The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-19
THE FOG.

Tr0nblc on the Rtvcrs-ScrfOus Accident
on the Hoboken Ferry-awo Boats De-
molished-In tho Streets and Along the
Quays.
The fact is that New York is making q serious
effort to rival London for logs that last and annoy
people. But what makes 1t more serious in our
case Is that, while IN London the logs only en-
danger the safety of pedestrians and vehicles,
with US large proportion OF our day population
are obliged, for the purpose or reaching their
homes to cross rivers OF no mean magnitude,
and the consequences are fearful to contemplate
This fact was pretty clearly shown forth yesterday
in the collision Of two terryboats OF the Hoboken
line and the endangerng about 1000 lives.
The Hoboken ferry has long and disagreeable
road TO travel at all times, but when there is fog
difficulties are added a thousandfold Yesterday
morning the Chancellor Livingstone, plotted by
one ]. Z. Lester, had crossed to Hoboken safely
from this side and had in TACT, returned to
within few feet Of her slip. But these few
feet proved OF greater trouble than all the
rest OF the trip. The fog was dense, the
bells were ringing, out make his slip the pilot
could not He headed for the shore, and backed out
again, only to repeat the maneuvre once more.
Each time be came within q few feet of IT, but the
miss was as good as mile. This kind OF work
continued Tor some twenty minutes, to the great
annoyance OF the passengers and the rage and
crowd might have considered itself fortunate in
comparison with what was shortly to happen. 1t
appears that the pilot OF the Hoboken
time, taken his boat over to the other side,
ana, no doubt, considering the Livingstone had
OF passengers, had started for New YORK. Inc
HODOken therefore came on under full Roadway
S Sar p %5n saw the ns s casa
ing out. 1t was too late to reverse the
engines. The crash was inevitable, and the
ftuA ah Horp Nynn y2lox fntn
each other with o tremendous force. Any ferry
boat would have been badly shaken up BY the COLI
HOboken line are not the most secure III the
world. The immediate consequence was that the
Demolished, with good siice OF the s w 1Us
while the gentlemen's cabin OF the Hoboken was
knocked TO pieces, and the rudder was so smashed
the passengers was terrible. The Hoboxen was
crowded with passengers but they were mostly IN
crushed about the legs The result would
the collision been foreseen. on the Liv-
ingstOne there were few passengers, and these
were mainly IN the 'front.' cabin, SO that only two
ladies received Injuries which are pronounced
serlous-one, q servant girl returning from st.
Patricks bay festivities, was very badly bruised,
q bad scare and were knocked about pretty badly,
number being absolutely thrown TO the deck.
T T%SS SSsN aom s Ss
Is Gafd to make even in pleasant weather.
The fog was not responsible for any other acci-
dents Of any consequence On the East River the
boats steered clear OF each other, though the fog
morning and evening. was very dense. About
eleven O'Clock the log had settled on the water,
ana only objects at an altitude Of more than III.
teen feet could be seen. The little tugbOats
were In constant danger, and many narrowly es.
capped being run down. rnere was much delay IN
the departure OF the ferry5Oats.
In the streets the fog was also quite dense at
times, and at one portion OF the day Ooscured
the upper part OF Trinity and Grace church
steepies, and they looked as If they mad been cut
on In the middle and the top mysteriousy carried
away. Altogether 1t was very dsagreeable,
drizzly, murky, unsatisfactory, sickeningly warm
and foggy day, and fortunate were those who had
no occasion TO promenade the streets.