Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-27
Presidents Transport in a
Collision Last Night.
ESCAPED UNINJURED
LIGHTHOUSE TENDER COLLIDED
WITH FRUIT STEAMER.
Former Boat Was Badly Damaged.
Boarded the West Virginia for
Washington This Morning.

NEW ORLEANS, October 27.-
After narrow escape from losing
his life in an early morning collision,
in which the lighthouse tender Mag
nolia, on which he was travelling,
was SO much damaged that he had
to abandon her, President Roosevelt
is now safe on board the lighthouse
tender Ivy, which is carrying him
down the Mississippi to the armored
cruiser West Virginia. Neither the
President nor any member of his
party was injured in the accident.
Details of the accident are not
complete, but Immediately it occur
red hurry orders were received at
Pilot Town, where the lighthouse
tender Ivy was lying, 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 8:I5
this morning, on her way TO the
West Virginia. She was then within
an hour and half of reaching the
cruisers side.
First News by Telephone.
The first news of the accident reached
New Orleans by telephone early this morn
ing. in an appeal for help from Capt. Rose
of the United Fruit Company's steamer Es-
parata. which was the vessel reported in
collision with the Magnolia.
Capt. Rose gave no details. except that
the boats had struck each other, that the
President was uninjured, and that the Es-
parata 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 $50 last night.
and the Esparata was due to arrive today
at Chalmette. The weather was fine, with
comparatively little wind on the river. IN
his report Capt. Rose gave no details of the
accident. but said that the Magnolia was
ashore Immediately upon receipt of the
news communication opened with tug
owners here. and the powerful tugs r. WI
mot and B. D. Wood left New Orleans
shortly after 4 o'clock this morning, with
orders to go at full speed to the scene OF
the accident.
Meantime. however, the Presidents s party
had managed to get in communication with
the lower part of the river. where II was
known that the lighthouse tender Ivy was
lying. AT L O'Clock the operator at Pilot
Tower rung up by Maj. Craighill, the
government engineer with orders that the
Ivy should be sent to SiXty-mile Point with
all possible speed. The Ivy Immediately got
under way, and covered the forty miles in
rapid time.
President and Party Transferred.
President Roosevelt, Secretary Loeb and
Surgeon Rixey, with their baggage, were
at once transferred and the Ivy proceeded
down the river At s:15 the Ivy passed
Pilot Town on her way down, signaling
that the President and party were on board
and that all were well.
The cruiser West Virginia was lying a
mile and a half off the Passes and the Ivy
was expected to reach her side al 9:45.
The West Virginia is equipped with wire
less telegraphy.
At 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 sepa-
rating the two vessels and the Ivy
from the warship.
The matter of the transfer after the Ivy
reached the big ships side was a matter
of but a few moments the weather being
fine and clear with little sea running
At $40 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 Virginia had
already lifted her anchors and before 10
o'clock she started on her journey up the
coast.
Wireless Report of the Accident.
U. S. FLAGSHIP WEST VIRGINIA,
October 81, via New Orleans, October ~
BY wireless.-Aat IL o'clock last evening
through confusion of signals the fruit
steamer Esparta collided with the light
house tender Magnolia, which was convey
ing the President. Secretary Loeb and Dr.
Rixey to the cruiser West Virginia The
rail and port bow of the Magnolia was
damaged and two or three holes made in
the hull below the water line. No one was
hurt. The Magnolia, Immediately on being
struck, was beached, her bow being high
and dry.
After a careful examination of the dam
age to the vessel 1t was evident that there
was no danger and the President and his
party went to bed. Major Craighill of the
United States engineers was aboard the
Magnolia. His ship, the Ivy, a sister ship OF
the Magnolia, had proceeded the Magnolia
and was some distance ahead. A boat was
Immediately put OH Ior the
phone about a mile and q 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 this morning. The ves-
sci got under way Immediately and the
West Virginia was boarded on schedule
time.
Official Statement.
NEW ORLEANS, October 27. The
lighthouse office here has received tho
following dispatch from Commander JAS
H Sears, U. S. navy, dated Nairn. La: