New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-05
CRASHING INTO A SCHOONER


PART OF THE STEAMER BADLY DAMAGED
STATEMENTS or THE PAsSEN"Ehs-lih NA''AiN
,~D,.PosED TO TALK.
The Rockaway excursion steamer Twilight
IL coinc Gown the bay with about 400
.assenrcrs yesterday morning, ran into the
Phoo,or Norman, which was lying at anchor
g.bo BATTERY. The upper forward part of
a. steamboat was torn way, and several pas
so,,,ors were injured by the splintered TIM
~ There was great alarm and almost
r,nic among those on board. The passengers
- -. brought back to this city. and the Tw-
Rolf was towed to a drydock. The captain
.ag,sod 70 give any account Of the collision
~ 70 state the cause of it, Talks with sew
oyal Of the passengers are given below.
Thinning INTO 4 VESSEL AT ANCHOR.
III es,ape from death or severe injury OF large
-onor,,on OF the four hundred passengers on the
1,.aro,,at Twilight yesterdav morning. when she
-. Urth "A coll sion IN the bay, between Btdloes
Cd Governors Islands. considered by nearly
81 ON beard as miraculous. Ar Pier No. l. North
Dr. about four hundred persons. mostly in fami-
r. with well filled lunch baskets. went on board
% the steamboat to go to Rockaway. The
s+e.nsr lett the pier at 1920 a M,
"a headed for the Narrows The band
ond there the passengers naturally collected.
Tn. bqy was comparatively clear of shipping,
steauer or smiling vessel being anchored here and
,here bu, there were not many usual riding AT
anchor. Captain Martin was at the wheel and
while the passengers were either listening TO the
nusjc or planning TO make the day one of absolute
Measure they were startled by four rapid rings Of
the eug.ue-room gong. which signal to the
eneuear Or sop and reverse the engines.
The Signals were needed promptly and within
fifteen seconds Of the time thew gwen. but be-
fore the engines were reversed the jib-boom of
The schooner Norman, trom Keunebcck for NewYork
with a cargo of ice, which was lying at anchor,
came crashing through the starbOard bow Of the
steamer making q complete wreck of the forward
par OF tie boat where most of the passengers were
collected simultaneously with the crash the last
notes came from the band Instruments and tie mu-
sicaus scrambled for the hie-Dlescrvcrs, which
were slowed overhead
sCENEs oN TIE STEAMBOAT.
Tier followed the greatest excitement Hus-
band, c.a.ped their wives mothers their children,
and aH attempted 10 reach place Of safety as the
salrs instant. James Mcdowell one of the officers
ofthe .ar having received the assurance OF Captain
Mara llt the boat was not seri usly damaged
PUSHED from d.., 90 deck On communicate tlt mes
sage o. t-e passengers aEa H. qlell Tire panic "a
one. I.. turrc Was still considerable a.ar ID. The
musicals. we'll clad I'D ht,-prcs.rves, Hore the
frs tora,h ,ue alter pact oI tLe boat where tney
,.ye,.l Of the passengers were bruised about the
body i.ce and lRlb~ by the -DUuttrtc tl.a1.r- or
by beng uanp.e1 upon. many OF '.rh pi' eu ..-.-
pIcseTycr~; some bai onF one ANA "''-iS l'i 'AH
or four while some oi tt- p.--tr-cr. l,'l li.d
life pr servers among Others ara .4l us tI thrin.
There seemed TO be- enough f.r all within easy
r.ach and There Was au additional lot i1 ONE of tie
rooms lu tfe saloon. lmt the screams II tine
women and tue CRYING OF Oh. children. 5lr. 'c-
af.f. .f.r . .. . r. .tf DID,
feue.r went among thr passengers and succeeded
IL .oliug quiet iu few minutes. Itvio Go, fer,
one Ui t.e passengers. was severely bruised DN
beIn- crushed between tie tlruet-. Tic was
takeH futo the cabn, where Mr.. PAGE. VINO
wa formerly % medical stu eut. tried 90 alay hls
suIcIl., Both OF LlS legs IS pre- badly conf
IL was alt-rwuTd taken to tka Chambers Stree
To-u.ai Thomas Noult. another passenger. who
was-.t.re ou The forward lower deck, had one OF
hs i.-, bruised bv lac crashing timhers. lie es-
car.d oIe serious H. ury Oy Ilmp.u- on board The
sCuoo-o..
TETENT OF THE DAMAGE.
AnertLe collision, the steamer swung broadside
VII the schooner, and an investigation was made
oftacd m.ac. 1t was found that the sta-board
eusrI forward of tic padala-vAee., was demolished
pprotl, hun % the steamer the gua.l-raIs and
netting were CORN away. The hurricane ana promo
pads Cecl.. a'ail 20 the pBot-Gouse were torn up
and sslut.t.u and the stetIln --ge3r was carried
away. rendering the steamer helpless. lie damage
e. tine schooner ouy extended 10 ihe loss OF her U-
boom
The ~-eGm' o3t Eliza Hanc0X and several tug
boals went 90 rle assistance Of the twilight She
wa taken I'D cow. and tle p1s-Au2 ~ rs were landed
az Per Nu s. North RIVER instead of al Pier NO. ].
As the Iglr passed P,er,No. ! the captain " The
Grand Republic .gualed THAI TIE passenger, might
be tIaCsir -co and iHe TICKETS considered Jhe same
a. if purchased the Grand hep bLc. bat toe offer
wa, nor accented The excitement Of the pas,en-
gers was followed bv indignant condemnation OF
what SCI uled tO them criminal care e~sntsS ana
heedic, risk on the part Of the captain % the vi
Ign. ittN assorted That DE toild oHei no excuse
~
rour,c WAS clear. there was pleuE OF room. and the
schooner Wa. wing 90 anchor. With one exception
the passengers VINO gave opinions on the accident
attacleo tuc blame Go the captain OF the IWliEhl.
After being landed ar Pier Ne. >, the greater part
OF thos who had not been injured went on board OF
the Crane Republic and continued their excursion
to EockaNsy. : few timid persons concluded not
torsH themselves on q s'gtlhooal, ana wen, 70
kOckaway bv rail- The twilight was afterwards
tOwedto A..soL's dry-dock, a. tle loot OF Morgan
st. jersey City.
A TmBt.NE reporter found M Allison at lis dock
c0uleml ting The wreck " They want II done Oy
Saturday" he said, " but | fear that 1t can't be
done. !. is bad smash-up and II looks now as Il
the guard raIl OF the MAN deck from near the
Wheel 10 the bow would have 10 he reconstructed
The saloon deck forward OF the pIiOt-house ~
Rmost ruined, and | hardly think that any OF II
can be used. There Is a go0d zeal OF hIeWOcu
there Doe added, he gazed upon the mass o.
splinter sticking out in all dir ctions from the for
ward part of the boat.
William II. Hazard. IT, whose Office is Harr-
BOZ aud West-sts., the agent Tor the steamer He
arrived q AillsOn's dock few minutes after the
started almost immediately Tor the CITY. lie was
Dot m lis office during the afternoon. man at the
office who ,ald he was Mr.. Hazards representative,
Rad that Cautsiu Martin was regarded q careful
pilot nv Mr. Hazard. Martin" ne sad, IL abont
FIFTY wears of age, and captain of the Plymouth
Roc M one time. lie had been on the twilight
pnly this year. He had the reputation OF making
landings wnere others couldn't. He was the lnven-
tor Of the Martin steerIn ggear. but do not know
whether II was m use on the twilight or not"
The CAPTAIN REuCKNT.
Captain Martin was asked after the collision what
the cause OF the collision was. He exhibited
Hrong dissemination 10 talk upon the subject. lie