Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-06-01
The Canadian Horror Over
eco People Drowned i'm
The River

dertakers' shops are beSeiged and cof-
fins are going out by the score. The
crowds at the river bank and steamer
landing have not been diminished The
list of identified is still incomplete. a
large number of bodies remain on the
ground at Sulphur Springs Baths
awaiting claimants. During the day
a large number of citizens sought the
enjoyment of various excursions lead
ing from the city TO the adjoining towns
and for others the chief out door attrac-
ton was a series of steambo eXcur-
sions on the Thames river. This en-
ioymen was rendered more attractive
from the fact that this was the first day
of the season for boats to run regular
trips, and this circumstance, taken in
connection with the public holiday,
naturally drew large crowds of pleas
ure seekers to the river. The trips
were made down the river, distance
about four miles. to Springbank place,
a popular resort, where the city water
works are located, and three or four
local steamboats, took down large loads
of excursionists at regular intervals
throu ghout the day About four O'Clock
in the afternoon the Victoria, of the
Thames Navigation CompanY's line,
started from the dock on her iourth
and last trip for the day, with large
load of passengers of oil ages, Farlopss
" estimated at from 400 to 800. All
went we'll on the down trip. 1t is
thought that the boat was so heavily
loaded that sic dipped water in small
quantities occasionally when the crowd
you'd happen 10 sarge 10 any parIlea-
lar 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 of a
number of youths on the lower deck,
end by others ascribed to the boat
striking Ola "a snae, caused tEe crowd
out of curiosity to step to the one side,
and as tre side of the boat sank with
the additional weight, volume of wa
ter a foot or two in depth poured in
upon the lower deck, which was crowd
ed with passenerfs tEstr"iiF t.'a
crowd on both decks rusLcd to the op-
posite side and their weight, together
with the water dipped by the boat,
caused lyrcA in { be opposite direction
Then it 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 on the lower deck were
struggling TO save themselves ffoA
slipping down into the river the STAN
chions supporting the upper decks sud-
denly gave way and the whole struc-
ture with its load of human beings
came down on those who were below,
crushing them on the deck and render
ing escape out of the question. 1T Is
impossible to describe the scene that
followed. The boat alnti4qcd to SGT
tie ON its side deeper into the water
taking with it many passengers who
were stunned by the fall of the upper
deck and were unable to help them
selves Scores sank in the water with
ont an effort, while many others who
were precipitated into tho river lnhurt
rent the air with their vain appeals for
that succor which those Of the passen-
gers who were safe were powerless to
extend. The utmost eXertiOnS were
put forth to rescue as many drowning
ones as possible, and many were saved
from watery grave. As soon as pos
sibe help was secured, and the work
of recovering the bodies from the river
and from the wreck was proceeded
with. The bodies were placed on the
steamboat Louise as fast as brought
up, and then taken to the Company's
docks, where the task Of Identification
began. The accident occurred at about
a quarter past 6, and it was midnight
before the bodies so far recovered were
brought back to the city. Here the
most heartrendihg scene ensued. The
bodies, as fast as transferred from the
steamer, were laid out in rows on the
grass by the river side, al in their hol-
iday attire, and with the aid OF torches
the faces were eagerly scanned by
hundreds of anxious friends looking for
the missing. A goodly PORTION of the
drowned are men in middle life and
MANY are children of tender years.
Many were tho walls Of sorrow which
followed the Identification Of relations
Perhaps it is a mother who discovers
herchild, or children a parent. One
man was heard inquiring for four chill
dren. AS fast as The corpses were
claimed they were taken in charge by
their friends and removed 20 their
homes. The utmost confusion pre-
walls. 1t is impossible at present 10
secure a complete list of the drowned,
but many prominent citizens and their
families are included in the number
When the water was let off by the
removal of the plash boards the search
was continued for those under the low
er deck and p more bodies We're
brought to the SURFACE, making about
200 in all recovered 1t is not known
how many more, if any, are lost. The
city council met to-day and passed res
olutions of coincidence. A settled
gloom rcigns over the city X. o..
Montgomery, leather merchant of To-
ronto, was on board, bpt escaped and
succeeded in saving many others. lie
states that on the passage up the cap
tain went among the passengers, urg-
ing tn IN to keep on the other side. TO
one boy he said: For Gods sake keep
on the other side If you don't you'll
have to swim for it = A little later on
he saw the water press in over the
deck and the boiler 20 by the board,
when the crash Immediately took place.
Almost all business is at a standstill
and crowds line the streets discussing
the sad calamity. The burial of the
victims is at this hour, 2:30 p M, pro-
ceeding 4 solemn Stiffness prevails
in the city; flags are at half mas, and
the bells are tolling.