The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-05-17
?. R. R. Ferryboat Rammed
In Midstrsam by Lighter
Greeawich Is Now At the
Bottom of the River
PASSENGERS ALL LANDED
COLLISION WAS so SERIOUS
THAT IT TAXED CAPTAIN FOW-
LER's SKILL TO AVERT A CAT
-ASTRoPHE

The ferryboat Baltimore. which has
been ia the service of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company for twenty years, was
sammed IN mid-stream by the steam
lighter Greenwich on her sos O'Clock
"trip from this city yesterday afternoon,
and VEG sunk in her slip at the foot of
Desbosses street two hours later. Cap
passengers and four teams of horses
drawing wagons. Fortunately the hour
was such that few Jersey City passen-
gers were bound for New York. The
teams and wagons were landed, however,
bsfore the Baltimore had sunk with the
weight of water from the hole that the
lighter tore in her bow. The collision
had torn big hole there. Captain Fow-
Ter realized that he had big job ON his
hands TO land his passengers safely. He
whietle1 for assistance and two Penn
sy'vania tugs responded. Captain Fowler
has been in the Pennsylvania Railroad
service for thirJrfour years. He has
never yet been recorded with a serious
accident to any of the boats he has pi-
loted
The cause of the accident IS not known
definitely. The Pennsylvania ferry men
rlaca tba faloyna ~ %Aa oa,,Hos,, <,% +1,a
Greenwich and say he dsregarded the
single teot of the whistle of the Balti-
more which informed him she intended
to cross the bows of the Greenwich. No
statement could be obtained from the
captain of the Gresnwich last night, and
only strags inquiry, it Is believed, will
fix definitely the responsibility for the
collision which imperiled so many lives.
With Captain Fowler and Jesse La
Fetra in the pilot house, and with Henry
Cook in charge Of the engines. the Bal
f'i~ofe left her slip in Jersey City at
5.o5 o'clock. The tide was at the last
Of the flood. and the wind was southwest
About thirty-fve passengers were on
board. and four teams were in the gang
way. When the Baltimore was about
200 feet from ehe entrance to the Des-
brossss street sip Captain Fowler, who
had seen the Greenwich coming down
stream, sounded the sigsaI for her TO pass
astern Of the ferryboat.
What the answering signal was nobody
seemed 20 know clearly. But just when
the Baltimore was rounding to to make
her slip Captain Fowler saw the Green
wich was keeping her coursa, and intend
ed to cross his lows. Realizing this
meant the sinking of one OF the other
Of the boats, Captain Fowled signaIed to
Cook 10 reverse his engines and go astern
p: fall speed While the paddle wheels
Of the Baltimore were beating the wa
fer into a lather. Fowler was sounding
Eho-t chap blasts of warning to the
Gresuwsci..
The Bslsimore had come to stop and
had bsssa 20 EcYe backward when the
hsw IF III. Greenwich, weighted so heav-
Iiy wiz. cargo tsst Il slipped heEeath the
fenytsoat's saerd aai oye9hang. srsehed
ists tss tuli. TIE bow not only smashed
l;l he out.x rls:es Of rae kali, but struck
;nss ssas#e lie farwaSd watertisht com
pc. 1e.ssa. bs;ssasad i~iaed t&e hui and
ssnssaed that tes. Titk that bulkhssd
eSas the wasAs began to pour into the
sseSFrss Is: 9osas artsasslt and the engine
aeR Zee recsa.
far tae -sslrca9 officials had given
iusarzeessaE ts ta4 wzsekiag conpany to
PTesss6 at osce TO raAss tie Baltimore
Gagssin Fowir a2S lds cr4w were di-
fectsd 10 go to tae rsrair yards in no
bowsa asd get th~ cd Princeton ready to
tasss iae wrseks9 boat'e place at 4 o'clock
his racSn;eg. 1t is said taat although
tse Baltimore b.acks entirely one of the
fvo nesrrosSs4 srsaes slips, 1t will not
izserfere wsgh the service. bsesuse only
one slip is usea by tkat line in Jersey
nity and oae will snf7se on this side.
1'ae work of raising the Baltimore in
HE c-ansred quarters in which she lies
viii he exceedingly difficult. because the
desrisks will not hsye working room at
her &de and cannot block the adjoining
slip The plan is to place chains beneath
the hull and raise it by them if the fer
ryracks at the side will stand the strain.
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