Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-24
The Detroit River Disaster,

RESULT OF CRIMINAL CARELESSNEsS
special dispatch from Detroit to the Cinc,n-
nan Co7fn,eYctdl gives further details OF the
frlg1tful disaster on the Detroit river. Ii says:
The accident was clearly the result OF blum
deIiug negligence or criminal carelesSneSs. A
passenger on the Garland says: The moon was
shining clearly, and 1t was almost as light as
day ! saw the Mamie coming long before we
met. Inc TWO steamers came closer and closer.
until we began to get uneasy. The Mamie gave
one short, shriil whistle witch was answered a
lew seconds later by the Garland by similar
signal. Then l heard the bell ring to stop the
Gariand's engine. The Mamie kept straight
ahead until she appeared to be only 50 or 60 feet
away, when heard some one on board shout,
b Hard a-port,' and then, instead OF passing by
on our starboard SIDE, the Mamie suddenly
swerved directly across our bow. There was q
terrible crunching, grinding sound as the bow of
the Garland struck the Mamie Just back of the
Wheelh0use and rode right over her amidShipS.
In second the wreck was half obscured.
Her bow was pressed down under the water
ana her stern tilted up above the surface.
FATHER BLTBNBURG'S STATEMENT.
II, IN an interview Father Blyenburg states that
Just prior TO the collision most OF the boys were
In the cabin. He was sitting with older men,
bers or the party, and they noticed the steamer
coming down the river. The Garland and the
Fortune, another steamer. seemed TO him NOT
very far apart, and coming very RAPIDLY ~ do
not know, he said; Il hardly dare assert it and
yet II seemed to me =" And the father made
a significant pause, as though he thought they
were racing. He went on to say that he did not
dream Of collision-in fact had just said to Miss
Dussean, who was sitting beside him, that it
was picturesque and eXhIlarat1ng sight to see
a steamer plow through the water on
such bright moonlight night. Then he saw
the Garland loom up larger, and instantly
OWNED With horror that a collision was mmi-
nen'. The Mamie whistled, and soon after the
Garland replied, but bore down directly on the
fragile yacht, crushing ii as lit had been an egg
Ste!l, fairly cutting it In two amidshipS. At the
moment he saw that collision was unavoidable
he shouted to his friends and the children to
come 10 the front, and some of them did SO.
Miss DuSSean followed him; and at the same
time he felt the boat give way beneath him.
and caught hold OF rope On the Garland The
young lady did the same. Somebody on board
the steamer pulled her aboard. and he climbed
the rope he had hold of, unaided. The four
boys who were saved crawled out Of the cabin
windows Of the yacht, and threw themselves
into the water. They were picked up by the
nfeboat OF the Garland, which was Immediately
lowered, but some who might have been saved
were, he fears, drowned by the swell or run
down by the Fortune, which plowed along very
soon after. This was not the fault OF the For
tune, as they seemed to suppose that the Gar
land people, who hailed them In alarm and
anxiety, were cheering them. The father did
not know how the accident could have occurred
at all, as 1t was such brilliant moonlight
night that the smallest object could be dis
cerned at great distance
In addition TO the names already sent In Ii has
been ascertained that the boy John GrenSel
was drowned. Search fails to find the wreck
OF the sunken yacht. No bodies have yet been
recovered. An investigation has been ordered
by the local board Of steamboat inspectors