Year: 1875

INFORMATION CLEANED IN THE CITY.


AS the wrecked steamer Sunnysde lies her position
conveys the impression that she broken in two This
opinion strengthened by the that she
cut and heightened about years ago, and il
believed that the change then made weakened her
and rendered her susceptible TO injury by float
ing ice.


CAPTAIN THE WALTER BRETT.


In answer the assertion of Captain Teson that the
steamer Walter Brett, which passed the opposite
shore from the Sunnysde must have heard their sig
mails Of distress and dsregarded them, Captain P. H.
Knickerbocker, of the Brett speaks as foows:-


'The statement Of Captain Teson of the steamer
officers OF the Walter Brett had been guilty of
act Of heartless indifference at the time OF the
calamity, and wish to correct any such impress
sion. At the time the Walter Brett reached Hyde
Park the accident had occurred and there in
tellgent signal displayed. bell heard by parties
board the Brett but the sound seemed to cease at
the moment il was heard and could tell from
which direction il came As we were more than three
fourths Of mile away, with stif northeast breeze
blowing directly from us 10 them this explains why
the sixty voices not heard The whistle did not
blow, as the Ares were extinguished There was


No VISIBLE


These facts arc within my own knowledge Mr A.
c. Cheney Superintendent Of the Mutual Benefit Ice
Company informs me he lay with his tugboat. the
Christiana. at his dock, less than half mile above
the or the disaster and on the same side Of the
where the Sunnyside passed down, and that no
heard whistle blown or bell tolled; that shortly
after and prior to the Brett reaching Hyde Park he





hearing seeing anything TO indicate that anything
had transpred out OF the ordinary course OF affairs.
Had Captain Teson remained up two hours longer be
would either have reached Poughkeepsie and been
pletely OF danger be would have been able to
have the Christiana, which he passed within
few hundred yards while he 10 sinking condition,
and might have called upon her for assistance which
would have been cheerfully rendered Such al least
would seem 10 me TO have been hls proper course,
rather than casting reflections upon parties who would
have gladly aided HIM had his condition been KNOWN
Captain A. p Black who is the owner OF the Brett
of he bod I'm thr
board the Brett and was not in bed. He heard
nothing, and If he had it would have been his first
effort 10 endeavor to save his own property.


CRITICISM CAPTAIN TEsoN.


reporter visited Mr. A. Q. Cheney, Of Cheney's
Towing line, foot Of Fourteenth street North River
and that gentleman made the following important
statement 10 regard TO The disaster TO the Sun
nysidet-


.I went up the river in the towboat Chrisana to get
some barges which we're in danger Of being caught in
the ice al point in the river just north OF the spot
where the sunnysde sunk. AT haIf-pa one O'Clock
while making up tow, the Sunnyslde passed south.
Although this few minutes before she sunk and
when she must have been filling rapidly the hole
made IN her hull by the ice, there was signal Of
danger made at the time. No whistle was blowing no
bell ringing and distress lights displayed Had
any warning been given the Christiana could easily
have gone to the assistance Of the disabled steamer
Halt or threequarters OF an hour aerward when the
Christiana, having made up her tow her
way TO New York the sunken steamer was passed. but
the lights then displayed on her the
that they supposed 10 be coal boats Old river
men say that Captain Teson, the Sunnyside acted
quite strangely IN gong TO bed at time when his
IN the midst ice fields aud in danger or being
damaged The sunnyside carried four life boats; but
all the women and passengers were crowded INTO
boat, which swamped3


Mr. Cheney says the officers or the steamer Walter
Brett which was passed by the sunnyside 4 few
minutes before the latter sunk state that no sig
mails made at the time although the Supnyside
must have been filling with water


The hull OF the Sunnysdde or very slight build
and she had very powerful engines The vessel was
not calculated to stand the ice al hign oi speed
She provided with donkey engines but tho pumps
not set motion. Taken all in all old river
think the officers Of the Sunnysdc DISPLAYED
lack OF judgment and want OF promptness not giving
signals Of danger The sad loss oil life might have been