The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-05-25
a Terrible Cas.,ot.v

The telegraph announced some davs
since the drowning of twenty five persons
most young ladies, who were participatinn
in picnic party at Boykin's Mill Pond
near Camden, South Carolina. The SUNNI,
ter Waterman brings the particulars of
this terribly affecting affair
\ flat boat of considerable size had,
short time previous, been built and placed
upon the pond for the purpose of pleasure.
4 goodly number (probably thirty or
more) of the company embarked upon
this boat intending to pass over and around
the pond. These consisted chiefly of
young ladies, there being but sufficient
number of gentlemen, as was supposed to
manage the boat, and afford company and
protection for the ladies.
They had been out some time, and were
near the centre of the pond, when the boat
ran on snag, This excited little or no
fears, as it was supposed a speed extrica-
ton could be effected. All was life and
Spiritual was hope and happiness. Soon
it was perceived that the great pressure of
the boat upon the snag Gin consequence
of the number it contained) was punctur-
inc its bottom, and the water was making
its way inside. Now the excitement be,
| gan. Now fear began to picture its sad
traces upon those just now happy counte.
nances, Now the tender and timid ladies
called upon their protectors for that assis-
lance and delivery which, painful to say,
| they were unable to afford. Momentarily
the danger became greater, and momenta
riy the excitement of those on board as
we'll as those on shore, became more in.
tense. 1t seems that deliverance would
have come and that the boat would prob.
ABLY have been pushed of: and run near
enough the shore for many, if not all, to
have escaped, had it not been that those
who stood at each end "a white man and
a negro) with their poles, laboring with
all their power, showed each in the same
direction, shus mutually destroying the eff.
fects of their efforts.
Soon, in few minutes, she began to
sink Whsn this was seen, and the fact
that she could not be moved became too
apparent the scene became frightful in
| deed The widest excitement and fear
seemed to sieze every heart, and but few,
if any, were sufficiently collected TO enable
them to employ their efforts for rescue ad-
vantageous!y. In few moments more
she sank, when the scene may better be
imagined than described.
Piercing cries and shrieks and calls for
help from both those on shore and those
on the unfortunate boat filed the air
Sisters and brothers, parents and children,
relatives and friends whose hearts were
bound together by the nearest and dearest
of earthly ties, and animated by the warm
est and most tender affection, were there
some on the sinking boat, and some on
the shore. Oh, how rudely were those
confding hearts torn asunder, and rayished
with wild and aching grief.
The boat seems to have committed them
TO the bosom of the water, budding them
mainly in mass. The water is supposed
to have been twenty feet in depth Thus
thrown together, one cIinging to the other
with that grasp which belongs only to one
in a drowning condition. there was little
opportunity for the males in the company
to rescue the ladies' or even save them
selves. But a few, we have not been APP
prised Of the exact number, were saved Of
.h0ee on the boat