New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-06
NLUCKYSTEAMERL LOST
III. IL. WHITNEY SINKS.
Goes DOzcn Near astoria, Where
She Ran aground Before.

The staamer II M whitney one Of the Metro
poitan Line fleet of freighters plying between Ne"
York and Boston, went aground last night IN inc
sunken Meadows. Astoria within one hundred
yards of wnere she sank several months ago. one
will probably be a total loss. She was badly dam
aged and sank in fifty feet of water, taking down
with her a valuable cargo OF wool.
The Whitney left her pier IN the North River at
40 p. m. yesterday. and within an hour was
steamng up the East River off n0tb street. cap
tain Hone suddenly found himself in trying posi-
ton. There was a strong food tide running. and
ahead he two long barge lows. lie slgnalied
that he wished to go by. and after consideraole De
lay of the lows pulled in closer 10 the west SLUG
of the river. tut the other held its position
It was impossible for the Whitney to go by win
safety, and the steamer had no alternative except
to reverse her engines TO avoid being carried
through the narrow passageway between the
eastery and the Astoria shore the whitney
drffted over tho Steep Rock Shoai, tipping
hole in her bottom about twenty feet square, one
did not sink Immediately, but continued 10 nTihl u
the Sunken Meadows where she went down. stern
first irto fifty feet of water.
Captain Homo the last man to leave MS
vessel. When he that the Whitney was bound
sink within a few minutes he feared lot the
safety of Charles Wilson the ships cook. WILSON,
who is seventy six years old. in the galley, ana
the door was closed Captain Hone and Charles
Lyons the second mate. made a hurried search LOT
Wilson, finally breaking IN the door OF the galley
and dragging him out.
The footing of various craft near the nelpIesS
steamer attracted the attention OF Lieutenant Mat
thew McKenna, OF the FTarbor Squad, at 12Oth
street and the East River and he and his men soon
found the Whitney before she sank. The police
launch was on hand before the Whitneys bow shot
upward. and assisted Captain Hone and his crew
of tVenty-seven men ashore The on the
Whitney had time only a small amount of
personal baggage
About six months ago the II NJ. Whitney went
aground off Astoria tearing big hole in her bot
tom into which big rock protruded. Divers and
wreclers were at work for month before the
freighter was raised. The cost OF getting her of
the shoal and the subsequent repairs was exceed
ingIy heavy While in drydock at 1929 street two
men were overcome in the Whitney's hold by gas
fumes The Whitney menace to navigation
when ashore six months ago, and IS more so
now. 1t could not be learned last night how badly
she was damaged. but it generally believed by
towboat men who went by her that the Whitney
would be total loss
The II. NJ. Whitney built in Philadelphia in
1890 She is 271 feet long. has depth of 10 feet
and beam OF 43 feet Her gross tonnage is 2,706
TONS and she has cargo capacity of 1870 tons
The Whitney was used for freight only but she has
passenger accommodations for about dozen pas
sengers.
employees of the Metropolitan Line guests of the
company. Charles W. Morse himself frequently
made trips on Metropolitan freghters before the
turbine passenger steamers Yale and Harvard were
added to the fleet.