The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-15
DISASTER ON The EAST RIVER.
Collision Restween Two Fulton
Ferry Boats.
FATAL AND SERIOUS CASUALTIES.
Two Persons Killed and Thirty
Wounded.
Excitement in New York and
Brooklyn.
.--~>->>--~~~--~--~--
Statements Of Passengers, the Pilots
and Officers Of the Ferry Company.
ARREST OF the PILOT AND DECK HANDS
The COrOner's Inquest to be Held
To-Day.
Names Of the Dead and
Injured.
Excitement in New York and
Brooklyn.
Statements Of Passengers, the Pilots
and Officers Of the Ferry Company.
ARREST OF the PILOT AND DECK HANDS
The C0r0ner's Inquest to be Held
To-Day.
Names Of the Dead and
Injured.


One Of those accidents which people seem to ex-
pect, but when they do excite the public mind
and create q profound sensation In the community
occurred yesterday morning at the Fulton ferry.
However confident people may have felt that the
skill displayed by the pilots Of this ferry in lodging
passing vessels and escaping flying steamers would
secure passengers from the hazard OF collision,
was certainly felt yesterday morning when the news
,2t Ire disaster at the ferry spread ike wiIdare
through the lower part Of this city and in BROOKLYN
that the terrible occurrence which 1t is our mean-
chOly duty to record this morning was natural
consequence OF the mismanagement of the Fulton
Ferry Company. The investigation into the circum-
stances OF the accident will show whether this idea
was well or Ill founded. When 1t became known
In the city that the Hamilton ferryboat ran into the
Union at the ferry landing and that number OF per-.
sons were killed and wounded, the widest excite
Ment prevailed The people were prey to the most
extravagant rumors. 1t was stated by that the
Hamtons boilers had exploded, and it was asserted
by others that both vessels had sunk In the river
with all on board. The circumstance that the acct
dent occurred in the early morning, when people
usually throng the ferries on their way 10 business
IN the city, helped the imaginative and lent ter
rors TO the highly wrought statements those who
happened to be present at the disaster and shared
the dangers Of the accident.
THE CASUALTY.
The facts Of the dreadful occurrence may be briefly
stated:-Shorty after halfpast seven O'Clock a. Nj.
she ferryboat Hamilton, laden with nearly a thou
sand passengers, was seen approaching the ferry
slip on the New York side. There was nothing I'M
usual in her appearance and she seemed TO be man.
aged with ordinary skill. The tide was at the hood
and II was therefore necessary that the man at the
wheel should make due allowances for the force Of
she current in cecting the detour from the tideway
into the protecting arms Of the Slip. When the boat
was in the actual OF the detour propeller tied
mp TO the next pier let 60 her lines and swung into
emo passage uu,vukm wIivn yuUal pass
70 her slip. At this critical moment the wheelman
appeared to lose all control over his actions and per-
mItted the Hamilton to run into the slip where the
Union lay moored. The result was most disas
trous. The Hamilton being heavily laden and ash
usual under such circumstances, being deeperat the
bow than at the after part ran under the bow OF the
Union and the consequence was that the guards,
kniQhthead and hood Of the former were carried
away ana the fore cabin Of the Hamilton, in which
were number Of ladies and gentlemen, was driven
In by the conclusion.
THE SCENE ON BOARD TUE HAMILTON.
The widest confusion now prevailed; women
screamed and tainted; number OF children were
throng. and several persons in frenzy OF alarm
Jumped overheard. In consequence OF the depres-
sion OF the Hamilton In hewater her bow ran low
under the Union and the numerous cases OF injury
TO the lower limbs OF passengers resulted from this
cause. George Brewer, boy OF seventeen years
who resided at Fifteenth street and Tenth avenue
Brooklyn and worked ut Monroc's printing estab-
Iishment william street, New York, was instantly
KILLED by q splinter which struck him in the neck
The body OF the unfortunate boy was afterwards
bruised oey91 ne RI with py large
ne carried In his hand he failed TO extricate himself
from the position in which he found himself when
the collision took place, and before he could jump
from the rad on which he was sitting death In an
awful form overlook him. The scene was at this
moment appalling. Men, women aud children were
crushed en- D,dsse. Shreks and groanss Sounded
high above the cries Of the deck hands; there
was frlghtrul rush backwards; the weak were
srong. and the facee Of all In the forward part OF the
boat wore that snas look wassq which the faces Of
ger In the mad rush offfnDxied people women and
children were knocked down and crushed under
foot and tho cries for mercy were unheard amid the
frghtful nproar To add TO the horror and CONFUSION
Of the scene, the h0r Of which there were many
few minutes sutilced to betray the extent OF the
calamity, but In those minutes VI terror the awful
picture WAS so heavily impressed on She minds OF
The spectators that years viii not eace II. The un
injured passengers quickly escaped TO the shore and
communicated the terror which possessed them 10
the awe-srickcn observers IN the slip. The excite
ment was intense. Mothers looking for their
children, lost in the desperate effort to escape from
thc front part or the boat. and friends sought for
friends in the moving and frenzed crowd.
At the time OF the accident the pilot OF the lIan
ton J.. W. Albertson, was quietly eating his break
fast in the front wbeehouse aud Atlantic White. a
deck hand had charge OF the wheel. The former
10th OF November. 1851 aud has served as pilot
since MAY 10, 1852 lie ne er had an accident nap
Yesterday. Tho man White has been licensed hy the
company rs an apprentice and relief TO the regular
pilot for the last two years. IN Will, however he the
duty OF the Coroner's jury To decide how far the
lives Of passengers may be entrusted by this aud
the Hamilton assert that had White when he first
perceived the propeller given the signal to reverse
the engine, the accident wouIi not have occurred.
THE EXCITEMENT ~ BROOKLYN
occasioned by the receipt OF the news OF this fright
ful accident, magnined and distorted by the widest
rumors, was OF the most intense description
those who were at the Terry the other side
awaiting transportation to their places OF bust
n %paenne 70 reach Inc scene Of the disaster and
learn its extent, crowding forward on the boats as
they were propelled thither aud strainng their eyes
10 catch the earliest Wow VI Its surroundings aud
results. In Brooklyn. each Individual bearing
tdings OF the occurrence rs he passed on his way
by a crowd OF anxious questIoners. who Piled him
with ipterroQatories respecting what he had seen
and heard; how the accident occurred; how many
where had they been taken, and a host 81 Ike IN
quires, forcing him or her to stand many times and
repeat every fact or inference In relation TO or
growing out OF the affair that would at ell help to
clear understanding OF it's particulars. AZ the
circle OF those possessed with knowledge OF
the disaster increased, and the Information
more or less correct, was carried further
into the city; the excitement spread, and the
intelligence reaching the households Of those whose
business called then, 10 New York about the time
Of the occurrence OF the accident, and who II was
possible might have been involved In It's serious con-
sequences, caused the utmost CONSERVATION. wives
whose husbands had left them but = SNORT time
PREVIOUSLY TO proceed 10 their stores offices OF other
places OF daily duty; mothers whose sons or daugh.
ssas were similarly absent; brothers, sisters and
m.onas equally exercised about the tate OF their
l0Neu ones. cxCitpd bax and M