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THE MARINE RECORD x rsp ppg gi Oasis ne EXPLOSION OF ‘THE TUG ADMIRAL. Cur0ago, January 1. The last day of 1884 will long be remem- bered as a dark and sad oue by several Chi- cago fanilles, relatives of the victims of the ug explosion that happened last evening iv Mason’s slip, near the corner of* ‘I'wenty- second and Morgan streets ‘I'he tuy Ad- miral was employed during the afternoon to tow the steambarges Manitowoc and D. M. Wilson from Nutt’s elevator, on the south side of the South Branch, across to the slip which runs north from the stream toward Twenty-secoud street. The first-named vessel had been towed to her place on the east vide of the slip just back of Armour & Dole’s elevator D., and abvut 6 o’vlovk the tug drew the Wilson alongside ot her, and let go the towline to back out past ber, with the intention of pushing her further into the slip. Just as her engines stopped there was 4 terrible explosion, and the spot in the slip where the tug lay wus filled with d: bris, add a cloud of sinoke and steam bing fora moment over both the barges. The few persons who happened to be in the lumber yard that lies east of the Flip were dashed to the ground, and those on Qoard the barges were prostrated, Whenthey bad sufficiently recovered themselves to muke an‘examina- tion the polive were called aud a search was mude for the bodies of the crew of the un- fortunate vessel, Every portion of the tug that lay above the’ water was torn into the most minute atome. Whitbeck’s lumber yard, thac lies west of the slip, was well scattered over with splinters, slivers, pieces of boiler and flues of the same. ‘The explosion was so heavy that window glass in the office of the yard, fully two blocks away, was broken. The dome of the tug’s boiler, a vylindrical piece of boiler iron that ust have weighed 1,000 pounds, was litted into the air and carried 1,200 feet back into the yard. After the steam and smoke had cleared away it was found that the hull of the the tug bad sunk out of sight. A thirty-foot section of her bow rail was blown out upon the dock of the lumber yard, and the narrow space in the slip be- tween the Wilson and dock, was so filled with the splinteis and debris that it was choked up full, After a first glance about the people who had gathered began an anxious seurch for bodies, as the news that there were five wen aboard the boat was quickly noised around, A run about on lumber piles down the west side of the slip only brought to lighta torn coat and an equally mangled overcoat, but the only thing in the pockets was a can used to carry coffee for lunch Both coats were wet with steam and water, and looked asif they had been torn trem the backs of their owners. : The search down the opposite side of the slip, along by the elevator, resulted in the tinding of one poor body, horribly mangled and torn, which is thought to be that of the fireman of the tug, William Bone. The left arm wasentirely blown from the bcdy, and both legs and the face sand chest were shockingly bruised and torn. From the position the body was lying in, it appears certain that the poor tellow was hurled into the air across both the huge eteambarges, and striking the wall of the elevator, dropped back to the dcck. The re- mains were gathered up and taken away to the morgue by the Harrison street patrol wagon. A further search upon the east side of the dock brought to light the same number of flues, splinters, and broken timbers. ‘I'he only indication of the missing crew was a hat completely turned inside out, and a boot which still contained the owner’s woolen stocking, and which had been torn from him so quickly by the frightful force of the ex- plosion that it lett the stocking expanded and still clinging to the insideof the heavy boot. ‘That was all that was left upon the ground to show what had become of the five unfortunate men, ‘The suggestion waa then made that per haps the men had been blown as high into’| the air as poor Bone, and that their remains were, perhaps, on top of some of the high lumber piles that stand about the slip. It was then propoged that somé of the lumber- men who were abont should c'imb each of these piles, of which there are perhaps a hundred within the radius ot the fallen debris, and explore their tops for the re- mains of the missing. This the men refused to do, saying that most of the lumber piles were thirty or forty feet high and that the slight fall of snow had made the task of climbing them dim- cult and dangerous. In short, no one not skilled in working about lumber yards could climb the piles, and they refused to do go in the dark, Lieutenant Darrow, of the Har- rison street station, promises that as soon as daylight comes he will have the lumberyard thoroughly explored, ‘I'he next aupposition was that perhaps some of the men were in the slip, amid the debris ot the wreck. When this idea was sprung everybody stood and blankly stared at the spot where the tug lay, now covered with ice, through which the broken and jagged boards and bent tron wrecked material stuck up dark ahd threat- ening. It was plain to see that nothing could be done toward dragging the slip un- til all this mass was cleaned away, and to do this would reqnire daylight and plenty of assistance, Thus it was setcded that nothing further could be done in the way of search- ing for the bodies until to-day, Mr. H. W. Blue, the superintendent of the Union Towing Line, to which the tug belonged, arrived upon the scene of the ac cident about eight o’clock, and aftera hasty view of the situation, was forced to about the eame conelusion as the police in regard tothe recovery of the bodies. He stated that there were three men on board the boat, Captain Andrew Green, Joseph Hogan, en- ineer, and William Bone, the flreman and rs hand, With his hasty view of the muat- ter, Mr. Blue was unable to furnish any ex- planation of the explosion, but stated that the towing company would make every ef- fort to-day to recover the bodies. When asked if it was not possible that there were one or two.other men on board the tug, Mr, Biue was emphatic in his de nial. Captain James Grant, of the schooner Sunrise, was xboard the Wilson and staud- ing on the quarter deck, near the cabin. I'he explosion tore away the Wilson’s upper works on the starboard side, and her stanch- ions and headgear were carried away, Lr is believed that some of her frames are started, The captain was thrown against the cabin and his right leg so badly bruised that the pa- trol wagon was compelled to carry him to his home, No. 120 Henry street. He was of the opinion that the fireman was out on deuk, and he had just been leaning over the rail talking to Captain Green. He is certain that there was one young man aboard the cug who ditt not belong to the crew, and has an idea that there were two out on the deck with the fireman. A young man who was helping to load-the barges was also on board the Wilson, and on deck, but he escaped with being thrown down and elightly bruised, James Johnson, a watchman connected with the lumber police, and on daty in Whitbeck’s yard, wae within twenty feet of the tug when she went to pieces. He. said that he was watching her operations in bringing the barge into the slip. Just be- fore the expo ion he saye the tug began throwing fire and sparks out of her smoke- stack so violently that he was alarmed, and squatted down behind a low pile of lumber that was between him andthe tug. He was frightened, of course, by the regular exhaust, but the warning was sufficient to get him out of harm’s way, and when the explosion did come, he was simply flattened out upon the ground. He, like Captain Grant, is aure there were two men uboard the boat whe were not assisting in navigating her and could not have belonged to the crew. No one among tae living can make any definite statement as to the canse of the ex plosion, ‘here was a gray buired, nautical appearing old gentleman about the scene ot the disaster, who talked much upon the sub. ject, uot knowing that there was a reporter present, and then declined to give his name. He eajd that the Wilson had 84,000 bushels of grain in her, and the job of getting her into the slip wasa difficult one. The nautl- cal person’s idea was that the water was al- lowed to run low, in order to get up power to do the towing, and then when the tug was stopped the pressure suddeoly ran uptoa point that proved disastrous. ‘The Admiral is a total loss. The Admiral was built in the spring of 1882, by Miller Bros., for the engines and boiler of the old tug 'G. W. Campbell ‘Tne boiler was an old one, but was rebuilt ata cost of $1,900, and was as goo as new when it was placed on board the boat. The in- spectors allowed her a maximum of nihety- five pounds of steam, und always considered the boiler to be in first-class condition. ‘I'he hull was certainly in good shape, and taken altogether, the Admiral was the equal of any boat on the river. Her value was about $10,- 000, and she was owned by Hank W. Blue and William 8. Harmon, in: equal shares, Captain Andrew Green, who was in com. mand of the Admiral, has commanded the bout ever since she was launched, and pre- viously commanded the tugs Johnson, Nel- son, Burton, Campbell, and other boats. He was about 48 years of age, and has been em- ployed on tugs onthe river over thirty yeare, Sober, industrious, and possessing cool judgment, he was regarded as one of the best captains on the river. Captain Green lenver a wife and three children in moderate ciicumstances, Captain Joseph Hogan, en- xineer of the Admiral, has been acting as captain of the tug R. Prindiville tor two sea- sone past, although previously he was an en- gineer. He was unmarried, but supported an aged mother and several sisters. William Bone, the fireman, has oceupie! the same position all the season, He has a brother residing on Erie street, The tragic death of Captain Andrew Green will be keenly regretted by his friends, whom he counted by the thousand all over the lakes, He has a brother who is in com- mand of the tug Uncle Sam.—ZJnter Ocean. — — The steamship companies have agreed up- on the unitorm prices for prepaid steerage tickets westward of $22 for the fast steamers, and $20 for the ordinary steamers. Carr’s Hamburg Line is allowed a rebate of $2 on each passage ticket, ~ —_ It Is said that the wood on the north side of a tree will not warp as much as that from the south side, and if trees are sawed in planes that run east and weat, as the trees stood, it will warp lesa than if cut in the opposite direction, OUR MEROHANT MARINE. Jarvis Patten, Commissioner of Nuviga- tion, in bis first annual report says: ‘The American merchant marine at present, although it has not in latter years kept pace with Great Britain, is second only to hers. Notwithstanding the disadvantages Amer- ican shipbuilders have had to contend against, the high character of their veasela hus been maintained, Our wooden ships are probably the best and safest vessels aflout, and the vomparatively new iron hip building works of the country are bepinuing to turn out steauis! ips and other iron craft of very high clase, In reply to thie assertions in some quarters that we have no ships, the commissioner states that we have the fivest coust wise trade in the world and the best fleet of dailing ships known is now enyiged in Calitornia wheat transportion under the United States flag. Itisa mistake, says the report, to uc- cept the opinion that the day of wooden shi) a tsentirely past. ‘I’ wo-thirds of the ton- oage of the world is probably still composed of wooden vessels, while their numerival pre- ponderance is much grea er, notwithstanding the fact that for screw steamers and inany other kinds of cra(t iron possesses certain ad vantages, In round numbers the total of our seagoing marine was on Jie 30, 1884, us fol- lows: Versels 6,636, tons 3,700,404.’ Of this number 422 of 601,186 tons burthen were stexmere, and the rest sailing vessels. But the entire number of ve:sels of all kinds under the United States flag June 30, 1888, was 24,- 082, measuring 2,271,228 tons. ‘I'he value of the total tonnage of the United States is at present $180,000,000. ‘I'he total value of the seagoing feet is $122,500,000. Compared with the preceding year, the total tonnage of the country exhibits an inerense ot 35,742 tons, enrolled and licenaed tonnage having increased 83,616 tons, while registered ton- nage has increased 2,126 tons, ‘rhe relief offered the shipping interests by the bill passed at the last: session is, the commissioner thinks, sufficient to place American sailing ships on an equality with the vessel under. other flags in +o fur as the expenses of navigation are concerned. ‘The counterpart of that wise enaciment would seem tobe a measure equalizing the cost of construction of iron ships, As the business is comparatively new in this country, the tariff which operates to raise ihe price of labor makes the cost of the American ship higher, while it gives no support and can afford no protection to thoxe engaged in the toreign freighting trade, e1nce their business is in competition with the shipowners of all nations ina field beyond the reach of our laws. It is important that this country should be prepaied to comete for the eupply ot the world: with ships, and it ie equally important that our ships should start with the same advantages that’ their competitors enjoy. ‘I'he commissioner recommends the offering of bounties sufficiently large to en- courage the construction by private enter- prise of a fleet of first-class powerful mail steamers which could be used with good effect in time of war as light armed cruisers and transporte, A sirong argument is also made in favor ot having American seamen for American ships, the crews of which are now composed mainly of foreigners. commisioner says in order to induce Amer- ican Inds to follow the sea fora profession some inducement might be offered with great advantage to the merchant service as well as being a national provision for traned seamen. A system of apprenticeship is recommended to be established, in pursuance of which American merchant vessels engaged in foreign trade might receive a certain fixed sum trom the Government for the support and instruction of apprentices carried on board tora stated term of years. Such'a system would it is thought do wuch to im- prove the average standard of American sea- men, and repay the national expense in affording an available corps of seafaring men, who could be relied upon in case of emer- gency to help man our navy, Further legislation is suggested in the di- rection of making more efficient Jaws for the protection and punishment of sailors, and the institution of courts of inquiry in this coun- try 18 recommended, with power to punish officers and seamen, who by careledsneas or Incompetency cause collisions at sen. <a THE DIMICK CASE, The Dimick case was moved for trial In the court of Oyer and Terminer by District Attorney Hatch, and the defendant was placed'on trial to answer to indictment No. 5 charging Lorenzo Dimick with grand lar- ¢eny in the second degree, in appropriating a draft belonging to three of the: insurance companies which he and his ex-partner, Captain Thomas G. Crosby, represented, with intent to deprive and defraud the true owners of their property and of the use and benefit thereof, and to appropriate the same to the uso of the Continental Insurance Company,of New York, did feloniously and unlawfully carry away from the possession, custody, and control of the Thames aud Mer- sey Insurance Company, limited, of Liver- pool, London, and Manchester, Eng., the Uuion Insurance Company, of Philadelphia, aud the Insurance Company of the State of Penneaylvanin, money and property of a kind to the grand jury unknown, a more particu- lar description of which cannot now be giv- eu, of the aggregate value ot $87,759. There On this point the, are nine other indictments similar to this one. The work of getting a jury was at once begun, and continued until nearly 4 o’clock before twelve jurors could be obtained. Ten were farmers, one a country miller, and one a furniture dealer of the city. District At- torney ‘Hatch opened the trial by giving a history of the ease, which is sone Barly as follows: Defendant took a cargo ris amounting to $87,000 or $88,000 on the pro- eller California, bound from Montreal to Port Arthur, Lake Superior, with powder. It- ie alleged that risks were placed with the ‘Thames and Mersey, Union, and State of Pennsylvania companies, but after the ves- sel safely reached her destination the ri-ks were reinsured in the Continental Insurance Company, though that company had taken the risk originally. John B, Craven, secre- tury of the Union Lnsurance Company, the first witness, testified as to the existence of 4 contract between his company and Crosby & Dimick, Arthur Rose, a Montreal broker, who placed the risk through Crosby & Dim- ick, was called and identified various tele- grams and papers which passed between bim and Crosby & Dimick in relation to the risk. He was still on direct examination at the adjournment of court. NOAH’S ARK—GREA'T EASTERN. ‘This ancient vessel, of which we have al) heard on several ovcasione, was built. in the year 1656 A, M. It was no doubta pretty big contract fur the old man for those times, ‘he Ark was commanded by Captain Noah—we have forgotten the names of the other officers—length, 547.16 feet (800 cubits ;) breadth, 96.16 feet (50 cubite;) depth 54}¢ feet (80 cubits;) tonnage, 27,186 41-100. Length of sacred cubit, 1 foot 9 inches 888- * 1000. ; As the Great Eastern will soon visit New Orleans, the following particulars will be appropriate: Length, 680 feet; on devk, G91 feet; extreme width, 88 feet; hold, 52 feet 6 invhes; tonnage, 31,946, old style measuring. Deduct three-fifths of her length, then multiply length, breadth and depth together, and divide by 95, this makes her tonnage 81,960. In the present style of measuring for tonnage they divided her length into ten or twenty sections, accord- ing to her length. Then take. the length, breadth and depth of each section multiplied together and divide by 100.- According to the above calculations, Brunel, who built the Great Eastern, was a bigger builder than Noah, so far as tonnage is concerned. THE HENNEPIN CANAL, An adjourned meeting of the canal con- - vention, held in Ottawa, IIL, two wecks ago, was held at the Court House, E..C. Allen presiding, ‘I'he first business was the ap- pointment of a committee to select officers of the permanent organization, which reported as follows: President, P. W. Matthieson, of LaSalle; Secretary, R. C. Stevens, of Ottawa; , Executive Committee, Ralph Plum, E. C. Hagler, and Henry Mayo. Vice Presidents from each town in the county were selected.‘ A committee was appointed to collect funds to be used in forwarding the interests of the enterprise. Colonel. Plumb, after an able speech showing the present mileage and tonnage of the canals in the United States, and the’ magnitude of the opposition likely to be en- countered in the work, introduced the fol- lowing resolutions: Resolved, That in the proposed adoption und construction by the General Govern- ment of the Lake Michigan and Mississippi canal, including, as it must, the enlargment of the present canal and the improvement of the Illinois river, we recognize a work of National importance as well as of great local advantage, and we = hereby give to it our honest support. a2 Resolved, ‘That the constrnetion by the General Government of the Hennepin canal, so called is a necessary and important step toward securing the acceptution by the gov- ernment of the Illinois and Michigan canal, as well as the [linois river improvement, all of which are parts of one great enterprise. A SAILOR’S BRIDE, My wife is just as handsome a craft as ever Jeft a milliner’s drydock; is clipper built, and with a figurehead not often seen on a small craft. Her length ot keel is five feet aix Inches, displacement twenty-seven cubic feet; of light draught, which adds to her speed in the bull-room; full in waist, spare, trim, At the time we apliced she was newly-rigged, fore and aft, with standing rigging of lace and flowers; mainsail part silk, fore staysailof Valenciennes, and atu’n’- sails trimmed with orange blorsoms. Her frame work was of the bert steel, covered with silk, with whalebone stanchions, ‘The ligging is Intended for fair weather cruising She has also a set of stormsails for rough weather, Ihave been told that in running down street before the wind she answers the helm beautifully, and can turn around in her own length if a handsome craft passes.— The Seaman, , = : a — Articles of incorporation have been filed with the Secretary of State by the Superior Iron Company, of Ashland, formed with + | capital stock of $500,000 to mine ore,