The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-25

Two Hundred Pleasure-Seekers Struggling
for Life.
special to the Indianapolis Journal
BALTIMORE, July PA terrible disaster,
by which sixty or seventy people, perhaps
more, lost their lives, occurred at North
Point Tivoli, ten miles from this city, last
night between 10 and IL o'clock. About
500 persons had visited the place during the
day on an excursion, and at the time the
disaster occurred about 200 were waiting on
the pier for the arrival of the boat on which
they intended returning to the city. When
the steamer reached the pier a rush was
made, and the structure gave way.
The first intimation of the impending ca
lamity was the cracking of the timbers but
so brief was the duration between this warn
none had opportunity to retreat further up
toward the shore to place of safety. The
noise caused by the crashing of the rotten
timbers was almost crowded by the screams
and walls of anguish that went up from the
terrified throng, as, with children cllnging
in their arms clutching wildly at
each other, the 200 people went down
into the water among the debris
of the wreck. The gloomy surroundings in
tensi fed the horrors of the spectacle, and it
was some moments before those on board
the steamer and others who remained on
that part of the pier which remained stand
ing, and on the smaller one adjoining, could
realize the extent of the disaster. The scene
was one of intense excitement, and the
struggle for life, as described by eyewitness
es, was of the most heartrending character.
Many persons were buried beneath the bod
les of others, and were quickly drowned
Those on top of the struggling mass
of humanity made desperate eff
forts to reach the shore, but in
numerous instances were drawn back and
drowned. Efforts for the rescue of the un-
fortunates were made Immediately and
there are many instances recorded of hero
ism in bringing safely to shore drowning
persons at the peril of the lives of their res
cuers AS each body was brought ashore
the features of the dead were eagerly scanned
and recognized. The sobbing of parents,
brothers, sisters or lovers was heard where
only short time before all was mirth and
merriment. Within the first hour,
and by 11;so o'clock, some thirty
bodies had been brought ashore. 1t
was then rumored that the bridge
was unsafe, and several hundred persons
refused to go on board, remaining in the
grove all night Fires were kindled, and
shipping coming up the river, was attracted
to the spot.
Mr.. Richard Tiernay, an eyewitness of the
tragedy, says the people crowded on the
wharf, where they were unnecessarily de-
tanned by the gate-keepers, when, without
the Slightest warming the wharf gave way
and the dense mass was preciptated into the
water. The evening was very dark, and
there were but two dim lights on
the pier The shrieks of the vic
tins were awful, and the most determined
efforts on the part of those in the water who
could swim to save the drowning persons
proved in nearly every case unavailing. Par
ties on the boat threw boards, pieces of
wood, and anything that could be got hold
of in the water, and he is confident some
lost their lives by being struck by pieces of
plank and timber
Hugh F. Brannon said nothing could be
seen on the surface of the water but
bobbing heads and struggling arms.
The screams of the drowning people were
heartrending The accident was the fault of
the boatmen in shutting the gate after letting
the people off the boat, and not letting any
more on. They say there were 200 people on
the pier, but there were many more. 1t seems
to me that there were upward of thousand
on the pier, not only those who were waiting,
but those who had been brought down at
night. The people were tired, and pressed
forward in order to get on the boat The ex-
periences of the rescued form chapter of
horrors that words cannot describe.