The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-02-15
Vessels Col1ided Late in the
Afternoon Off Palafox
Wharf.
STEERING GEAR
OF THE ACCOMAC
Became Disarranged and the
Officer Could Not Con-
troll Vessel.
CREW OF THE WiTHEReEE ES
CAPPED BY LEAPfNG TO BOW OF
AccoMAc, AND BY LAUNCHING
COOK WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED
BY FLYING TIMBER.

The big naval tug Accomac, at.
tached to the Pensacola navy yard,
and the harbor tug Florence Wfther-
bee, were In collision about two hun
dred yards off Palafox wharf yester-
day afternoon at 80 O'Clock. The
Witherbee sunk within four minutes
after the collision, being cut almost In
twain and only the top of the smoke
stack and her mast are visible. The
cook and fireman of the latter vessel
We're slightly injured, being struck by
pieces of flying timber, but there was
no loss of life. The accident was
due, it was stated, to the steering gear
of the Accomac becoming disarranged-
Was Coming up Harbor.
The Witherbee, which had been sta
toned on the bar during the after
noon, left there late in the day to
come up to her berth on the east side
of Palafox wharf The Accomac,
which also has a berth on the same
side of the wharf, was just leaving,
on her last trip OF the day, for the
navy yard. She had just reached the
end of Palafox wharf when the With
erbee, then about three hundred wards
of, signalled her by blasts from the
whistle to take the port side, It being
thought that she would turn after
reaching the end of the wharf and
proceed towards the yard. The Ac-
comac answered the signal, show
ing that the officer in charge I'M
derstood, but the boat kept going
straight out Seeing that the AccO-
mac was not taking the port side the
Witherbee again blew for the port
side and the Accomac answered with
the danger signal, three short blasts
from the whistle, but it was too late,
and as the Witherbee attempted 10
cross her bow to get clear the big
naval tug crashed into the side OF
the harbor tug near the galley, just
aloft of the engines.
Sunk in Four Minutes.
The Witherbee seemed TO almost
bend double from the blow and in
moment had begun to sink. There
was a hiss of steam and quantities OF
white smoke poured from the smoke
stack as the water reached the fire
room. Within four minutes only the
smoke stack and mast were visible
above the water. She now rests on
the bottom about two hundred yards
off Palafox wharf
A Narrow ESCAPE.
The crew, which consisted of Cap
tain Hanson, an engineer, fireman,
deck hand and cook had narrow
escape from death, but fortunately
only two were injured, the cook and
fireman, and their injuries are slight
When the crash came there was
wild scramble for safety The master,
engineer and deck hand leaped to the
bow of the naval tug and reached the
deck of that vessel safely. The cook
and fireman were down in the galley
eating supper. and did not get out
as quick as the others. The life boat
was crushed, but the two men quickly
launched small row boat and jumped
into it before the WitheTbee had set
tied, and were drifting about when
picked up, as they had no oars.
Launch Lille to Rescue.
The launch Lille, in charge of En-
gineer John Griffith. was about ons
hundred yards distant when the acct
dent occurred, and she was immediate
" headed for the point under full
steam, arriving there first of any OF
the boats in the harbOr, which were
soon on the scene The two men in
the small boat were first picked up,
after which the captain, engineer and
deck hand were taken from the Acco-
mac where they had leaped for safe
~. All were brought to Palafox
wharf and landed. The injuries OF the
fireman and cook were only slight,
they being struck by pieces OF flying
timber.
Accomac Drifted Out.
The Accomac, whose steering gear
had become 'disarranged. causing the
accident, drifted about the harbor 10
a point on Tarrssona street wharf.
and tugs were preparing TO go out
after her, when the vessel was again