American citizen., 1881-06-04
LATER.


LONDON, Ont, May 25.
Up to the present time 10 80 p. M 25s bodies
have been recovered. 1t ia believed there are
several yet beneath the wreck.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
About four O'Clock in the afternoon the Vic
toria, of the Thames Navigation Company's
line, started from the dock on her fourth and
her last trip for the day, with a large load Of
passengers of all ages, variously estimated at
from 400 to 800. All went well on the down
trip, though the boat was SO heavily laden that
she shipped water i'm small quantities occa-
sionaly, when crowd would happen to surge
to any particular side.
On the return trip, when more than half
way home, q slight commOtion on the boat,
said by some to have been the playful pranks
of a number of youths on the lower deck,
and by others ascribed to the boat striking
on a snag. caused the crowd, out of curiosity,
to rush to the side, and as the side Of the boat
sank with additional weight, volume of
water n foot or two in depth poured in upon
the lower deck, which was crowded with pas
sengers. Instantly the crowd on both decks
rushed to the opposite side, and their Weight,
together with that of the water shipped by the
boat, caused 1t to lurch in the opposite direc-
ton. Then IL was that the disaster occurred.
The side of the boat sank in the water to the
depth of one or two feet, and while the crowd
of people on the lower deck were struggling to
save themselves from slipping down into the
river, the stanchons supporting the upper
decx suddenly gave way, and the whoe
structure, with its load of human beings, came
down on those who were below, crushing them
on the deck and rendering escape out of the
question.
1t IL impossible to describe the scene that
followed. The boat continued to settle on its
side deeper into the water, taking with 1t
many of the passeng ers who were stunned by
the fall of the upper deck, and were unable
IN h<ar, haT r,k i'm ba for
without an effort, while many others, who
were preciptatcd into the river unhurt, rent
the air with their vain appeals for that succor
which those passengers who were safe were
powerless to extend.
The utmost exerions were put forth to res.
cue us many of the drowning ones as possible,
and many were saved from a watery grave.
As soon as possible help was secured and the
work of recovering the bodies from the river
and from the wreck proceeded with. The bod
les were placed on the steamboat Louise as
fast as they were brought up, and then taken
to the company's docks, where the task of iden
tifcation began.
The accident occurred at about 6:15, and it
was midnight before the bodies far reoov-
cred were brought back to the city. Here n
most heart-rendng scene ensued. The bodies.
as fast rs transferred from the steamers, were
laid out In rows on the grass by the river side.
all in their holiday attire, an with the aid of
torches, the faces were eagerly scanned by
hundreds of anxious friends looking for their
missing ones.
A goodly pl oportion of the drowned are men
i'm middle life, and many are children OF ten
der years. Many were the walls of sorrow
which followed the identificat on of relatives.
Perhaps 1t is the mother who discovers her
child, children parent. Ono man was
heard inquiring for four children. AS fast as
c5rpses were claimed they were taken in
charge by their friends, and removed to their
homes.
REM ARKABIE ESCAPES.
The disaster is prolific in incidents, some of
which are noted below:
A small lad, in his fall into the water struck
on the back of Mr.. william Ashburg (whose
wife was drowned. Mr. Ashburg felt the OBJ
ject on his shoulders weigh heavily, and, not
knowing what in was, shook to free himself
from his man of the sea- All to no purpose.
however. The little chap hung on with the
desperation of despair, and Mr.. Ashburg was
able to reach the shore more dead than alive.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick, night baggageman mt the
Great Western RailrJad, heroicily rescued
his wife, daughter and daughters child, by
taking the two former in his arms and the
child in his teeth, and in this manner swim
ming to the Shore
No more desperate struggle for life
took place than that in which Nicholas Wilson
engaged Immediately after the disaster. Ap-
prehend n9 the danger, he told his newly
married wife to cling to the railing. and mo-
ment later he found himself fioundering in the
water. Strange to say, Mrs Wilson was
thrown directly into his arms, and, selling her
firmly, he struck out for shore. Cn the way
II strong, big man, overcome with fear, seized
him by the throat, and hung there for
dear life. The whole three must inevita-
bly, have sunk but for Mr.. Wilson's
presence of mind. He seized the fellow with
| his teeth, and bit him with all his force. The
hold was then relaxed, and with weakened
strength, and still bearing his wife 10 his arms,
he struggled toward the shore. But a few
| feet had been passed, however, before he was
| again seized with visc-likc grip by drown
| ing man, and in the struggle he lost his wife.
He reached the shore exhausted and looked
about to see his wife saved, in some unac-
countablc way, 10y his side They both then
became unconscious.
The escape of a steam boiler has a