esparta. The pilot OF Esparta,
seeing the danger In such action, blew
whistles and also the danger signal of
t1ree whistles, signifylng the danger
OF sucn a move on the part OF the
Magnolia, as the pilot OF the E,parta
was aware OF the fact that there was