The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-06-07
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Accident at the Newcastle Boat Race,
in England-Great Loss of Life-Fifty
Persons Drowned

in England-Great Loss Of Life-Fifty
Persons Drowned
From the Northern Daily Express, Eng.
1t is our painful duty to have to record
one of the most terrible catastrophes that
has ever occurred in the north. So far as has
been ascertained up to the time of going to
press, it is feared that at least fifty lives
the places on the banks of the river to the
east Of Newcastle, we've anxious to see the
great contest between Kelley and Chambers,
and they had come to Newcastle by steam
ers. All the passenger steamboats, plying
on the river belong to the Tyne General
Ferry Company. The landing stage at the
Quayside, Newcastle, is a large floating
keel, although. of course, it is as large as
some three or four keels. 1t is moored at
some distance from the edge of the quay
wall, and is reached by two gangways. The
north one is used by passengers leaving the
vessels, and for the goods traffic, and the
other is set apart for those persons who in
tend TO go down the river by the steamers
1t was the breaking of the latter which
caused this melancholy accident 1t was
about eighty feet in length and four in
bredth, spanning the space between the
quay and the landing stage. 1t was made
principally of iron, supported on two heavy
wooden beams, and was considered of suf-
ficient strength to bear, without risk, any
number of persons that might crowd upon
ie. Unfortunately this calculation has been
proved to be wrong. After the boat race
there was rush of people on to the gang
way that they might get the first steamer
H. ~ r,yo~ The hoo1 ofE al nj
the Tyne General Ferry Company made
what they deemed ample and safe arrange
ments for the extraordinary demands thus
made upon them. Several steamboats, were
moored alongside the stage, holding them
selves in readiness to receive their freight
of passengers according to the pre- arranged
order.
About twenty minutes to seven O. clock
one of the number had been filled, and or
ders were given for her leaving on her voy-
age and another coming next to the stage.
1t is said that in order to keep back the
crowd the sliding door between the gang
way and the landing stage was temporarily
closed. The gangway was at this time full
from end to end Some say it was packed,
and others appear to think that more per-
sons might have rushed on to it. One of
our reporters saw it shortly before the ac-
cident happened, and says it was literally
crammed at that time. Taking a very low
estimate, there must have been one hundred
waiting there for their turn to obtain tick
cts, and be conveyed, as they hoped, to
their homes and their friends. The delay
made them somewhat impatient. About a
quarter to seven the gangway yielded to
the great pressure, giving away without the
l., about ,rbtx, Got a. "a
landing stage The majoiity-in fact
nearly all-on the gangway, fell into the
river in one heap. 1t is likely that many
would be stunned by the fall, and would,
consequently, be unable to make any effort
to save themselves. Some of those who
were close to each end of the gangway
either kept themselves, or were kept by
others, from being precipitated into the
water. The confined space in which the
catastrophe occurred was greatly against
even those who were strong and able to
swim.
The drowning persons laid hold Of each
other in their vain struggles to save them
selves, and in this way their chances OF es-
cape were greatly lessened. Some made for
the dropping ends of the gangway, and a
few were rescued in this way. Others chung
bSudClOuSly W DpdtS duu OtueT
lying near the scene, until assistance could
be rendered them. The excitement on shore
was such as to exceed The power Of words
to describe. Nor were there wanting he
roic and self denying efforts to rescue the
drowning men and women. In several
cases men sprang into the river and sue
ceeded in saving not few. Small boats
were also brought into requisition, and they
were the means of saving some twenty five
persons. Some men on the stage handed
over an oar to drowning man, which he
got hold of; but others chung to him,
and the result was that all were lost Ore
woman was saved by man who jumped
into the river, but we believe her infant
child persisted The tide was ebbing at the
time, and many persons were thus swept
under the stage and crafts lying at hand
1t is believed that about thirty persons were
got out of the water, and it is feared that
at least fifty were drowned but the real
numbers have no as yet been ascertained.
As the darkness closed around the sad
scene the excitement increased, and crowds
of persons were seen vending their way to
the spot eager to ascertain the facts of the
catastrophe for themselves. Great divers
lty of opini On exists as to the real number
of persons who were immersed, some calcu-
lating it at 200, and others placing it even
as low as IS.