The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-06-03
THE VICTORIA HORROR.

six Hundred People Crowded
ION vessel. a Third Great
er tha2 ss4 ~ 81 ca .P.sssy
The MournIpSus RefralnaSD. Ont.
The story of foas given by
Competent wiz 81 tre on beard,
show that tbeIPPffseese was on her
last trip, andcitat on getting cut from
Springbank eyfeturn to'the city, she had
nearly .aHesher passengers on the way
dowf4zu.uaRh addition, large number
who batting on the wharf TO be
conve home. The number on board on
the return trip is estimated at eco,
burden out of all proportion to the strength
and capacity of the vessel. Shortly after
passing Woodland Cemetery the boat be-
gan to rock and the crowd surged from
one side TO the other with each oscillation,
rather enjoying the fun than being in any
way alarmed. One passenger stated that
q number of youths on the upper deck
took delight in keeping up the rocking
motion by moving FROM one side to the
other shouting gleesuily: "Let her sink
well only have to wade ashore" 1t is
said by some, though denied by others,
that the officers in charge endeavored to
induce the passengers to remain quiet,
but their efforts were unayailing. The
crowd sarged from side to side, and with
each movement the vessel took in an in
creasing quantity of water in her lower
deck 10 the terror of some and delight of
others. No one seemed to foresee the
danger.
Suddenly the position
BECAME ALARMING.
When neArly opposite Cove Bridge, the
water to the depth Of a foot or more rush
ed in on the south side of the boat and
the crowd surged again to the north; the
boat slowly followed the movement by
listing over to that side. This time the
vessel almost turned on her edge, aud the
deck foor became elevated to an angle
not far from perpendicular. All Mt once
the supports Of the upper deck gave way
with q terrible crash, on account of the
unnatural position and great weight on
it. Over the ratings people tumbled
headIong into deep water; and, 10 make
the situation more terrible, the whole
upper deck and supports went crashing
down upon the wretched victims, tearing
and bruising the struggling mass of hui
manity, which thus became engulfed
IN a DREADFUL TOMB.
The scene that followed beggars deserip-
; ton. Between the wreck and shore could
be seen scores of human beings who had
become liberated from the mass OF debris
and were battling with the element into
whose cruel grasp they were so suddenly
thrown, and slowly, but surely, yielding
/ to its power. Many who were so stunned
By the crash as to he unconscious, sank
I without an effort. The work of recover
/ ing bodies was then begun, and has con-
/ tinued unremittingly ever since. The
steamer Princess Louise came alon gside
in a few minutes, and in short time
I both of her decks and every available
/ inch of space were taken up with dead
bodies. Tears came into the eyes of man }
q man of iron nerves, as he gaZed upon
7 the bodies of boys and girls, as they were
+ taken from the river clad in holiday at
I tire and were carried in sympathizine
I arms aboard the Princess Louise. Mean
while the tidings were conveyed to the
city and a crowd of anxious ones fOckeC
to the scene to learn if possible the fats
of some one on board who was dear 4
/ them. Many of the bodies were terribl
bruised and mangled from the crash o
/ timbers, which came down from the up
per deck, and in many cases the feature'
bore evidence of he desperate struggl
which must have taken place. A visit t
the scene shows the Victoria to be com
plete wreck, being literally an i'll con
structed vessel broken into splinters. L
is SAID on coca authority tnht heA oOiAe
was not properly secured and 1t shifte
with the rocking Of the boat.
CITY IN MOURNING.
<agzroo's. a..is is city of the dead bust
Lness-n suspended, except such branche
as are connected with the arrangement Q
funeral matters. In the poor quarters c
the city the authorities have been givin
away collins. The medical men nobl.
responded to calls made on them. Tn
Mayor and municipality put forth ever
effort to meet the contingency and so fa
as money and friendly aid can mitigat
grief, nothing will be lacking. Citizen
were.ehocked at the sight of fair wome
and tender children being carried throug
the public streets on drags or in cart
and 1t was not until wholesale orde
had been given by the Mayor that sufi
eient pine could be found to inelose tn
remains of the lost ones