Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-10-29
One Climbs Flag
Staff as Boat
Goes Down.
GEORGE B. ROE

-Four men had a narrow escape
from drowning like rats in a trap
when the tugboat George B. Roe, of
the Androvette Towing & Transport
tation Company, of Kreischerville, 8.
l., sank at the Perth Amboy dry
docks about O'Clock this morning.
| The vessel went down as the crew
was asleep in its fore and aft cabins.
| They were awakened to find the
craft about half submerged and had
difficulty in escaping with their lives.
Even after they hard battled against
the pressure of water and had made
their escape TO the deck they were
in danger Of drowning.
| One man was rescued with a lad
der as he was sinking, being unable
to swim. The vessel was completely
submerged when viewed today. All
that could be seen where 1t had been
| lying was the top of the smoke stack
about foot under water and small
pools of oil and grease which had
come to the. surface of the water.
Word was dispatched for a Wrecking
crew.
| George Mackey, engineer; Edward
| Hoagland. fireman; Alonzo Winant,
cook, and Herbert Winant, deck
hand, all of Kreischeryille, were the
members of the crew who so narrow
ly escaped death as they slept. The
captain had gone ashore for the
night. The crew could give no rea-
son for the sinking of the vessel. At
the Office of the Androvette company
1t vas stated today the tug had been
at the Perth Amboy dry docks for
some minor boiler repairs and had
remained there last night for water.
An official of the company said the
crew had probably been forgetful
and left the water running after re-
| firing, thus causing the vessel to be-
come flooded and sink.
The four members of the crew
were forced to escape in their night
clothes. They lost all Of their be-
longings which were aboard. Herbert
Winant, sleeping in the aft cabin of
the tug, was the first to be awakened
and learn of the sinking He awak-
ened when the water arose about his
body. With 3 cll.s-lf alarm he leap
ed from his berth aud wft1onf f1.s z saiss aa
ing to seek any clothes, tugged at
The door OF the cabin. After sore
work he succeeded in @ ening' 1t and
he then aroused the other members
If the crew. There was wild
| cramble to escape from the berths
is the vessel was sinking rapidly.
One man shouted instructions to the
other and each man vainly tried to
lhelp one another until each was
forced to escape as best they could.
Alonzo Winant, unable to swim,
climbed up the flagstaff Of the craft
| In n desperate effort to save himself
while others got on the dock north
Of the sinking vessel as best they
could, partly climbing over timber
and swimming at times. Edward
Hoagland was the last of the trio
safe on the dock He got there just
as the flagstaff broke and precipitat-
! ed Alonzo Winant into the chilling
water. Some excitement prevailed
during the next moment as all hands
with the aid of David Preacher work.
ed industriously to save the man in
/ the water. He was finally rescued
with the aid of a ladder, to which he
clung and was hauled on the dock.
The vessel sank completely within
| five minutes after the crew had been
aroused.
The George B. Roe plies principal
| ly in local waters and is well known
hereabouts. 1t Is seyenty-four feet
long.