The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-10-01
Fall River Freighter, City of Taunton, is Saved by Local
 Fire Department Hole Chopped Through Deck to Let No Is Engine Pump
 Water From Hold

Thanks to the cool head of Capt F. D. Whiting of the steamship City of Taunton and the Bridgeport fire department the vessel was not sunk early this morning despite a break in one of her sea pipes which let huge quantities of water into the craft which was loaded with 90 carloads of freight and bound from New York to Fall River.
 At 2:20 o'clock this morning when the Taunton was 50 minutes east of Huntington, L. I. Chief Engineer Samuel Coon, 36 years in the sound steamboat service reported to Captain Whiting that there was a leak of dangerous proportions somewhere in the hold. The captain made a search at once and found that the fire pump suction pipe had broken in two places inside of the boat. The pipe which is six inches in diameter, was allowing the water to rush into the craft at the rate of several hundred gallons minute.
 The Taunton was heavily loaded with 90 carloads of merchandise freight including 1,400 bales of cotton, 500 bales of wool and 800 sacks of coffee. Captain Whiting ordered the pumps put in operation and then di- toward Bridgeport under full steam. It was a, few minutes before o'clock when the Taunton ran into the local harDOf ana C1ed up at the IOOC or Union Square. On the way into the harbor another disastrous mishap Oc- cured. The main bi1ge pump broke and the water was then over the floors with the main pump out of commits sion the incoming water would have caused the vessel to sink with her valuable cargo.
 Captain Whiting sent to one of the McWnliam's tugs which was in the harbor and asked the ca in to run
 
 captain tried to aid but found that his suction pipe was not long enough to reach the water in the steamers hold through the decks
 fire engine would save the big craft from sinking alongside the wharf. He telephoned to Chief Mooney of the fire department and the chief sent down the big first size steamer of No. I engine company. Chief Mooney with Assistant Chief Johnson and Supt- of Machinery A. L. Tracy with a squad of men accompanied the steamer. The fremen could not get the engines suction into the hold until they had chopped a hole through the main deck After this was done they were able to pump out the water as fast as 1t run in but the suction did not reach the bottom of the hold; e5 +, ~ of Thomas Scott Wrecking Go. which IS doing job at the old Naugatuck wharf for the railroad and he got a
 
 mouth of the fire pump suction pipe This stopped the water from entering the big freighter In the meantdm9 @u4 the captain had telephoned to Genera! Supt. R. s. Scholz of the New England Navigation Go. in New York and the tend, oFdfFed eden t6 thfs fsaafy eify at once The Maine made a quick run here and arrived shortly after o'clock She tied up alongs1ds ot the Taunton and the crews started to work unloading the freight in jlg tl11le; 1ni As fast as the freight was removed the vessel which was listed to her port side righted herself and 1t was possible to better locate the suct1on pipe. e.... D1o,,, vo,1, on an early train and congratulated Capt. Whiting on saving the cra1I. The Taunton will proceed to New Hork under her own steam ana go Into ofy dock there for repairs.
 The Taunton is considered one or tha ll1ckiest boats in the N H. NdN1- gation service vie ifI Apouf of f5En PIImouth in head on collision in the Race at the Eastern End of the Sound and came off almost unscathed while the Fly month was badly damaged and the nurnber of lives actually lost was neV- CT known although four bodies were found floating in the water flllea hold of the craft: The I'd Ia9h9o1 of cane ne tain Ribber. She was built in 1892 l at Chelsea, Mass, and is 2'7Oo ton sidewheel steamship of great speed: l York and Fall River almost contln- | uaIIv since she was built. She left New York at 9:25 o'clock last n1ght and was due to reach F,an R1T9r lT9 at | in the place of the Taunton until she has been prepared. at Boards Corner S1O and |