Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-07-27
A Calamity.


BALTIMORE, July 24.-A terrible
calamity occurred at North Point
Tivoli, an excursion on the Patapsco
10 miles from this city, about 10
o'clock last night. by which many
lives were lost, the number being esti-
mated between 60 and 10 The acci-
dent was occasioned by the giving
way of the outer portion of the pier
on which several hundred persons
had congregated awaiting the boats
return to this city. The locality is on
a small bay, about two miles distance
from the North Point light house. 1t
was formerly known as Holly Grove,
and was the first excursion
place, fitted up about fifteen
years ago, and was most popular
resort at that time and for several
years afterwards Yesterday an ex-
ursion was given to Tivoli, under
the management of the Royal Bene
fetal society of the Catholic church
of Corpus Christi, of which Father
Star is Pastor. Mt. Royal avenue
went down on the barge Cockade
City, which was towed by the tug
Amanda Howell barge, was formerly
an old canaler refitted with double
decks for excursions; it has been
purchased and used for such pur
poses for several years. Yesterday
She made three trips, the last being
made from this city between six an
seven o'clock last evening and
reached Tivoli berore ten o'clock.
During the day she had taken about
five hundred persons. On her
last trip she had on board one
hundred. A large number of those
who went down during the day had
remained intending to return the last
trip. When the barge approached all
those on shore made rush for the
end of the wharf which is 300 feet
long and were closely packed at the
gate about 25 feet from the end impa-
tiently awaiting admittance as the
barge came alongside and struck the
wharf. 1t suddenly and without
warning gave way and a large portion
of the crowd were precipitated into
the water which is about 10 feet deep.
Many were able to save themselves by
fleeing toward the shore as the outer
end of the pier crumbled and fell.
Darkness added to the confusion and
terror and little could be done al
once TO rescue the drowning, most OF
whom were women and children.
The first news of the disaster reached
the city a little after 2 this a. m, when
the barge landed at Henderson,
wharf bringing a number of bodies
of the drowned. Up to this hour it is
said 81 bodies have been recovered.
BALTIMORE, July 24.-The bodies
at the Eastern police station were
identified this afternoon as those OF
Alfred Burgan, age Is years, Miss
Kate Ives, aged % and the two chill
dren as those of Jno. McAnary; leav
ing alive but one of that family, g
little boy six years old, who was res
cued. The bodies of two more chill
dren have been found, but only one
of them a child of Bernard Mcmahon
has reached the city. At eight
o'clock this evening the coroner begar
inquest, at which Father Starr, pastor
of the church of Corpus Christi, was
present, Jacob Bonnell testified: He
is special officer; at IL locked the
gate on the wharf till about S in the
evening. by order of the proprietor ol
the place, to keep people from getting
on the wharf; refused young ladies
who wished to return to the grounds
through the first gate because he feared
others would get through The boa
reached the wharf between 10 and II
o'clock. Witness then opened the
gates and the people rushed through.
He begged them to keep back as the
wharf was not safe; soon after he
heard a crash. ran back and saw q
number of people in the water. He
pulled off his clothes and went into
the water and rescued 10 or IL per
sons, also recovered three dead bodies
He did not consider the wharf
secure with such a crowd. There
were about seven hundred per
sons on the wharf when it fell and
fully 300 were in the water, Had seer
larger crowds. The flooring had been
repaired this season. The break oc
CURED between two gates and not
where the boats land Have examin.
ed the place where the break occurred
and found the timbers pretty rotten
There were 6 6toS lights on the wharf and
they burned brightly Remember
only one pile standing when thu
wharf broke. Rev. w. E. Starr was
on the pier head before the accident
and sent messenger to have the gates
closed. The lamps ON the pier head
gave ample light, but the pier wa
badly lighted. The moon also gave q
good light. Did not think more thar
$50 people could stand on the space
where the break occurred. Had Z
full view of the accident, and
saw the people struggling in the
water. If there had been Z
rush of people, many more would
/ have been thrown into the water. i
is thought in fair estimate to say
there were 1900 people ON the ex
cursion- The pier is mass of patch
| ing from one end TO the other. Aftel
the crash the outer gate was foune
open though it was closed five min
utes before