Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-04
Jan INQUIRY ORDERED
Authorities to Investigate .
Sinking of River Packet.
AN infant CHILD DROWNED
Divers Unsuccessful Effort to Re-
cover the Body.
SUNKEN VESSEL TO BE RAISED
Steamer Goes Down in Deep Water
at Alexandria Wharf.-The
Disaster Unexplained.
AN INFANT CHILD DROWNED
SUNKEN VESSEL TO BE RAISED
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


Special Correspondence Of The Star
ALEXANDRIA. Va, May 4, 1905.
Intellectual efforts were made this morn
ing by Diver Julius Wanner of Alexandra
county to recover the body of Stanley L..
the twenty y-months-old son of Mr.. and
Mrs. f. Maury Posey of Brooklyn, y.
Y, who was drowned yesterday morning
at 500 o'clock with the sinking of the
packet steamer Trenton. Diver Wanner
went down at IL O'Clock and returned to
the surface at IL :35 o'clock with coil OF
| rope. He made another trip into the
water shortly after noon without
covering the body. The work is being
witnessed by a large crowd. Should the
body not be recovered today the work OF
raising the steamer will be commenced to-
morrow. The body of the victim will
| then i'm all probability be recovered The
general suppostion is that the Posey
clild's body is not i'm the steamer. but is
alongside the boat, has been washed
adrift by the tide.
So far AS known the Posey child Was
the only one lost with the sinking of the
Trenton. The vessel went down at what
! Is known as Reardons whar.. just south
VI tiie Ming street wharf. When the
steamer began to sink Mrs Posey who
was In the cabin, rushed forward To the
deck and with the babe clutched tightly
| to her breast she plunged into the chilly
waters. She began to swim toward the
wharf. but the strong current wrenched
the babe from her arms as she was about
/ to go down. and it never reappeared 80
| FAR as known. IL was after considerable
difficulty that Mrs. Posey was pulled
ashore, she being assisted by Mr.. Harry
\ A nm, hn rhar
| time.
| Mrs. Posey was frantic with grief over
the loss of her child and had to be as
sisted to carriage by her husband. She
was conveyed to the residence of Mr..
Frank s. Harper. 100 Prince street In
the afternoon Mrs. Posey accompanied
by her husband. left by rail for Occo-
auan, from which point they went IL
home Of Mr. Posey's mother Mr. Posey
brought his three year-old son, Arthur p,
| ashore. Mr.. Posey today returned to
this city to await the conclusion of the
search for his child's body.
SAeenseT- to De Raised 49,
According to the plans mapped out. it IS
the intention of the owners of the boat
to raise II by means OF two large scows
| which are now anchored at the wharf.
After this is accomplished the steamer
will probably be pumped Out by one OF
| the city's fire engines. II will. IL Is ex-
peeted, be taken to Washington for re.
pairs.
Coroner S. Il. Moore has directed the
| police and other authorities that I'm the
event any body or bodies are recovered
| to have them removed to an undertaking
establishment, at which place he Will hold
an inquest to determine the responsibility
| for the accident. 1t is expected that the
government will also investigate the ease.
| Coroner hewitt of Washington was In con-
ference by phone With Coroner Moore
! and agreed that the latter should conduct
the investigation Notwithstanding me
vessel sank at the Alexandria wharf the
/ body or bodies OF the drowned are IN Dis
| trict waters.
Vessel Sinks Quickly.
The steamer was seen by Capt. Davis
to list. and I'm AN instant the hawsers,
which We're attached to the huge piles at
the wharf, snapped like paper cord. and
in about a minute the Trenton careened To
| the left side and went to the bottom In
| TWENTY-FIVE feet of water. Nothing could
be seen of the boat but the huge smoke
stack and its flag masts, the remainder
being completely submerged.
Capt Davis who was standing on the
| wharf Jumped aboard the boat and began
the work of rescue. The thirty-five or
more passengers rushed from one end
| of the steamer to the other. seeking places
| of safety while several women with
their babies in their arms plunged head
long into the river. Most of the passen-
gers were in the saloon. and many rushed
10 the pilot house, believing the latter
point more secure.
Most of the crew of the boat were on
the wharf. and they worked hcroicaiiy.
and many thrilling rescues are reported
TO have been made. When the boat be-
| gan to sink a distress whistle was blown.
but IL was hardly heard by the panic
lng
could be found aboard the boat was
landed on the wharf, and the last man
| to leave the steamer was James Beacn OF
this city. mate. who says he rescued at
least six people,four women en-, aha mo ,, Two
he had to jump into the river. the boat
being ten feet from the wharf, where II
now lies.
Capt Davis succeeded in rescuing half
q dozen or more women and children be-
fore the boat sank He. was standing
| on the wharf and made three trips TO the
sinking steamer: the last trip ne brousnt
| out two women and a child. In the latter
| feat he says he experienced considera-
| Bile difficulty Purser w. w. Danser
saws he rescued two women and three
| children. Mr.. Danser added that he mar
rowly escaped breaking his leS in per.
forming the work OF rescue.
Others Who Gave Aid.
Engineer Hewitt was aboard the
steamer and jumped to the wharf.
distance of about six feet. before the
steamer went to the bottom. lie also
assisted in the work of rescue. Il. w.
| Humphreys. keeper of the Lighthouse
at Maryland Point. and brother OF Rev.
G. l. Humphreys. pastor OF the Methc-
dist Protestant Church of this city. was
standing on the wharf ct the time the
steamer sank, and he Immediately
Jumped aboard and rescued four women
and three children. He says he grabbed
a boy and brought him out through a
window. Mr.. Humphreys Is of the opin
ion that more than one life Was lost
aboard the steamer. r. Calvert Will
liams. fifteen years of age, SON OF Il. p.
williams. says some one grabbed him
while he was in the saloon of the boat
and threw him to the wharf, and he
landed on his feet without scratch.
Mrs. Chapman Price of King George
county. Va. was in the ladies' cabin
when the boat began to sink. and upon
realizing what was happening she di-
verted her attention to the work OF res
| cuing the children. She saved several.
Mrs. Price was finally placed in one OF
the small boats aboard the steamer ana
taken ashore. She lost all of her be-
longfngs. valued at about $50. Mrs.