Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-28
HIS LIFE
IN PERIL
President Narrowly
Escapes Death
Vessel Carrying Him in
a Collision
Craft Badly Damaged and Mr.. Roose-
welt and Party Are Taken on An
other Boat and Transferred
to Warshlp
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 27.-After a
narrow escape from losing his life in
an early morning collision in which
the lighthouse tender Magnolia, on
which he was travelling, was so much
damaged that he had to abandon her,
President Roosevelt is now safe on
board the armored cruiser West Vir-
ginia. Neither the president or any
member Of his party was injured in the
accident. Immediately after it oc-
CURED, hurry orders were received at
Pilot Town for the lighthouse tender
Ivy to proceed at once under full head
to the scene and take the president
and his party to sea. The Ivy passed
Pilot Town with the president on
board at S:15 this morning on her way
to the West Virginia. The president
went aboard the West Virginia, which
was lying a mile and half off tho
Passes, at $40 o'clock, and the cruiser
got under way a few minutes after
wards.
The first news of the accident
reached New Orleans by telephone at
an early hour this morning, coming
in the shape of an appeal for help
from Captain Rose of the United
Fruit company's steamer Fsparta,
which was the vessel reported in col
lision with the Magnolia.
Captain Rose gave no details except
that the boats had struck each other;
that the president was uninJured, anc
that the Esparta might have to take
him on board and carry him to the
mouth of the river. The message
came from Nairn, La, near which
point the accident occurred.
The Magnolia left here at $3.50 last
night and the Esparta was due to ar
rive today at Chalmette The weather
was fine, with comparatively little wind
on the river. Immediately upon the re-
ceipt of the news, communication was
opened with the tug owners mere ana
the powerful tugs r. Wilmot and X. u.
Weed left New Orleans shortly after
with orders to go at full speed to the
scene of the accident.
Presidents Party Transferred
Meanwhile, however, the president 8
party had managed to get in communl-
cation with the lower part of the river,
where it was known that the lighthouse
tender Ivy was lying. At 1 o'clock the
operator at Pilot Town was rung up by
Mai Gen. Hill, the government en-
gineer, with word that the Ivy should
be sent to Sixty Mile point with all
possible speed. The Ivy got under way
and covered the forty miles in rapid
time. President Roosevelt, Secretary
Loeb and Surgeon General RiXey with
their baggage, were Immediately trans
ferred and the Ivy proceeded down the
river. When the Ivy passed Pilot Town
on her way down, she signaled that
the president and party all were well.
The West Virginia is equipped with
wireless telegraph
At 8 o'clock the Ivy reached port
Eads. President Roosevelt and his
party were on deck. The tender did
not stop, but Immediately passed out
into the gulf. The West Virginia was
in plain sight The tender quickly
covered the distance separating the two
vessels and as the Ivy appeared presi-
dental salute sounded from the war
ship. The matter of transferring after
the Ivy reached the big ships side was
a matter of but few moments, the
weather being fine and clear with little
sea running.
At 9:4O the president stepped on board
the West Virginia safe and sound after
his exciting experience here and on
his trip down the river. The West Vir-
ginia had already lifted her anchors,
and before 10 o'clock she started on
her journey up the coast.
Not Excited by Accident
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
1905 They said that the president was
in excellent spirits and unshaken by
the accident. At the time of the acci-
dent the president, worn out by his
strenuous experience in New Orleans,
was fast asleep.
The two ships were near the west
shore when they came in contact. The
prov of the Esparta 'uck the Mag
nolia on the port bow. 1t was not
known to what extent the Magnolia
might have been injured and there was
great haste in pushing her ashore.
Both vessels grounded, but the
Esparta got off under 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. He dressed Immediately, and
those of his party hurriedly made ar
rangements for his transfer to the Ivy.
The captain of the Esparta refused
to make any statement to the public,
as his vessel is under the British flag
and he must submit his report to the
British authorities. The United Fruit
company, to which the vessel is char
tered tonight issued statement blam-
ing the Magnolia for changing her
course after indicating by whistles the
manner of passing the Esparta.