The daily gazette., 1881-04-30
SECOND EDITION
AFRTGHTFUE DISASTER. =
A lSeOw Loaded with Children Cap.
sfzes-Fffteem Drowned.


CHICAGO, April 28.-An Elgin spe-
cial gives he following account of the
ferry boat accident this morning The
boat was mere scow which had been
purchased cheaply for the purpose If
supplying the pressing wants Of pas
senger traffic across the Fox river, oc-
casioned by the destruction of the
bridges by the recent floods. A cable
was stretched across from bank to
bank at Main street, and boat was
propelled in the usual fashion with the
exception that the head line was made
shorter Than the other, SO that the &C
tion OF the current could carry the
craft along. Tffis was found to work
well enough, but the trouble was that
the boat was not big enough to supply
the demand, and it was found to be
overloaded. 1t had capacity to carry
with safety 12 passengers, but those in
charge were not over-particular when
crowd was waioing to be carried
across, and the little scow was loaded
down with twice the number of people
that could be transported from shore
to shore without peril. This was tie
case this morning at about the hour
when children were proceeding to
school and business men were going to
their labors from the east to the west
side of The river. The boat was in
midstream, when all Of sudden it
dipped to one side and precipitated
every one on board into the rushing
torrent, Which at that point is par
ticularly strong, even in ordinary
times,
There was wild shrek OF dismay
from the men, women, boys and girls
on board the fated craft, and in few
minutes the whole town was in a panic
of excitement. The streets were filed
in an instant with people all rushing
wildly to the scene of the disaster, and
very soon the banks of the river were
lined with people striving vainly to
render aid to the helpless sufferers
who were struggling 10 the water.
NJ IN rushed from their shops and
women ran screaming towards the
stream, but the difficulty of reaching
any poin along The banks where aid
could be given only served to increase
the confusion. The most that could
be done was to look on in despair at
the deplorable spectacle of their towns
men and children battling hopelessly
amid the surging waters of The swollen
river. The most distressing sight of
all was the children, who we're simply
helpless as straws. Ev,n men who
had learned the art of ofswimming found
the current irresistible, and were carr
ried away to watery grave, The first
reports of the disaster were naturally
exaggerated as to the number of peo-
pie who were on board. The utmost
CONSERVATION reigned throughout the
town. 1t was somewhat modified
when 1t was discovered that not at
many passengers as was at first sup
posed had been seen to go on board
Those missing and known to have been
on the boat are : Thomas Murphy,
Andrew Dawson, John Corbin, Guy
Carlisle, George Taylor, VIM. Cole
vile, Elmer Foster and a little girl
named Frances Creighton j. A.
Simonds, of New York, and s. Lock-
wood, of Rockford, guests at the
Waverly Hotel, are missing, and as
they intended crossing on the boat, it
is believed they are lost. The river is
being dragged, but no bodies as yet
have been found. A low estimate
would put the drowned at - or 10.