The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-22
BENIGHTED ON THE HUDSON.


BOAT MEN.
'If we had not had an anchor we'd have driven on
the rocks and the whole 1900 women and helpless
children would have been drowned in the Hudson
River right fornenst own eyes"
'But how did it all come about, Mr. O'Connor7
You were on board the barges?"
81 was, sir-me and me boy and girl I'm the
father of family. and never drink nor dance when
I'm on an excursion. But take everything in and
nothing 20 on without me knowing all about it.
This was how IL was on Sunday. The John J. Cox
Association. from the Seventh ward, hired two
barges of Mr.. Briggs. of West street. and steamer
the Mary j. Finn tah she's darling to go) to take
and us other and our families to Excelsior Grove.
There was the Baldwin and the Republic at the foot
of Market street. and people came from every part
of the Thirteenth ward and the oud Seventh to line
the party. There were women with sick children,
consumptive girls and folks that don't get airing
like this only once in a WHILE
"Ah it the incest excursion that ever started~
regretfuly suggested Mr.. Cox. who stood by. "but
that bloated captain Of the tugboat put the kybosh
it. I'll have the law of the snoozer."
That's all right. Johnny; but who cut the tow
liner
How do you know it was cut9''
Never mind"
"Well, you see Mr.. Reporter. we went along swim.
starting from tue second landing, at the foot Of
Franklin street. to carry all the way but he went
back u.s."
EYES," continued Mr.. Cox, taking up the story,
"about four o'clock in tho afternoon, when we were
a mile or from the grove, the Baxter-that was
the mean little tug they gave instead Of the Mary
]. Finn-turned around without asking whether
were satisfied or not and began to put all steam
for New York. We hailed the captain and begged Of
him to come alongside. He paid attention to ua
whatever.
ApRfFT RIVER
"Then some OF the lads got mad, and the women
were especially angry. we want to go to the grove.
says one; won't go back to New York sayi
another. and while all this hubbub being made
some outsider cut the rope it parted with the
strain. There adrift In the Hudson.
Even the captain of the barge hailed and
signalled the tugboat to come to us. but
it use. The Baxter steaming
down to New York as fast as she could and the two
barges, with lot Of helpless people on board, were
rapidly drifting on the Jersey shore. Fortunately
both bargcs had anchors, which were dropped OPP
wrecked Ii once the barges grounded the women
and children would have become wild with fear.
rushed to side and undoubtedly capsized
the vessel. Lucky for US We had the anchors. II
is not often that barges carry them. Was there
crowd mad enough to have fixed anybody who
had left them in the lurch. did not feel very
ashore to the Palisade Mountain House and tele-
graphed twice to New York to Mr.. Briggs
for tugboat; but he did not send one.
the ,s'- Idewild. which had been making an up
river trip. and put Off to her. We asked the captain
to take the women and little children down to New
York, and offered him S75 to do so. But the truth
is he was afraid We had rough crowd on board and
refused. SO we had to spend the night on the Hud-
son, The women and little ones were slowed
away in the few cabins and on the lower
deck the side awnings to which were laced
dew. and all the men went up on the upper decks
and made themselves as comfortable as possible.
Did we have ANYTHING to eat or drink? Yes. There
was plenty. But there IL no use in talking it was
girls stood it fairly enough Didn't they Miss
Brady?" queried Mr.. Cox. of II rather detected and
tired looking young lady who had spent the night
Eyes, they did, johnny. But there was no fight
ing You ought to say SO in the papers,"
1.-THE long and the short Of the story Is Just this~
resumed Mr.. Cox; ait was an outrageous act on tha
part of the steamboat people. and well them
it. Why, sir, when the tugboat off to take US
to New York at half-past five O'Clock this morning
you a more used up lot of people in your
iife."
YES" said Mr.. Connors. ''some Of them. I'm
sure. will get the better of their exposure.
1 had not taken my own little girl ashore in the
steam launch. with that other sickly lady, and
brought them all by the train to Jersey City thnl
they would have died"
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY.
HERALD reporter visited Mr. Briggs Office on
West street and found there the agent othe1
steamboat people and Mr. Long. who had rented the
bar on the barges for that excursion. Mr.. Long and
Mr. Briggs were confident that there had been M
fghting on the boats: but Mr.. Briggs was positive
that the tow line had been cut by some rowdy. and
this being the case the Captain of the baxter
had acted according to instructions in leaving them
to anchor in the Hudson. Moreover. he added,
the contract had been violated by the excursionstS
themselves They had agreed to get away from
Franklin street pier ten A. NJ but they did not do
SO until o'clock; therefore it impossible to
get to Excelsior Grove which is above and opposite
Yonkers. in anything like seasonabe time. The
barges were abandoned, according to Mr. Briggs
statement. at Spuyten Duyve
Mr.. Atkins. the agent OF the barge Office, stated
that Captain Deyo, of the Baldwin, had been sur
rounded by roughs, who threatened to take away tho
money he had received for the excursion. He
much afraid that he would be attacked he locked
himself up In cabin. from which he did not emerge
until after the unruly excursionsts landed yesterday
morning. Mr.. Atkins likewise stated that some one
at the captain Of the Baxter, vowing that he
would shoot the skipper IL he ever got near enough
to him. This of the reasons for the Baxters
desertion. All these allegations stouty denied