The Portland daily press., 1881-05-26
EYE-wIFNEssEs' STATEMENTS.
How the Overloaded Craft Was Cap
sized-Scenes and Incidents.

How the Overloaded Craft Was Cap
sized-Scenes and Incidents.
LONDON, May 25.-It is estimated that there
were from 600 to 500 people on board, who
literally packed every available spot, SO there
was not room enough for person to turn
around. The captain was demonstrated with
for overcrowding the steamer, and a great
many people returned on foot rather than risk
their lives aboard, though others thought an
accident next to impossible, owing to the
shallo wness Of the water. Mr.. Il. Dolber, wife
and two children were on the upper deck of
the Inflated steamer at the time Of the acct
dent. He states that at Spring Bank, before
leaving, he heard of all order being given by
the captain to allow no more passengers on
board, otherwise he would not be responsible
for her safety. A few minutes after she start
ed, and owing to the swaying of the crowd she
lurched heavily until her arrival at the point
of DEATH" when, running well in towards the
shore, the movements of the passengers be-
came too great, and an order was given for all
hands to keep steady, otherwise they would be
capsized. This appeared to be warning to
take the other side of the boat, which was
done, and the effect on the upper deck was a
generally giving away of support.
Mr.. Dolbear, with his baby, got over the
wire into the hull. His wife and little daughter
jumped after: the latter falling into the water
caught gentleman's coat and was lifted be-
side her parents, after which they were res
cued all right.
Another eyewitness, James brennan, in the
employ of the Advertiser, was on the upper
deck when the Victoria capsized. He gave
the following account of the dreadful disaster:
AT $50 we were coming very slowly by Grit
fth's dam, and went up to Captain Rankin
and remarked, "You have big crowd to. day,
captain?" Eyes; 1 could not keep the people
off; they would crowd on, although l told them
there were two more boats coming after" L
left him, and had hardly turned away when L
noticed the water rushing in down below over
the bottom deck. AS looked down the stair
case [ noticed the water ankle deep down be-
low. The crowd seemed excited, and kept
rushing from one side to the other. Captain
Rankin told them repeatedly to stand still and
not crowd so much to the side. The boat now
began rocking, and the people all rushed to
the north side, when the boat went over on
whole of the upper decs coming crashing
around us. I was instantly hurled into the
water, and my companion with me, into the
struggling mass. / never lost emy presence of
nina, but grasped something. and, by de-
perate effort, pulled myself on to the roof,
where found had small breathing space of
a few inches between the river and the roof. L
was comparatively safe in this position, not
withstanding that an aged man and others
who were struggling in heap were pulling
and hanging to me- The steam and hot water
now poured along the roof of the deck scorch-
ing my face and taking my breath away. L be-
came unconscious and let go my hold and sank
to the bottom of the river but reaching the
solid bottom seemed to give me fresh energy,
and struggled through lot of bodies, and
what was worse a lot of wires which got tan
gled in my feet and pulled me frequently un-