New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-26
TIE SAD STORY MORE IN DETAIL.

LoNpoN. ont. May 2j.-ln al the annals of
steamboat fatalities. not excepting even the Nara
! g1n~.if and Srawanhlkl disasters which are yet
fresh ia tic mind, Of mcu. nome hts probably ever
cquallcd That which occurred here yesterday. Dur
ing the day large number of citiltns sought cnjoy
mcnt in the yaro, excursions leading from thr city
Ia the adjouiug towns; and for tho~" who remained
| in the CITY th chief outdoor attraction was series
| Of steamboat excursions on the Thames River
1li- culoyincnt WAS rendered more attractive from
the fact that II w,, the first day Of the for
| the boats Ia regular trips. and this crcum-
stancr taken together with the public hoiiday
naturally attracted large crowds Of pra>urc-Scrk
cr~ TO thr liver Trips wcrr made down the river a
distance Of about four miles to Spring Bank. place
Of popular resort. where the city wat'rworks are
and time or four local s,ramboats took
| down heavy loads Of cxcur-ionists at
regular intervals throughout the day. Nout
! ( o'clock in the afternoon the victoria
Of tho Thames Navigation Company )
line. started from the do,k on her last and fourth
tri, for the day, with larc load Of passengers Of
all ages ,atiou,ly estimated 90 from 100 10 600 IN
number All went v,ll on the down trip. though
iho boat was 80 heavily laden that she shipped
water in small quantities occasionally, when ui"
crowd would happen 10 surge 10 either side.
rI.nnAnlE CAUSE oP rHr DISASTER.
home. ,lisht commofion on the boa. said h' som"
to have been caused hy the playful prank- of
number Of youth, on tho lower
deck. and by others as rihcd to the boat
striking ON q ,uag eau -cd the crowd ont of cii"~-
ity to rush n one side, amt the side Of the boat
sank with the additional weight volume of water
q foot or tNo in depth poured m up"n th" lower
deck. which va, loaded with passengers. Instantly
the crowd ou both de-, Ss rushed to the opposite side,
and the wci.It. together with that of the wai'r
.Lipprd Iy the bout caused q ur,h in the oppo-.tr
d.rrr,inn Then % va. that the accident occurred.
The si, Of 'ic boat sank in tlr water 10 the depth
of one or two feet. aud while th" crowds ON ia"
lower deck were struscus 10 Sl.c Themselves
from slipping down into tar rfrr. the sianrm"n'
snrportint The upper deck suddenly gave way, and
the hole structure. w;hIi- l"d OF human beings.
CAM. down on those 50 lo were hclow crushing them
on the dccl, AMI rendering ESCAPE iup'~-ib.".
SEEM or INpI~,EInNrE IIHE"R.
The scene thlt fulloNrd cannot bc described. The
boat continued to settle on it- side deeper into ih'
wafer. taking with il many of th" passengers who
were stunned by tho fall of the upper deck
and were therefore unah." 10 help th'W-
selves. Srur.. sank into the water With
ont consciousness of their fate while many
others who wcT prcpIatrd mi" TIE
river nnhnrt. rent the air with their vain appeals
for that succor hich thos- of the passengers who
were safe were p0wcrlcsS to extend to all IN mo-
mcnt. The utmost cNcrtion. were put i"rth 1"
t. cue as many of tll" drowning as possible, and
ilair were i'm this way saved from watcry grave.
Asso,n ~ pos-ibl, help was secured. and the work
Of recovering the bodies from the wreck was pro-
ccrdcd with. The bodies were placed on the steam
boat Louise ~ fast a they H,rc taken mp ami t'h
tascn to tho company'- docks, whrr' the
It.rt
occurred at nbout a quarter past o. ana
il WIs midnight before the bodies :"
far recovered wcrc brou int back to the tty.
Here A most hcirt-r.nding scene en'u'd' me
bodies a. fast NJ they wcIr transferred from t,''
steamer. were laid ont N rows on the grass ny tn'
roadside all in their holiday ATTIRE" a"d Win the
all of torches the faces were r1I'ry s'a''"'" ~
hundreds of auNipu~ friends '"AH I"' ''l ,''','.7
ones. Many of tine drowned are men n middle me-
and many are children oi tender years Many "''' NV
vail. of >orrov which foiloN,d the identification "i
a relative. Prriap, il is a mother VINO diN'"''I'
bcrchill. or the children | rarrnt one man was
heard innuirine for four children. As fast ~ the
,orn,.. vcr,. claimed they were taken in charge ~
thrir friends and removed 20 their homes.
INF tI,r or TIE ~ NJ INCErA>ID.
When tbc water was let of by the rem val ot the
plash- boards this morning search was continue" '"'
those under the lower deck. and tWcniy-iN" more
bolic, were brought 20 the surface, masking a''"'
200 in all recovered. II il, not known ho" many
morc if any, are lost Ih" city Council met t'-!ay
aud passed r,.olutions oi coincidence S'i'""
gloom rrisns over the city today. Many hu-lne'S
pla,r, are closed r. O.. Montgomery l'athrr
merchant of Toronto, was on board, bat escaped
and sncrccdrd ln saving many others. IL states
that on the pas age up the captain went among ','
,,o,s,,,.r. urcing them to keep on the other Hid"
r., - LAM. hr said: For Gods sake keep on the
othcr side! If you don't you'il have to swim iori
I, I;,,l. later Mr.. Montgomery saw the water pass
j., aver IN, deck. and tn boiler 20 by the board
when the crash immediately took place
Almost all business is at stand,tlll' ana croNds
II ,,.i. discussing the sad calamity. Tho