Show A NARROW boat on which he was being conveyed to the west virginia was in collision president taken off by a government vessel new orleans oct 27 after a narrow escape from losing ills life in an early morning collision in which the lighthouse tender magnolia on which he was traveling was so much damaged that he had to abandon her president roosevelt is now safe on board the armored cruiser west virginia neither the president nor any member of his party was injured in the accident details ot the accident are not complete but immediately after it occurred hurry orders were received at pilot town for the lighthouse tender ivy to proceed at once under full head to the scene and take the president and his party to sea the ivy passed pilot town with the president on board at this morning on her way to the west virginia the president went aboard the west virginia which was lying a mile and a half oft the passes at and the cruiser got under way a few the first news 0 the accident reached new orleans by telephone at an early hour this morning coming la the hape of an appeal for help from captain rose of the united fruit com banys steamer asparia Es paria which was the vessel reported in collision with ith magnolia captain gave no details except that the boats had track each other and that the president iwas injured and that the isparta might have to take him on board and carry him to the mouzli of the river the message came from aarn la near which point the accident occurred tha magnolia left here at last night and the due to arrive today at the weather was fine with comparatively little wind on the river in his report captain rosa gave no details of the accident but said that the magnolia was bhora immediately upon the receipt ot the aeta was opened with th ang owners here and the powerful tuga R wilmot and R D weed left new orleans shortly after 4 this morning with orders to go with full speed to the scene of the accident meantime however the presidents President 6 party had managed to get in com with the lower part of the river where it was known that the tender ivy was lying at 1 the operator at pilot town was rang up ay major general hill the government engineer with word that the ivy should be sent to sixty mile point with all possible speed the ivy got under way and covered the forty miles in rapid time president Ro ovelt secretary goeb and burgeon general with their baggage were at once transferred and the ivy proceeded down the river when the ivy passed pilot town on her way down she signalled signal led that the president and party all were well the west virginia is equipped with wireless telegraph at 9 the ivy reached port president roosevelt and his party were on deck the tender did sot stop but immediately passed out into the gulf the west virginia was la plain bight the tender quickly covered the distance separating the two vessels and as the ivy appeared a presidential salute sounded from the warship the transfer after the ivy reached the big ships side waa a matter of bat a few moments the weather being fine and clear with little sea run ning at the president stepped on board the west virginia safe and bound after his exciting experience here and on his trip down the river the west virginia had already lifted her anchors and before 10 she started on her journey up the coast the lighthouse officers here have received the following despatch from commander james H sears U S N dated nairn la the lighthouse tender magnolia waa struck on the port side at 11 p va october 26 by the steamship esparca esparta Es parta near sixty mile point no one was injured the magnolia was grounded the and party were transfer led lo 10 the lighthouse lender ivy which was rhe magnolia and proceeded to the west virginia on alme the masier officers and pilot were on duty on board the magnolia at the time of the collision it is believed the magnolia can make the necessary repairs to return to new orleans under her awn steam nairn Is on the right or west bank of the river and Is in a bend it Is presumed here that both boats were running close to the shore As the magnolia was struck on the port side it is the theory that she was near enough to the shore to be immediately tun aground CONFUSION OF SIGNALS united states flagship virginia dot 27 via new orleans by wireless at 11 last evening through confusion of signals the fruit steamer esparto collided with the magnolia which was conveying the president secretary loob and dr to the cruiser west virginia the rail and of the magnolia was damaged and two or three boles made in the vessel below the water line no one was hurt the magnolia immediately on being struck was beached her bow be ing high and dry after a careful examination of the damage to the vessel t tw evident there was no danger and the President and his party went to bed jmajor craighead Cral ghead of the united states was aboard the magnolia his ship the ivy a sister ship of die magnolia had preceded the magnolia and wag gome distance ahead A boat was immediately put oft for the nearest telephone about a mile and a aalt away and the order given to head tha ivy oft at pilot station and have her return for the president and his party the transfer was made at 3 this morning the vessel got under way immediately and the west I 1 virginia was boarded on schedule time BOTH VESSELS ASHORE boilon oct 27 A dispatch from new orleans to the united fruit company in this city lessels lessees ot the steamer esparca esparta Es parta announced that a collision occurred between the steamer and the lighthouse tender magnolia about sixty miles south of new orleans at about a m both vessels going ashore the esparca esparta was pulled off shortly atac erward being damaged the dispatch stated but the magnolia wag fast 1 aground and apparently considerably damaged the dispatch also said that president roosevelt who on board the magnolia went on board the lighthouse tender ivy at about six the esparca esparta was bound in vard with a cargo ot fruit from port limon costa etca |