The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-16
DISASTER.
The Collision at Fulton Ferry, New


York.
The dispatches TO THE EVENING TELEGRAPH
on Saturday announced the occurrence and
many ofthe details of the fearful collision at
Fulton Ferry, New York, by which a number of
persons were killed outright and twenty-four
seriously, some fatally, injured. The following
testimony at the Coroner's investigation indi-
Gates that the dreadful calamity was the result
OF careessness:-
George w. Broach, who was witness to the
occurrence, makes the following statemeut:-
About 7S O'Clock this morning went on board
the Union ferry boat, at the Fulton Ferry, New
York side, for the purpose of coming to Brook
lyn; wien got on board the boat went to the
front, where there were about dozen persons
standing beside myself shortly after got there
! saw The other boat, which / believe was the
Hamilton, coming from Brooklyn towards the
slip; the boat on which was was in the slip
nearest the South Ferry, and the coming in boat
would naturally take the slip on the other side;
when ! first saw her she was about two hundred
feet on, aud was headed directly for the boat
on which / was standing; she WAS crowded
with passengers, so much so that her forward
part was depressed considerably below the
usual level; she kept advancing in the straight
line towards the boat on which i was until Size
came so near that I saw that a collision was
inevitable, and with the others who were stand
ing on front of the boat l stepped back some
PAGES to avoid the shock. At the same time
the pass engers on the approaching boat were
seized with panic and attempted to get back
OuI VI lnc way, Dub SO great WAS IQ0 crOWu Oh
people and wagons behind them that they could
not move very far. In a few seconds, and
during the confusion or the victims trying to
save themselves, the approaching boat came up
to tie boat on which was with such force that
owing to the depressions of her forward part, she
rap under the guards, and, striking the under
bow, was yeered to one side. so that, with the
force at which she was moving, the forward
portion of the ladies' cabin was entirely torn
away. When the Hamilton ran under the
guards of the Union there were a number of
people wounded, and a number of ladies
state is, that while the Hamilton was approach
ing towards the slip at high rate of speed and
in such direction as made 1t apparent to every
one that collision must occur, there was not
the slightest perceptible diminution of her
speed, and, to me- the accident appeared as the
result OF the most reckless carelessness on the
part of the pilot in charge of the boat
Alfred Dorian testified that he resided at No.
33 Laurens street, Brooklyn; went on board the
Hamilton on Saturday morning, just as she was
about to start; the boat was very Gro wded, 80
much so that one gentleman refused to cross
and went ashore; saw nothing unusual until we
were about to enter the slip; saw propeller
which appeared to be lying in front of the mar.
ket slip; when we were in the middle of the
river the propeller was abreast of the ferry
slip; there was strong food tide running at the
time; have been daily crossing the ferry for the
past 20 years; saw nothing unusual on Saturday
morning: my Impression Is that the engine was
stopped as we were entering the slip; there was
strong eddy at the end of the pier which,
when 1t struck our boat, carried us down
towards the Union; heard two bells ring in
quick succession Just as our bow entered the
clip; / saw there would be a collision but |
supposed the boat would stop before she did, as
the engine was then backing; heard some one
on the upper deck call out for the passeng rs to
get back; ! looked up at the pllot-house and
saw the pilot, Mr.. Albertson. standing at the
wheel; afterwards / heard the crash and the
women screaming; saw the boy lying on the
deck, with rail lying across his body; took
II off and found he was dead.