The Portland daily press., 1867-01-29

The Regemrs Park Skating Disaster.
The London Times, of Jan. 16, has full par
ticulars of the accident in Regents Park by
which twenty skaters were drowned. The
Times says:
On that part the Ornamental Water in the
Regents Park Immediately opposiCe sussex ter-
race several thousand persons mad Deen skating
during the forenoon without any accident tax
inc Mace. although the ice was looked upon by
the 2 xnerienced icemen on duty as very unsafe
from is being principally snow ice. About
half past 3 o'clock in the afternoon there were
near the same spot about five hundred skaters,
among whom were many ladies. Suddenly,
and without any warning, the ice at the sides
OF the BANK became lOosened, and was drawn
from the edge. Within a minute the whole
sheet OF the ice over the whole width of the lake
gave way and split into fragments of few
yards square. lt = :
Numbers of persons fell through the crevices
INTO the water, which is at least twelve feet
ueep, ana several appeared at once 10 be suck
ed under the ice. At least two hundred per-
sons were struggling in the water, and scream.
ing Tor help. A few, with great presence OF
mind, threw themselves fiat upon the surface OF
the pieces of ice, and were thus not only lnstru-
mental in saving the lives of many OF those IN
the water, but preserved their own uhtii assist
ance came to them. The screams OF those
struggling and sinking in the wafer, ana tne
shouts of the people on the banks added to the
horror of the scene. ....
The icemen, the park-keepers and spectators
rendered all possible aid, and more than 100
persons within a few minutes of the accident
were got shore. While this was going on
several persons who were in the water in the
middle Of the lake, and whom it was impossi-
BILE for the ieemen to reach, the ladders and
boats being rendered almost useless, owing to
the state of the ice, were seen to sinh hocL ov
hausted, evidently benumbed with cold. after
| vainly endeavoring to support Themselves nv
| clutching at the rotten ice, which crumblea
away in their grasp. - =
what made the scene the more dreadful was
INA snat .ne female relatives of many of those who
tell into the water saw there struggles from the
DanK without the possibility Of saving them
One lady saw her husband sink and lose his
| nIe, while two sisters were sending forth pierc.
| ing screams and calling ON the people to save
their prother He was drowned, and the two
state. .. lU
| AS soon as the ice was cleared body of ice.
men and laborers, with great difficulty, got out
the boats TO that portion of the water
where 1t was known several persons had sunk
Before dusk seven bodies had been recovered
but it was known that there were many NOR;
under the ice. 1t is the opinion of the icemer
who witnessed the accident that there are a
least twenty persons drowned.
Many instances of individual gallantry tool
place. One man, at the most imminent risk
plunged in and brought several childyen safely
out. A gentleman who broke through near tn,
southwestern shore, fell so that his head ans
chest rested on a large block Of ice, while hi
feet were in the water. There he lay smokin,
his pipe for a long time, while the boats wer
further out picking up as fast as possible thos
in worse position. He began, however, to re
alize his position, and, removing his pipe from
his mouth, he called ont: ESQ to any one VIII
will fetch me Outp Several abortive attempt
were made to reach him with ropes, poles AM
ladders Eventually man stripped to hi
shirt and trousers, and a rope having been fix
ed to his waist, he desperately fought his wa
the body, they were both dragged to land ami
tremendous cheers. ...
just as one of the boats approached suffer
er he sank, but young man in the boat plunp
ed after him into the water and brought hir
up. They were both got into the boat
A young man stood on solitary piece of ic
in the centre of the lake for an hour and hal
and was at last fetched off by man who reach
ed him in boat. All this time the excitemen
was kept up by the frequent sinking Of thos
who had lost all power to support themselves