The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
OLD ERIE FERRYBOAT SUNK.
THUMP FROM 4 COiL BARGE
SMASHED IN P~ATERSON'S SIDE.
All the Men on Board Save One Scramble
on Barge-AdOiDhus Baker, an OIer.
Missing and Put Down as LOst-MiIk Wa
gOn and Meat Wagon Horses Drowned.

All the Men on Board Save One Scramble
On Barge-AdOIphus Baker, an OIer,
Missing and Put Down as LOst-MiIkW Wa.
gOn and Meat Wagon Horses Drowned
The Erie ferryboat Paterson, a single
decked ~sidewheeler, well on in her twen-
tieth year, was making yesterday her
SIS AM. trip from Jersey City TO Twenty
third street, New York, and had on board
besides the crew of seven "a dozen pas
sengers, all men, and five trucks. Capt.
George S. Funston of the Paterson says
that although there was a slight haze on
the river the lights on both shores. we're
plainly visible.
When the ferryboat was nearing the
middle Of the river opposite Christopher
street in New York a tug doomed up to the
north. She was headed down stream and
coming directly for the ferryboat. Accord
ing to Capt. Funston the tug carried three
staff lights, indicating hat she had a tow
astern. Capt. Funston blew one whistle
to signify that he intended to keep to the
right. 1t was the duty of the tugs pilot,
Capt. Funston says, to shape his course
accordingly, but he kept straight on, al
though the Paterson repeated the signal
three times. I.
1t was all over in a moment. The heavy
barge whichlthe tug had dashed alongside
instead of at the end Of a line astern struck
the ferryboat on her port side just forward
OF the paddlewheel, breaking through the
guards and smashing the hull Of the Pat
erson in a way that told even the most
inexperienced that she was done for.
Almost Immediately the ferryboat began
to sink and the engine room force came
running on deck.
The ferryboat's paddlewheels were
still turning slowly and the captain put
his wheel over so as to swing his disabled
boat alongside the .barge.e The crew re-
sponded to the captains orders and made
fast. 1t took only a moment for the pas
sengers and crew to jump from the Pater-
son to the barge. There was not time,
however, to call the roll, for the Paterson's
decks were already awash and the struggles
of the frightened horses made it doubly
dangerous to linger. Capt. Funston be-
lieved that every one was safe and gave
the order to cast off. The Paterson went
down almost at once and now lies in about
forty-ive feet of water, with the top Of her
smokestack just showing, a little to the
east Of the main channel. She is a menace
to navigation and is being guarded by a
police boat and a boat Of the steamboat
inspectors.
Before Capt. Funston left the pilot house
he had repeatedly blown the distress signal
and in answer the tug John Smith Of the
ID. L. and W.. line came alongside and took
OF the passengers and crew OF the Paterson.
IL was only when the castaways were
landed In Jersey City that il was discovered
that an oiler, Adolphus Baker of s25 Com
munipaw avenue, Jersey City Heights,
was missing. The engineer of the Paterson
was sure that Baker had come up from
the engine room ahead OF him, but Capt.
Funston does not remember seeing him,
and after finding late in the evening that
Baker had not returned home the officers
OF the company admitted that it was prob
able that Baker had gone down with the
boat. Wrecking tugs have been set TO
work on the sunken vessel and it will soon
be known il Baker persisted in his engine
room. The horses on board were drowned
when the Paterson sank.
After the collision the tug went her way.
She Is tho Joshua Lovett of the Commercial
Towboat Company and was bound for
Boston with the barge Flora Of the Eastern
Coal Company. It was said yesterday
mt the Offices OF the Steamboat Inspectors
that no idea Of who was 10 blame could be
formed until the captain Of the Lovett
sent in his report, rs he II bound by law 10
do. II was minated that there wouli be
an investigation and that some one might
nave his license revoked or suspended.
Passengers on the morning ferryboats
looked ~curiously at the debris which had