Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-27
WRECKERS At WORK
Diver to Examine Rent in
Sunken Finances Side.
FOUR LIVES WERE LOST
Girl Refused to Board Lifeboat and
Was Lost.
OTHER VICTIMS WERE MEN
Captain Stuck to Post-Assistant
Engineer Jumped Overheard to
Perish in Water.
OTHER VICTIMS WERE ME

Perish in Water.
NEW YORK, November 27.-Wreckers
were at work today on the submerged
hull of the Panama railroad steamer FL
, nance. which was sunk off Sandy Hook
yesterday In collision with the Georgia.
During the day. If the sea is not too
rough, diver will go down and examine
the rent in the steamers side caused by
the Georges Prov. and ascertain the best
method Of so patching 1t as to float the
sunken vessel
The after cabin of the Finance has been
loosened by the sea, and was washing
about today. The hun of the steamer
was completely submerged.
Fog. the heaviest known for years,
which has paralyzed traffic in the New
York Earbor for four days. caused the
loss. of four lives when the Finance,
bound for Colon. with eighty-five passen-
gers, was sunk in collision yesterday with
the White Star freighter in the main ship
channel off Sandy Hook.
William H. Todd, assistant engineer,
jumped overheard and was lost.
Miss Irene Campbell of Colon. Henry
Muller, conductor on the Panama rail-
road, and Policeman Schweinler Of the
Canal Zone lost their lives.
Rush to the Decks.
Most Of the passengers We're at break
fast when the great steel sprow of the
Georgia came crashing through the side
of the Finance, as the Panama liner was
making her way slowly down the chan
mel. Nineteen women and fifteen chill
dren were still asleep in their staterooms.
no Of fho q
fed to the deck, and while the boats were
being lowered several women, too frantic
with fright to be Gained by the assur-
ances of the officers that all would be
saved, plunged overheard.
Dressed only in their night clothing,
they We're picked up by boats from both
the Finance and the Georgia, while their
cooler fellow-paSsengers clustered about
the other boats as the Finance sank under
their feet, a cataract of water pouring
into the wound in her side.
Passengers declare that Capt Mowbry
Of the Finance remained cool and directed
the work OF rescue with courage and de-
cision, but despite his best efforts when
the final count of the ships company was
taken the four named were not among
the rescued.
Ammonia Tank Exploded.
1t was then too late to attempt to save
them, for the hull had settled on the bot
tom of the channel. with only smokestack
and masts protruding above the water.
All had happened in less than ten min
utes.
An ammonia tank in the engine room Of
the Finance exploded when the collision
occurred. and the fumes drove most Of
the engineers to the deck.
Miss Campbell was seen climbing the
after railing as the vessel was sinking.
The wireless operator tried to induce her
to board one of the boats, but she was
still clinging to the railing when the
Finance went down.
The Finance was owned by the United
States government, which controls the
Panama line. She was 300 feet long
Purser Was Washingtonian.
Finance. which was sunk yesterday off
of f. F.. Thompson. an employee of
Washington newspaper
The first intimation Mr. Thompson had
that his sons vessel had met with disas-
ter was when at work last night
proof" telling of the occurrence came
to his desk Mr.. Thompson, while deplor-
Ing the accident. was gratified that his
sons name was not given among the lost.
Capt. Frank c. Boggs, purchasing agent
of the canal commission, and chief Of the
Washington offices. yesterday began prep
arations to replace the canal supplies lost
Colon ON the next steamer.
Captains Exchange Blame.
United States government inspectors
will begin today an investigation of the
causes of the collision.
Capt. Mowbray of the Finance has been
quoted as saying he saw the Georgia when
she was nearly mile distant and that the
collision would have been avoided if that
vessel had backed her engines and put
her helm to port.
On the other hand, Capt. Clarke of the
Georgia criticised the action Of the
Finance, which, he said did not observe
the signals to pass on the port side Of
the Georgia, but backed her engines.
The iSthmian canal commission is dupli-
eating all of its mail forwarded on the
steamer Finance, which sank in the lower
part of New York bay "Wednesday last.
1t is estimated here that the miscel-
laneous cargo on the Finance. intended
tor use in connection with the canal is
worth about $4,000.