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

dent and Delay the President was
Unmoye6 by the Misllap, and
Returned His Voyage
Aboard Another
Vessel.
A dispatch from Now Orleans saws
at | O'Clock Thurday evening through
confusion Of signals, the fruit steam.
er Esphrta collided with the light.
house tender Magnolia, which was
conveying the President, Secretary
Loeb and DR.. Rlxey to the cruIser,
West Virginia. Tho rail and port
bow Of tne Magnolia were damaged
and two or three holes made In tbe
hull below the water line. No one
was hurt The magnolia immediate.
ly on being struck was beachcd, her
bow beiag high and dry. After a
careful examination OF the damage to
the vessel 1T was evident there was
no danger and the president and his
party went to bed.
Maj Craighill Of the United States
engineers was aboard tho Magnolia
His ship, the Ivy, q sister ship OF the
Magnolia, had proceeded the Magnol
In and was some distance ahead. A
boat was Immediately put Ctr for the
nearest telephone, about Il mile and a
half away, and the order given TO
head the Ivy off at Pilot station and
nave her return for the president and
his party. The transfer was made at
3 O'Clock Friday morning. The YES.
sci got under way immediately and
the West Virginia was boarded on
schedule Dime.
Inc ifsb news Of the accident reach
ed New Otleans by telephone early
hfiday morning in an appeal for help
from Capt. Rose Of the United Fruit
company's steamer Esparta, which
came from Nairn, La, near where
6he acctuent occurred. His report gave
no details# The Magnolia left New Or.
leans at650 Thursday night and the
H'3parta was due to arrive Friday at
Chalmette. The weather was fine.
with conparatiyely little wind on the
river. Immediately upon the receipt
or the ncWa communication was open.
ed With hug owners here and the pow.
erful tSigf.ss Wilmot and b. D. Wood
left New )fleans shortly after o'clock
Friday o0rning with orders to 90 AFT
full speed TO the scene of the accident,
M eaalntl ts' s-el eloSgeGer, the PRESIDENTS
rp.sSy iiad snanageo 20 Rs6 1fr co nainijns
ichtion 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 Lo- and Surgec n
Rixey, with their baggage, were at
once transferred and the Ivy proceed.
ed down the r.ger. AT Is the Ivy
passed Pilot Town on her way down
signalling that the president and party
were on board and that all were well,
ire Ivy reached the West Virginia
at 80 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 100 05 They said that the
| president was in eXc1lant spirits and
uuslaken by the accident. At the
time OF the accident at l. o'clock the
| president, absolutely worn out by
| his strenuous experience In New
Orleans, was fast asleep. He had
turned IN shortly after the vessel left
New O:ieans. The two ships were
near the west shore when they came
In contact In an effort to avoid run.
ming into each other. The Prov OF the
Esparta struck the Magnolia on the
port DOW.
LII was rot known to what extent
TIE Magnolia mi hit have baon Injured
and There Was great nasta In pushina
her ashore. Both vessels grounded
OuG The ESparta got off under her owf
steam and was found not to have suf
fored any damage. The president
showed no excitement when Informed
OF the extent Of the disaster, though
ne was ssomewhaGannoyed by the prob
ability OF delay because IT. was evl
dent that che MagGOlih could not pro
coed on the way, He dressed i'm medi
aJely and those cf bis party hurriedly
made arrangements for his transfer tt
the Ivy, which was Intercepted an(
brought back to the scene OF the acci
dent. Except for the loss OF some
sleep, the president suffered nothinl
by the collision. With the Who'll,
party transferred to the Ivy, that YES
gel was speeded down the river, meet
ing with no further miShap.
The United Fruit Company, b,
which the Esparta IS chartered ISSUED
the following statement Friday night
The Espart0 sighted vessel
afterward found to be tho Magnolia
l'ho Magnolia blew two whistiss, sig
nifying her intention OF passing Il
Starboard, which was answered by tho
E3parta, 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
iirst signal, she blew ono whistle, sig
nifylng her intention OF changing he,
course and crossing to the inside o.
the Esparta. The pilot of Esparta
seeing the danger In such action, blew
whistles and also the danger signal O
tefee whistles, signifying the danger
OF such a move on the part OF the
Magnolia, as the pilot OF the E sparta
| yaQ aware NJ tho faot tbo. &,o.A 49,.