The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-04
The City of Hartford Runs
Down a Scow.
FOUR LIVES LOST.
Statements Of the Captains OF
the Steamer and ScoW.
DETAILS OF THE CALAMITY.

pathy was expressed for the father whose heart
bled for the loss OF mis- four children. He was but
q poor, ignorant Portuguese sailor captain OF q
small scow which had been run into by the City OF
Hartford that morning. rhe collision had de-
stroyed all his furniture and clothing the barge
had killed four OF his six children had brought hts
wife to the verge Of death and ne was almost
crazy with grief. In few brief seconds how
completely had life changed all its colors to him.
now IT OCCURRED.
The collision, as all eyewitnesses agree, oc-
Cured at quarterpast eight O'Clock IN the morn
ing. The accounts as TO the causes or the acci-
dent differ. The City OF Hartford was trying to
make her landing, as usual, at pier No. "a. Being
caught IN a strong current she passed che Brook
lyn Bridge pier. The cap TAM William Miner, saw
that she had passed her landing place. Her helm
was put hard to STAFFORD, the captain expecting
to run astern OF the Hamilton Fish, which was
lying at pier No. %. Unfortunately the scow used
as ballast barg, for the Hamilton Fish lay along
side canal boat, which separated her from
tho Hamilton Fish, the scow being the
outside and facing the stern or the
City OF Hartford. Captain Miner. seeing thar he
had come in dangerous proximity TO the scow.
rang the bell TO back but, driven by the excep-
tionalJ strong wind and tide, the large steamer
still went ahead, and Captain Miner then rang
the signal bell to shack hard" Alas, 1t was TOO
late The huge craft-huge in comparison with
the tiny barge that lay helpless before hsr-bore
relentlessy down upon The acow, upon which
| were eight precious hves
i THE CALAMITY.
| The enect was instantaneous. Scarcely had the
! steamer struck tho scow In the side ere the water
/ burst through The breach aud the barge was COM
/ pletey overturned. second before the captain
or the barge had stood on the deck engaged
in his usual duties. He had jumped upon
the canal boat to save his life, hts
vile was hclplessy struggling IN the
water and there were four OF his children in
the cabin drowning. Captain COSTA that Is the
poor mans name-behaved with great SefposseS-
sion. Seeing the steamer bear down upon his
boat. he Instantly comprenended the danger. His
nrst thought was to save his wife and children,
who were the cabin. He plunged into the
cabin, seized his wife, lifted ner 70 the deck but it
was too late to save the children. The boat was
capslzed. lie leaped upon the canal boat, while
his wife slipped from MS erssp and iel into the
river. As the barge turned over the helpless
father cried out As the captain OF the city OF
Hartford testifes-" on my children ~ WHAT q
world of anguish must have been crowded into
COMING TO THE RESCUE
What human aid could do 10 save life and TO
stay sacrifice was done. The steward and several
men on lie pilot boat James Gordon Bennett WIT
messed the distressing accident They jumped
into o small boat 10 save Mrs. Costa. She was Ill
ana sadly IN need Of me gent,ess care and me
at least Tor q while; for, although she had recov-
ered from the SHOCK yesterday afternoon, her life
SEARCHING FOR THE CHILDREN
The most trying moment TO the fathers heart
GORDON Bennett was taking care OF Mrs. Costa and
trying TO revive ner mo woman's tender hand
nment With brandy and other stlnulants, whlle
Captain Costa was frantically mourning the loss
OF his children, Captain Williams, Of the OAK
street police station. mad been sent for, and he,
with the AID OF several policemen and others,
commenced searching Tor the cnudren. IL took
fully twenty minutes before . hole could be cut Ia
the bottom or the scow, when u was found thar
and thus the WORK nad TO oe done over again AT
last another hole was cut-the father trembling
oil the lime lest BY some miracle llle might not be
quite extinct in his dear ones. (How iondly We
cling TO straw In our sorrowD
Several or the men plunged their arms through
the aperture. TheY felt q woman's dress, which
was enlangled in several pieces o. furniture.
After cBair and table nad been brought iorth,
the BODY OF the eldest cnio, o blooming girl OF
sixteen, was pulled up. She was completely
dressed out the sleeves OF ner irock we're rolled
up as though some domestic task had engaged
her when the collision occurred Her arms were
raj. ed and bent over ner nead the inference beIng
that death came upon her as she was struggling
poor thing-to force her way out. Her name was
Bei.o aud the father looked at her with an ex-
preston that would nave moved a heart OF
stone. And soon the other three were olsen
tangled; Julia, glrl OF seveui Teresa Of three.
ali dead At the sight OF the lsst named the
lather. who had with great difficulty been re
strained from clasplug The li1eless form OF his
seven-y ear-old daughter IN his trembling arms,
was completely overcome. 1t must oe added that
had BEEN saved. George was on the deck OF
the scow, aud being warned OF the danger Jumped
u.on tue coal boat, ana Michael was some other
DIsPosIEd OF THE BODIES
The bodies were promptly removed to the Oak
street police station, brother ana sisters being
laid sloe by side. and the father, who seemed
speeches. ana senseless With grie, followed the
wagon. AZ the police stauon the bodies were
LAID Out The children were undoubtedly remark
noy ane - g0ns O. PSysSIs round
well rounded limbs, which attested tner
strength while living. The faces, wiin
preston. II tneY had been ricn mans children
what luss there would Lave been 10 deck them
out beautifully In the cerements Of death; but
there they lay on the cold rough stone Just as they
had been rescued Perhaps some sensitive Lady
among the upper ten thousand might have been
shocked at the conversation wnicn eusned Ia tue
Police Captains room between Captain Williams
"Hava you money 70 bury your children" the
Captain asked.
lie sOoog his head. II have not got cent"
"wel, are you willing that they shall be re-
moved 70 the MorgueY
he WINGED. "if can take them out again. he
finally said, when pressed for an answer, "wnen
nave procured the money to bury them, 1 Rrn.n
voice. And turning TO tue Sergeant In TIE other
roon, ne shouted, sergeant call tne dead
ACTION OF THE CORONER.
At quarter past eleven O'c.ock Coroner VOLT
W MIn pepsty oeroaer cSsnman ury Sas en-
paneAea, who viewed the bodies Guu tnen M.
luurEcu, as tue Inquest u 70 be A0ld on some
future day when Captain Miner Is at liberty 10
attend. Inc latter aad the pot Of the Clty OF |
Hartford, MIR. Strickland, had meanwhile Deea ar.
rested as being respOnslUle-Or presumably re.
sponslole-Dy toe 0rGer or the Coroner, wac con. |
Guided 70 Rold them In $4,000 BAL, which was
furnished Dy Giles Wrlgnt merchant, or NO. Az
pooR slip, wno resides at No. 100 DIVISION avenue,
Brooklyn.
In answer 10 the question whether ne thought
ne was 10 blame, Captain Miner SAID, Certainly
not and that X he were now IA the same situA-
tion he could not act Inherently Tnere was no
crash at the collision, he ADDED, scarcely more
tnln she sound OF slght CRACK, ana " the scOw
hau nau been q sound crafsV the steamer would
have only cns little hoe IN her slice, Captain
Miner expressed hls regret at the loss or lie, say
ing, at the same lime, That II lhe steamer h.d cut
the scow 10 TWO the children or Captain Costa
might yet DO alive, and tna. II was toe capsiZlng
which rendered the COLLISION so fataL Captain
Miner 10 q rospeelanle lo0slng man, with DARK