The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-06-02

one side 70 Tho othor, with each oscillation
rather enjoying the motion instead of pe'ng
In anv wsy alarmed. One OF the passengers
stated thai number OF youths took delight
In keeping up the rocking motion by moving
from aide 10 side, while others shouted glee'
fully "let her sink, we will DOLLY have 10 wade
ashore" II Is stated by some, though denied
bv Others, that the officers 10 charge
endesyored 10 induce the passengers 10 re-
main quiet, but their efforts were unavailing.
The crowd surged from side to side and with
zach movement of the vessel II took in an
increased amount of water on the lower deck,
to the terror Of some and delight OF many
more. OF those below few seemed to foresee
the danger. Suddenly the position became
alarming. When nearly opposite
Gave Ridge, water 70 the depth OF a
foot or more rushed in the south side OF the
boat and the crowd surged again to the north
side, the boat slowly following the movement
by lurching over to that side. by this time
the vessel had almost turned on her eoge,
and the deck. floor became elevated to an
angle not far from perpendicular, All az
once the supports Of the upper deck gave
way with terrible crash on account
of The unnatural position and great we,ght
imposed upon the railing'. People tumDIed
in hundreds headlopg into deep water; ana 10
make the terror more terrible, the Whoie OF
the upper deck and supports went crashing
down on the wretched victims, tearing and
10 using the struggling mass and engn1ng
the 10 dreadful watery tomb. MANY
bodies, when they were afterwards taken
from the water, we're found to BIO terribly
bruised and manged from the
crash of timbers which came
down from the upper deck. In many cases
the features bore evidences Of desperate
struggle which must have taken place.
A visit to the scene shows the Victoria to
be a complete wreck, the lily constructed
vessel being literally broken ia pieces. 1t Is
said, on good authority. that her boilers were
not properly secured to the deck, and
that they shifted with the rocking
of the boat. Hardly any portion OF the yes.
sel is visible above water.
Captain Rankin, who was in command OF
the Victoria, Gays no believes the vessel would
have recovered herself, only for the boiler
going over, and ~ it went carried the main
deck, and that tore down the upper deck
with the crowd. There were one hundred
persons on the lower deck The after part Of
the boiler went down, but the fore part came
to the surface, and the boat spread about
six feet apart. The result was that many of
The passengers were imriisoD' !! teiw en- toe
water and top deck, which caEi- down above
them. But they had a breathing space of
q foot or SO, which would have saved many
had not others persisted in climbing on the
floating deck, thus crushing it down and
smothering those underneath.
The Victoria was fat bottom screw,
sharp at both ends, and registered to carry
four hundred passengers. Capt. Rankin doea
not think there we're more than four hundred
and fifty on board. He attributes The dlaas-
ter to the fact that the vessel was leaking
badly, and says that boy, sent down to the
engineer lust before the accident, discovered
half On arms length of water in the hold.
Captain Raakin says he was praying earnest
Nv that the boat would reach sand bar,
,4hera ha intandnd 10 beach her.