The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-27
Safe Arrival Of the Vessel and All
Her Passengers.
WHO RAN HER ASHORE?
A Question of OHShore Pilotage
and Steamship Economy.
SCENES AT FIRE ISLAND.

speciai Train bearing the passengers OF the Idaho
from Babylon, where they had been landed, arrived
| at Hunters Point after mutifarious delays. The
train was expected TO start at nine O'Clock on q
run OF an hour and a hail, and 1t took five hours.
The emigrants were transported on freight cars
| which the superintendent OF the road obtained at
Hampstead, as he objected to allow his first class
cars to be used for the purpose OF carrying the
emgrants, as he stated he was afraid of after re.
suits.
THE SPECIAL TRAIN AT THE DEPOT.
| When the train reached the depot and the cars
containing the emgrants were unlocked the stencil
was dreadful, as in the hot cars the wet clothes OF
the people had dried, emitting searching, pun.
| gent steam, which chung to them. The passengers
| embarked on ferryboat which had been char
tered BY Williams Guion The confusion was
| frghtlu. Irish, English. German, French, Scandi-
navlan, they all mingled IN general mingling of
tongues Babylonian in It's variety. The embarking
on board the erryboat employed some twenty
minutes, and at halfpast two the Long Island City
started for Castle Garden.
Besides the emigrants on board the train there
had arrived Captain Denver. the Port Captain OF
the Williams Guion line, besides the purser, as
sistant, several minor officers and those OF the sea-
men who had helped the passengers ashore from
Fire Island to Babylon, and did not return in con-
sequence OF the vessel having got afoat again.
These had the emigrants In charge and took good
care OF them.
THE PASSAGE TO CASTLE GARDEN.
| The passengers crowded into the two cabins OF
the boat so that not seat nor space OF one foot
on the floors remained vacant. Those who could
not sit or lie stood up, and singulary unplea-
SAINT trip was taken to Castle Garden. The night,
which was at first beautifully clear soon darkened
and q thick fog covered the river and made lights
invisible a few yards away. The boat Rugged the
the Brooklyn shore, but finally navigation became
so perilous that it was forced to stop in mid
stream for fear OF a collision. This caused another
delay OF half an hour, when the fog lifted and
shortly after Castle Garden was reached. some
difficulty was experienced in landing the people,
as there was no slip at the Garden for the peculiar
shape OF the boat they were on to enter. Castle
Garden was reached at ten minutes to four A. M,
and it was not until hafpast four that all the pas
sengers were safely housed in the pig rotunda
where they quietly slept after their long series Of
dangerous experiences.
THE IpAHO's ARRIVAL.
The great ship about whose going aground all
this trouble had occurred had, as ALREADY pub
lished, been got or the sands at Fire Island on
Monday evening. She arrived at Quarantine In
tow OF tugboat at about three O'Clock A. NJ yes.
terday and anchored there. She was oarded at
an early hour by the Health Officer, who found
only some twenty-five steerage passengers TO visit
and speedily did his work. She then came up to
the city, still in charge OF her tug When passing
the Battery she looked very dirty and leaning per-
ceptibly to one side giving her the appearance OF
having lad her cargo shifted. Curiously, 1t seemed
as II series Of msiortunes were to happen to the
vessel for going in to her dock the wind struck
her broadside and she grounded on mud bank
some feet from the dock. It was only when the
tide rose that she was got up to her pier. The re-
mainder OF the Storage passengers were then dis
embarked mediately and taken to Castle
Garaen. After landing, Captain Moore, OF the
| Idaho, had private interview with Mr.. Williams,
Of the line, which was neither long nor pleasant.
the cause OF the disaster at Fire Island. and
neither the first oificer. Mr. Lascees nor the
second o1icer, Mr.. Lawson, would give any tn10r-
WHAT THE CAPTAIN SAYS.
The captain says that at haf-past seven yester-
day morning ne was standing on the deck OF his
vessel when the fog began to grow thicker and
ing sighted land and knew that he was near IT, but
in consequence or some error In calculation or
s nea IN %as %
that for hours before he could not see land and
was going ahead. me vessel struck about eight
water. The first consideration after the vessel
struck WAS TO transfer the passengers, which was
calm. Had there been heavy sea on it is doubt
full II this could have been done. 1t was not until
proved to be successful. she was shortly alter an
chored until the fog lifted. Her course was then
Sss mo- n she o e sses a S s eae
water Whatever in consequence OF the accident,
CAPTAIN pewer sSs PoG before
| alluded to, stated to HERALD reporter that it
was very fortunate that the vessel went ashore
on the sand at high water It is probable she never
would have got OF, as in that vicinity there were
gone down she would have sunk and nave re-
manned stuck. Being low tide when she struck
Captain Denver was present when the passengers
were brought ashore at BABYLON. They were quiet
| and composed all along and made no outcry what
! ever about having to leave the Idaho.
THE CABIN PASSENGERS.
The cabin passengers, in every case but one, had
Surf Hotel, on the beach at Fire Island. The steer
age passengers were cordially and humanity
who did not nave articles Of clothing were fur
nished with them out OF kindness and charity.
thing that could be obtained on the mainland in
fact the poor Sailors who had been exciting them
selves TO- save everything ana everybody ~, noDdy
ever, as they had been kept back until the pas
sengers had got through.
across in the surf, while 1t was not devoid OF all
danger, was accomplished without any fear being
Bile exhibition OF courage under the circumstances
and one which had not been expected. The cabin
one VINO remained on board did SO TO take care Of
THE STORY OF THE LOOKOUT"
One Of the sailors named TwtllertOn, who was
| the lookout ahead when the accident happened,
told the reporter that when the vessel struck he
| could not see the shore, and had no idea that he
| was near 1t. He said he could not see bis hand
ahead OF him, the log was so dense. he under.
stood the vessel was in charge OF the Captain when
] she struck and not In charge Of the plot, though
| the pilot was on board
| Another sailor stated that he was Of opinion at
I the time that they were huggfng the shore too
! closely, and that the Captain should have Kept
further away as mere matter OF safety There
Il IN re
WHO WAS RESPONSIBILITY
On this point the whole responsibility OF the dis
aster seems to rest. IL Is agreed by all that at
the time OF the accident the pilot was on board,
but she was not IN charge OF the pilot, but Of the
Captain.
| PILOT COMMISSIONER BLUNTs OPINION.
Pilot Commissioner Blunt has laid down the fol.
| lowing rules concerning this point:-