New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-28

TCNtfE ESCAPE OF OfEh OOV fEOfLEs
During tho fog on Friday morning, the Will
liamsburgh fe,ry-boat Nebraska was sunk In the
East River, by collision with the ferry.boat Seneca,
of the Jsckson-street Ferry. Over 500 passengers
were on board the Nebraska at the time all Of whom
fortunately escaped watsry grave.
The disaster occurred in this wise: The Nebraska,
which left Williamsburgh at n o'clock, lay drifting
in the river, the pilot unable to find his way in the
fog, when the Seneca put out from the foot OF Jack
son street,
The pilo! Of tho Nebraska, named Balser, alias
" Ramrod," Notwithstanding his perilous position,
did not cause his alarm whistle to be sounded, al
though his boat lay directly in tho track of the jack
son street Ferry. The consequence Of this careless
ness was that the Seneca, which came along, blow
ing her whistle, was upon him before he knew it.
Passengers assert that they saw her when at some
distance before shc struck and that Balssr instead OF
moving out Of her way bawed out n bewildeTed man
n.r Stop that boa, Stop that boat % But Of course
then ste to check the Roadway Of the senec She
struck the Nsbks with great force just AFT the wheohouc.
crushing through the guards and making hole In her hull
causing her to sink in abou. 20 minutes.
A. might be supposed with such Of people on board
great cousterns,on created. Women shrleked and
trembsd with terror, and ran wildly 70 and fro; men,
strong men, equally affected and in tho scramble for
safety paid little regard to the weaker some OF them
even cried Ike children In of fear Bonuet hats and
dinner pals were thrown away abandoned and number
persons of their outer garments to be In ead
ness to plunge into the and themselves by swim
m ashore Others however, retained their 'epossession
did they could to preserve order and provide Tor the
Danger To dd TO tho confusion and dsnser the horses on tho
boat became Wild with ssght and plunged and kicked so
th,t their drivers with difficulty restrained them from dash
ing the crowd Of people, The alert Of the rs'sn
gers csbered upon the hurricane deck Of the boat out Of
their way the aud children were unable to
avail hsn.eve. this pce Of refuge. The pilot Of the
boat seeing the desperate plight In which he had placed
himself warned the people to get the uninjured aide Of
tn. keep her free from water possbio
pushed ahead for the shore and ssuaed to tho eyooa
Warren the irr TO his assistance lilo sue
eeeaed ia reschns the pier a. the foot Of Pike street.
where eventually tho Nebraska made fast, and the
passengers managed to escape by jumping upon the
pier eap.ns into the rigging Of contiguous vessels or
themselves 10 the deck Of the friendly Warren
which alongside and barge which was aso brought
into requston. Some few obliged In order to escape
leap into the but the msorty got ashore through
tao cabin windows which broken out, upon planks
thrust In by people the wharf SeTeEa women fell Into
the water but picked up by rowboa,' and saved
So far Learn one was Drowned although when
oUr informant jumped from the hurricane deck tho main
deck was waist deep water Had not been for tho prompt
assistance Of persons tho wharf, there must inevitably
have number Of lives los, Among the most sc,ivs In
re. ,uns women aud children were Mr.. scsnp. David
Osborne Of Brooklyn Mr. Henry Webb OF tho firm OF Ed'a
Webb ship carpenters, MI Frank Dosno foreman OF the
screw docks. and Capt Martin Babe Of tho Bremen ship
Neptune all Of whom d.ting themselves by their hu
name eIeons 10 ave tie vss Of tic numerous psson'
scra Mr. Web and tie Captain Of the Neptune. after
launching OF the Of iron c.hoa which they found
tho icr wen, and from tn. pier over thirty times on
occasion bIi asore numbsr Of Pssengefs Mr.
ag,r.o the boa, builder whose shop the place Of
landing aud number Of hs also launched c-boa.s
sud rendered valuabl. and timely ss'isiaues.
The horse, board loo.s ol thor web ee, and
believed safely cot ashore though Of IN.
orm,ut, that several Of tho lost, but hi. docs
no, appear 10 be confirmed.
The shore during the landing oths pss,ense
strange Some Of the and se,u.lly tainted
Of emotion Wills others mspsstsd their feeling.
In the most sn,rsssssnt When the Of tie
disaster reached WsG5ursh II spread like wilihre.
log the utmos, conformation In the families az those who
ksly to have been board Nor tho excitement
sSyed by the Wild report tia, hundred, Of lives
SO great the distress that many this relatives would
be sashed I'll they hsd to N-wYork AID assured
hsm.esss pesonaly o! the safety Of those In whom their
hsppneu was bound up.
the rief submerged the hurricane dec. Prepions are
being made to Ter with floating derrick and II IL
pee,cd size will soon be sAot,.
Th. the second time that this boa. has te,u .uuk by col
on w.lhn slI eight onihs and in both Instances. for
iunsely life he. been lost Ye, heavily gifted ,he
was, With team. snd Pa'en.crs IL sot miracle tia.
she did sink yesterday IN deep with all the pre-
eou- lives board Such calamity Is by inprob
abe 20, Gad that the Ferry Company have
any pecAuion AgABs H. The boats bui In
npsr,nens they no, furnished with e.rs neisher
have they cbosls ls th' instance solitary small
boa, lsahsd 10 the upper deck 90 lessy 70 bs worih
aud FOR sosht We know destitute OF there ,ho
highest provision made for the safety Of the multitude
pS"engern Such neglect Ia criminal 1t should DO made tho
Jet Of prompt action tie part Of the Jury and
five have not laws sufficiently stringent TO meet the ease.
then the Legislature a. s Present 'eiOn ought to make
them.