The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-16
SEEKING SUNDAY COMFORT.
TEr RrSH FEOM THE CRY TO THE SEA
BEICYLS IND JP IIfE HUDSON

landing with Danger and Dtnculty mt the
Lang Urnnch pier-Cour Island aud Rock
away several ENcursIou. Marred by
Drunk cnncss and FtEhtina-A Collisiou.
The steamer Empire State carried 400 OK
cursion ,ts down to the now Long Brunch pier
Yesterday. She steamed away from Pier 1.
North River at quarter before 10 O'Clock. aud
slowed NJ a few hundred yards this side OF tho
INCOMPLETE. fragile-lookiug structure at sharp
noon Here 1t was learned from the Captain OF
the tux America TINT the wutcr was not deep
enough NJ the bier TO allow so large steamboat
10 run ia alongside. Capt. Phillips. therefore.
resolved to lay the Empire State across the end
OF the pier. The tide was setting slowly north
ward along tho shore. and "a light sailing breeze
was blowing in the same direction. Swells lust
large enough to make pleasant surf for
timid bathers were rollins in 10 tho shore.
Atownc was thrown out to the tug. and then
the Emuire State moved slowly forward against
The tide until she lay opposite the pier. about
aOO feet from it. Tho tug took position in
readiness to draw her outward and forward
bu; allowed the towlne to dip under water.
Very slowly the larger vessel began to bo
washed inward by the swells toward the end OF
Ihe pier. broadside on. 1t was nearly twenty
minutes before she had drifted to within fity
l,et Of II. Lines were then thrown out to the
pier from bow aud stern. They were carried
about 100 feet back before they were made fast.
These were to prevent her from swinging. Two
other ropes were thrown out from near amid
ships. and by five minutes past l o'clock she
WAS safely moorei. During the last ten min
utcs Of the operation the towline to the tug was
kept taut. In front OF tho pier at each cornor
was group OF live yielding piles driven deep
into the sand and chained together at the top.
They stood about two feet from the iron pier.
and against them the Empire State scratched
her gunwale harmlessly While she had been
lying nity or hundred feet out the swell was
hardly noticeable to those on board. but at tho
End Of the pier the water was shallower. and
Ihe swes were in consequence sharper. Had
hc vessel been lying alongside the pier these
Iwels would have given her only slight pitch
lne motion. As 1t was. they caused her 10 roll
tadly. The pier. when completed. will extend
t0O f'ct further into deep water.
a thousand persons had gathered along the
tiuG 10 watch The process OF landing. A IA
yored few hundred were allowed to come out as
far ns the middle OF the pier. but only those
connected with the work were allowed to como
10 the end. Exceptions to this rule were made
in the cases OF Mr.. Warren Leland Of the Ocean
Hotel opposite. and Of ex-Coector Thomas
Murphy.
The top Of the Empire States starboard boiler
was about even with the pier and over this
boiler Captain Phillips prepared to send his
passengers ashore. Men women. and children
climbed up narrow ladder to the hurricane
deck and hlackencd the stnrboard side ofthe ves-
sci amdships. The chasm between the planks
o. the pier and the boiler was about eight feet
wide. The boiler rose and fell usually about
two feet Sometimes the vessel careened until
the top Of the boiler was eight or ten feet lower
than the pier. light gancplank. less than
four feet wido and about twelve feet long was
brought W and swung across the chasm. The
outer eud was not allowed 10 rest on the pier
but WAS suspended a few inches above the
plauks. IN such "A manner that person crossing
over II would have 10 stoop and 70 through the
stirrup-shaped loop OF rope attached TO each
corner. THIS "nd oi the plank was quite Tree to
lowed 90 rest on the outer curve OF the boilers
top. Iw. h1atmen held ropes attached TO each
corner, There were no hand rails. aud Mt first
hoatmen who held the ropes the Captain and
Ihe first onlrer placed themselves. The
hrst oflirer took the tickets. and the Captain
told venturesome passengers when 20 run. In
crossing. his safety was in his speed. The big
vessel would lean lazy toward the pier; and the
outer end Of the plank would extend two or
Now. them" CAPT Phillips calculated.
An ugll" young man. having previously de-
posted one-half Of his excursion ticket in the
hands ~ the first officer. darted across. No one
followed him Immediately. Slowly the steam
boat rolled back again. The slant Of the plank
was reversed and the suspended end was
drawn two feet out from the edge Of the pier
murmured on" arose from the thronR
When the vessel careened again, however, three
young men ran over the plank IN quick sue
crsslon. The movable end WIS held from sway
lhs sldewiso boy men on the pier. This encour-
aged others. and in the course Of fifteen minutes
nearly hlty men had crossed. Then young
woman. wearing a striped dress and white
straw bonnet. was seen darting acroes the mar
row pShk. As she bent her head and sprang
thtoush the rope sing on 70 the nrin umDers.
her hrnNery was greeted with cheers. Not
long qiterward two young women ran across
one c - behind the other. Men and boys
began to follow each other across In strings OF
Nv" or six at a time. Occasionally the last two
or three oi such party would be too late and
would have to retreat. and sometimes one
Would not arrive at the other end OF the gang
plank until II mad been drawn out over the
water. In such case he would either be pulled
on TO- the pier by those standing at its edge. or
else he would ssiZ" the rope with both hands
vessel again careeu,d and no was projected
over on 10 n" pier. Among those who crossed
wac an elderly man. his wife heavy, feshy
woman oi about 81, ana little girl The wo;
hon WINS in grrnt fright. She said she would
-, r"ma.n ~ the hqut for anything. She ap;
ptnrea think that tho boat was in peril and
ihht y was necessary 70 cross the plank 70 save
ler llfc Altogether about $50 persons. includ-
,hs "hout a dozen women and children. were
Tho EHpre State had been advertised to re-
turn from the pier al "a T. NJ. but as the oper-
alton OF landing progressed the swels began TO
III rouse 30, siZH. ana Capt Phlllips warned all
wh9 wanted 10 return 10 New York in her not
70 80 gauprf. Finally succession OF very
iiehyy swrlis CAUSED the boat 10 roll until her
b1lier ros" ana fell ten or twelve feet each
t'r Abut the gangpinnk was taken IN, and
no moro persons were landed. n attempt to
use .heNyy twenty-feet gangpank WAS made
bul y proved 10 he too uuwleldly. While the
smaller gangplnnk was ia use. at Ithe suggestion
ol passenger. hRnd ropes were extended from
tue pier 10 the vessel They were tied to the
Sides 'ol the rope sling. and there other ends
were held by bOntmen who stood on the boiler.
and held them as ttut us possible. Many OF the
Passengers questioned whether the presence OF
these ropes did not make the passage over the
Enngpauk more perious than II was bet0reI
The Empire state moved away from the pier
at Ia T. NJ. and uiter nm almless iucursion in
the smooth waters inside Of Sandy Hook.
brought her 2jU rrmaluIu Iug passengers to New
York. arriving Al Pier %. North River. at So
O'Clock. Dinner WAS served on board
With every train which ran into Coney Island
yesterday "A regiment walked up through the
gates Of tho railway stations
Al both Brighton and Manhattan Beach the
new music stands. which are being constructed
on acoustic principles. are unfinished. aud yes
teriay the bands played on The pazzas OF the
hotels. Levy viii play az tho Manhattan during
m summer Ht an advance OF 500 a week over
his SALARY ~ $3.50 last season at tho Brighton.
About 800 men, women, and children went
on the annual excursion Of ST. PAtrck's ALI
au'o Of America. The UlaL contemplated a
lnrge steamer ana three barges. The steamer
uhd first barge were TO start from East Sixty
ir,t street NJ o'clock A. NJ, and land at East