Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-06-02
A SAD DISASTER.
Fl ishtful wreck of Steamer on Lake Ontario
and Great Loss of Life.
London Can disnatch 9th

FL ishtful wreck of Steamer on Lake Ontario
and Great Loss OF Life.
London, Can, dispatch, 24th.
Tuesday evening at six O'Clock, the steamer
Victoria, with 600 excursionists on board, re-
turning from Spring Bank, and when near the
covered bridge, one mile, below the city, the
boat suddenly collapsed like an egg shell,
the waters edge: All the passen-
gers were Instantly plunged into
the stream, more than half of them being un-
derneath debris. The accident was certainly
due to gross carelessness. The boat was over
crowded to a disgraceful extent Up to the
Among the dead are James Robertson, mana
ger Bank of British North America; Meredith,
clerk of t. division court; VIM M. McB:ide,
assessor and secretary of tie Western Fair
association; Mrs. William Ashbury; William
Whitman, Montreal, commercial agent. and two
aggregate 175. Some of the lost, John Clark,
shoemaker, Mrs. Cox, Nellie, Johnny aud Will
lie Morrison, three children of j. Morrison,
merchant, London, Skinner Hobbs, plumber,
and three children. A. WestmaD, Lizzie Bar
kerstille, John Darch, Sr., Miss Connell Willie
Glass and Miss Minnie Cooper, daughter of John
Cooper. These were sitting together, when the
machinery was observed to fall over upon them.
Mr.. Matthews, night editor of the Advertiser,
lost his wife and two children. Harry Smart,
Of the Free Press lost his wife and two children,
NJ J. Siddons of Customs lost one boy. Dr.
Orauhyette's boy, aged ten, and Nj IS Baylie are
among the missing, also Alice Deadman of New
Byhton, Miss Griffiths of Buck street and Al
bert Teremble probably lost
FURTHER PARTICULARS cF THE DISASTER.
The first fears have been more than realized,
and bad as the catastrophe was originally sup
posed to be 1t would but family compare with
the facts developed since the accident occurred
The loss of life is 1nuch greater than was re-
ported and will reach near two hundred in num-
Der, one hundred and seventy bodies having
already been recovered from the wreck of the
| fated steamer, and the circumstances attend
ing the disaster are such as to excite the strong
est feelings of sorrow and Indignation
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
At about four o'clock in the afternoon the
Victoria, of the Thames Navigation com papy' e
line, started on her fourth and last trip for the
day, with load of passengers of all ages, vari-
ously estimated at from 400 to 900. All went
we'll on the down trip, though tie boat was so
heavily laden that she shipped water in small
quantities occasionally when the crowd would
happen to surge to any particular side. On the
return trip, when more than half way home,
slight commotion on the boat said by
some to have been the playful pranks
deck, and others ascribed it to the boat str.k-
ing on snag which caused the crowd, out of
curiosity, to rush to one side aud as the side of
the boat sank with the additional weight, vol
ume of water, foot or two in depth, poured ia
upon the lower deck, which was crowded with
passengers. Instantly tine crowd on both decks
rushed to the opposite side, and their weight
together with that of the water shipped by the
boat, caused a. lurch in the opposite direc-
ton. Then it was that the disaster occurred
The. side of the boat sunk in the water
to the depth of one or, two feet
and while the crowd On the lower deck
slipping down into the river the stanchions sup
porting the upper decks gave way and the whole
structure, with its load of human beings came
down upon those who were below, crushing
those who were on deck and rendering escape
out of the Gu ii m 1t is imp ,ssible 20 describe
the scene that followed. The boat continued
to settle its side deeper into the water, taking
with 1t many of the passengers, who were
stunned by the fall of the upper deck, and who
were unable to help themselves. Scores sank
into the water without effort, while masy others
who we're precipitated into the river unhurt
rent tile air with their vain appeals for that
succor which those of the passengers who were
safe were powerless to extend. so
1t was midnight before the bodies 80 lar re-
covered were brought back TO the city. Here a
most heartrendlng scene ensued. The bodies
as fast as transferred from the steamer were
laid out in rows by the river side, all in their
holiday attire, and with the aid of torches the
faces were eagerly scanned by hundreds of
friends looking for their missing ones good
ly proportion of drowned are men in middle
life, and many are children of tender age. As
fast as corpses were claimed they were taken
in charge Of by their friends and removed to
their homeH