The New York herald., 1865-03-11

Alarming Ferryb0at Accident.
MARROW EscAPE OF OVER Five HUNDRED PAssEH-
GERs-c0LLIsIoN UPON COLLISION, ETC.
On Thursday at midnight an accident occurred 70 the
fenyboats plying between New York and Jersey City
which resulted In considerable damage property and
for nearly two hours placed the lives OF several hundred
passengers in imminent jeopardy About half past eleven
O'Clock the feryboat Newark about leaving Jersey
City, having board nearly five hundred passengers
from Washington and Philadelphia At the same time
the J. S. Darce, from New York. was drawing the
Jersey City landing The night exceedingly foggy,
and bells were ringing TO direct the to their
docks The Darcie had drawn up some two hundred
yards above the dock had shut OF steam, or
nearly But the Newark started with fair head Of
steam Neither steamer sounded its whistle in such
way TO attract more than ordinary attention 1t is
said, though on this point have been unable
70 obtain any decisive information, that the captains
OF both boats saw each other, but neither would give
cah the Newark vcsny On her por bow The
shock stove In the ladies' cabin OF the Newark and in
jured the guard and the machinery of the Darcie Both
vessels became locked together by the collision and oated
down the stream The CONSERVATION OF the passengers
board the boats was OF intense One person.
in his terror leaped out of tho Darce into the Newark
and in doing injured his leg.
Down the stream the two boats drftod, effort being
made send them stance though the crash OF the
collision plainly heard board another boat Of the
same line which was crossing the river at the time In
this way they aoated for mile Or mile and half
In their course they came upon the pilot boat Edwin
Blunt, which was lying head up stream. They struck
against this boat cutting away Of her stays
further down the river was the schooner Ed slade,
Captain NJ Drake, bound for Washington, laden with
hay The three vessels drfted with their united force
this schooner; but 1t upon the unfortunate
Newark alone that the most disastrous effects of the col
was stove IN bv the original accident The passengers
naturally rushed to the ladies' cabin the OTTER side of
the boat BY this renewed collision the bowsprt Of the
schooner forced through the ladies' cabin Of the
Newark also, smashing down the woodwork and com
petng the destruction which the ferryboat had began
The bowsprt Of the schooner was carried away by tho
shock and she otherwise injured All four vessels
then continued their helpless career down the river
Meanwhile the terror and dismay Of the passengers
board the ferry may easily he Imagined Shock after
Ashock had upon them, and they were utterly un
able 10 predicate what further ills might be in store or
what was the extent Of the injuries already
cevcd by the boats. There seemed to be no sone
in charge OF either boat capable Of arrestng their dan
dense fog they invisible on shore. Whistles were
blown but passed unregarded None Of the officials made
any further efforts to communicate with the shore, and
the passengers themselves had not shown energy
and presence Of mind. the vessels might have gone
drifting and colidng until they foundered with every
soul on board A young gentleman named Davis, from
Chicago with four five Others cut loose the boat Of
the pilot schooner and pulled into New York TO obtain
the assistance Of Mr. Woosey the superintendent OF the
company Mr.. Woolsey at once despatched steamer,
which brought OF the whole Of the passengers and they
the morning, cold and exhausted but thankful
to have escaped with their lives from the
tender merces OF the steamboat company In the mean
time they had colldcd against third schooner but with
serious result Considering the nature Of the acci-
dents and the extent Of the damage done boats is
marvellous that the passengers should have escaped with
out loss of life or limb That this the case is EVIL
IDENTIFY no fault Of the company. Besides the injury we
have named to the passenger who jumped from boat
to the other, two men employed at the Cunard dock,
Jersey City, said TO have been hurt No other casu
altics were reported.
The ferryboats were towed TO Jersey City, and
lie in the slips undergoing repairs The Newark will
be ready to put out again in few days. but il will be
longer before the Darcie again service The
schooner Ed Sade also taken to Jersey City for
pairs.
After perusng the above statement Of facts the public
perhaps will scarcely be surprised to hear that the officials
Of the company been very chary in giving any in
formation as tho accident Most Of the employees to
whom reporter appealed interposed a stod nm
posmu to all inquiries One individual believed to be
the captain Of OF the injured steamers asked
whereabouts the boats Mt the timc of the collision
He replied, "In the water" and turned upon his heel
But he ecpsed by another servant of the
pany who affected ignorance OF any accident having
occurred and inquired with air Of interest," Whether
it the railroadY The most communicative quail
fed their scany scraps OF information with
that the affair hardly worth mentioning and proba
bly, II Is considered by company who could thus
rccklcgsy the lives of human beings