New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13

LATER USE IT AS RAFT
When 1t Seems That They Will
Be Entombed in Structure
1t Breaks Away and
Floats to Surface.

The Red Cross liner Stephano, which
carries passengers between this city and
/ Halifax in the summer season, rammed
and sank the tug Henry II. Stanwood
/ in the East River shortly before noon
yesterday. as both craft were trying to
pass each other, few hundred yards
| ncrth Of Brooklyn Bridge.
There We're nine men on the tug, and
! all were hurled into the water with
practically no warning. Some were in
jured, but all escaped death. and their
| good fortune was the talk Of the water
! front
The accident could not have happened
at a more opportune time. so far as the
public gaze was concerned, for the
Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan
Bridge were crowded with persons when
the boats came together.
The Stephano, which is a new craft
in these waters. left her pier in South
Brooklyn for Newfoundland. taking
what is called the "inside route" by way
Of the East River and Long Island
Sound She was travelling at a fairly
good speed bound north. when she en-
countered a rather serious situation.
Runs into Maze Of Traffic.
Among the smaller craft on the river
was the Stanwood. She was bound
south, with loaded dirt barge in tow,
and running against strong food tide
The Stephano was running north with
the tide. The tug Edward Moran was
steaming north with an empty barge in
tow. and il is said the Stephano sig
nailed her 10 keep away. According To
many on shore who saw the accident
there was plenty of footing by the vari-
GUS craft in the river, but apparently
there was no exchange Of signals be-
tween the Stanwood and the StephanO.
Having a tow. il was difficult for the
tug to get out of harms way, and the
Stephano. making good headway, was
unable TO check her speed and avoid
collision Tug and liner came together
with great crash. Some Of the men on
the Stanwood realized about a quarter
of a minute before the crash came that
the liner was bound to hit them, and
they rushed aft
The danger of collision also was ap-
parent to Captain Michael Tierney Of
the Stanwood and his mate, Thomas
OLeary. who stood beside him in the
wheelhouse But these men stuck to
the wheel hoping that by one chance in
a hundred they might keep the tug out
Of harms way. The one chance, how
ever, did not come. The bow Of the
Stephano hit the tug aft Of the galley
and forced her under the surface. She
came up again for second, but went
down to the bottom Of the river.
The men who had rushed aft We're
caught in the swirling waters as the t.
careened Coming to the surface. they
swan away from the place where the
tug had sunk. Captain Tierney and his
mate went down in the wheelhouse on
the first plunge of the tug. They had no
way Of getting out. and would probably
have been drowned had not the pilot
house broken away from the tug and
floated with the tide.
The breaking away Of the house gave
the men a chance TO get free, and that
which had entombed them served as
raft. TO which they clung until rescued.
Help Arrives Quickly.
Thousands Of eyes saw the accident !
II was seen by men on tugboats ard In
small boats and instantly there was an
abundance Of help at hand. The Ste
phano back away, but stood by and
was prepared TO lower her lifeboats |
This was unnecessary. however. as the
belping tugs and small boats were on
hand before she could swing her boats
from the davits
The tug Leonard Richards. Of the
Cabiu Towing Company, which was
close by. put out after the drifting pilot
bouse and hauled Tierney and O'Leary
On hoard. The men were clinging TO the
gilded eagle that surmounted the float
ing wheel house.
The tug Royal soon had Charles !
Early. His brother. Timothy Early, the
second engineer, and Charles Sabler. a
fireman. were picked up by three Ital-
ians who were close by in small pleas
ure boat
The ing Volunteer, which was just |
leaving a coal pocket south of Brooklyn |
RriJoc uicked up H. T Fahlen, d fire
lIrI