A notice of the drowning of John Gobing, watchman of the steam-barge PASSAIC, has already been printed. Following is a statement made by Charles Lapthorn, wheelman that seems to throw more additional light on the subject: "At 12 P.M. the captain gave orders to clear away the anchor. We were then some miles off Long Pt. Gobing and another man went below to get the fish tackle. While getting it the men on deck unshipped the gangway and began to clear the anchor. John Gobing came on deck, and in hooking on the fish tackle to the dart he fell overboard. The captain stopped the engines and told the mate to sing out to the first barge astern of us, the HATTIE, and tell them to lower a boat. The barge was about 400 ft. astern. The mate then asked the captain if he should lower the boat. The captain said it would take an hour to clear one of them away. We then started ahead again. The engines were not stopped more than 10 minutes at the outside. John Gobing was a Russian by birth. He could not swim."
      Buffalo Morning Express
      October 5, 1884 2-4


      Steam screw PASSAIC. U. S. No. 19691. Of 531.61 tons gross; 411.92 tons net. Of 504 horse-power. Built Buffalo, N. Y., 1862. Home Port, Detroit, Mich.
      Merchant Vessel List, U. S., 1884