Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-02-04
THE REGENTS PARK DISASTER
Twenty Skaters Drowned in Lon
don-Terrible Scenes.

The London Tunes ot January 10 mas
full particulars ofthe accident in Regents
Park, by which twenty skaters were
drowned. The Times says:
On that part of the ornamental water
in the Regents Park, Immediately oppo-
site Sussex Terrace, which is the broad
est, several thousand persons had been
skating during the forenoon without any
accident taking place, although the ice
was looked upon by the experienced ice
men on duty as very unsafe, from its
being principally snow ice. About half
past three CLOCK in the afternoon there
were near the same spot about five hun
dred skaters, among whom were many
ladies, there being at the same time on
the bank from two to three thousand
spectators Suddenly, and without any
warning, the ice at the sides of the bank
loosened, and was drawn from the edge.
Within q minute the whole sheet of the
ice over the full width of the lake gave
way, and split into fragments of few
yards square,
The CONSERVATION and alarm of the
skaters and other persons on the ice may
be we'll imagined, and general rush was
made for the banks. Unfortunately this
broke up the soft ice into still smaller
pieces. Numbers Of persons fell through
the crevices into the water, which IS at
least twelve feet deep, and several ap-
reared at once to be sucked under the
ice. At least two hundred persons were
struggling in the water and screaming
for help. A few, with great presence Of
mind, threw themselves fiat upon the
surface of the pieces of ice, and thus
we're not only instrumental in saving the
lives of many of those in the water, but
preserved their own until assistance
came to them. The screams of those
struggling and sinking in the'water, and
the shouts of the people on the banks,
added to the horror of the scene.
The icemen, of whom the full number
we're on duty, did all that it was possible
to do under the circumstances, and three
of them narrowly escaped from drown
ing, having, when in the water, help.
ing the people cut, been seized
by others who were drowning, and
pulled uHder the ice Several of the
park-keepers and spectators rendered all
possible aid, and more than one hundred
persons, within few minutes OF the ac-
oident, were got on shore, the greater
number of whom were so much exhausted
that they had to be taken to the Humane
Soeiety's tent, and placed under medical
treatment. While this was going on,
several people were in the water in the
middle Of the lake, and whom it was i'm
possible for the icemen to reach, the lad
ders and boats being rendered almost
useless owing to the state Of the ice, were
seen to sink back exhausted, evidently
benumbed with cold, after vainly endeav-
oring to support themselves by elgtching
at the rotten ice, which crumbled away
in their grasp.
What made the scene the more dread
full was that the female relatives Of many
of those who fell into the water saw their
struggles from the bank without the pos
sibility of saving them, One lady saw
her husband sink and lose his life, while
two sisters were sending forth piercing
screams, and calling on the people to
save their brother. He was drowned,
and the two ladies were taken away in
the most pitiable state, and sent to their
home in q cab. Shortly after four
o'clock a strong body Of the ID division
of police, and an additional number of
icemen from Hyde Park, arrived, but too
late IN render any aid except in getting
ont The bodies of those drowned, all the
persons alive having by this time been
rescued and taken to the tent some had
suffered simply from the immersion and
fright, but forty we're lying more or less
exhausted.
As soon as the ice was cleared body
of icemen and laborers, with great dlfh-
Guilty, got out the boats to that portion
OF The water where it was known several
nersons had sunk. Before dusk seven
bodies had been recovered but 1t was
known that there we're many more under
the ice. These will not be dragged ior
until this morning, as it is quite certain.
life must be extinct. Itis the opinion OF
the ieemen who witnessed the accident
that there are at least twenty persons
drowned. The bodies, as they were
brought one by one to the shore, we're
take5 10 the tent and their pockets
searched for the means Of Identification,
bpt in no case was this successful One
bo5v was that Of a gentleman aged
ibirtv The others we're those Of young
men. apparently in the middle class Of
life. from eighteen to twenty years Of
ace All the bodies when recovered had
skates upon their feet
Nanv instances Of individual CALAMITY
took place. One man, at the most I'm
minent risk, plunged in and brought
several children safely ont a gentle