Eureka Reporter | 1903-02-20 | Page 2 | Steamer Struck by Tornado

STEAMER STRUCK BY TORNADO vessel goes to the bottom and sev teen lives are lost A dispatch from norfolk va says A tornado struck the passenger steamer olive which plies between franklin va and edenton N C tuesday night and sent her to the bottom of the chowan river off wood leys ley s pier between mount pleasant and olivers oliver s wharf seventeen per sons are known to have been drowned and others who were rescued are in a erious condition the storm when it struck the olive caused her to go over on her beam ends and when she righted it was only to sink on account of the water she had taken A majority of the pas and crew were below at the time and had no opportunity to reach the pilot house of the vessel this point was the only portion left above water and in it standing waist deep from the time of the accident until 6 0 clock inthe morning captain george withey and five others were saved the vessel had almost reached its destination when the tornado struck it