The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-27
GIANT VATERLAND, IN
SAILING, SINKS BARGE
Finds Hudson Too Small in
Pulling Out in First
Return Voyage.
ALMOST BACKS INTO PIER
Uphcaval Stirred by Mighty
PrOpellcrs Tears Steamships
From Lashings.
ALMOST BACKS INTO PIER

The pilot Of the Hamburg American
colossus Vaterland probably did not
mediate on tho relation OF the length OK
the ship TO the width Of the Hudson be-
tween the Hamburg American pier at Ho-
boken and the piers OF the Southern Pa
cifc fleet on the Manhattan side OF the
stream at the foot OF West Eleventh
street when he took her out In the fair
way yesterday and finally headed her
on her first trip to Hamburg.
He might have reflected that less than
six Vaterlands stretched across the Hud-
son ut that point would ave enabled
folks to walk the distance dryshod. Also
he might have considered the ponderous
displacement OF the mighty vessel and
the difficulty OF checking her momentum
under strenway.
Whatever mis- sentiments may be on
the subject, he and Commodore Ruser are
the only persons perhaps who know ex-
actly why the mammoth ship almost
backed into Manhattan Island after get
ting away from her pier yesterday morn
Ing, and created a river upheaval in the
slips of the Southern Pacific fleet that was
likened to n tidal wave by rivermen
who happened TO see II. This tore the
tank steamship Topila and the freighter
lei Vale from the lashings and sunk a
coal barge.
within Four Feet of Pier.
The German ensign floating over the
taffrall was within four feet OF the pier
end when the ship beg an TO make head
way. l; was the Garrowest shave that
ever Commodore Ruser came TO IA real &C.
cident In all his lucky career.
II took only n few minutes for the
swiftly backing Vaterland to make Man
haitian from Hoboken. The churnng OF
her propellers in going astern sucked In a
mass of the usually quiescent Hudson and
naturally the vessels in the slips were
drawn out to the vortex. Hawsers
snapped on half a dozen craft 1t looked
for moment as II all would be dragged
into the stream.
Just then the talent on the liner dis
covered the proximity of Manhattan and
prOpellers whirled with much more force
the other way and powerful freshetlike
current was shot toward the Manhattan
shore. The big and little ships that had
been sucked out into channel were sent
back on the crest OF the combers created
by the sudden and swift reversal OF the
ships ponderous screws.
Tho force OF the wave crests was so
great that they leaped over pier heads
and spurted In front OF bulkheads like
breakers on u rocky rev England coast
The man who most appreciated the power
of the propellers OF the greatest liner In
the world was the skipper of the coal
barge Ulster of the Dexter & Carpenter
Coal Company. which was hurled against
the pier and sent 10 the bottom. He
Jumped overheard and swan about in the
combers until n line was cast to him and
he was hauled to safety. A Pennsylvania
lighter and the Southern Pacific lighter
Oakland were damaged and the piers and
bulkheads were torn and dented. The
damage. which will be paid by the Ham
burg Amercan Line, may exceed $4,000.
Vice-DirectOrs Deny Collision.
Directors j. p. Meyer and w. G..
Sickel gave out n statement last evening
TO correct exaggerated statements about
the incident 1t said In part:
The damage done In the Southern
Pacific slip was not caused by any
collision with the steamship Water
land as she never TOUCHED any boats