St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-08-04
A ROTTEN PIER.
a Frightfu1 Calamity BefnlIs a Church
Excursion Party from Baltimore, Md
Sixty or Seventy People Lose Their Lives.


a Frightful Calamity BefnlIs Church
Excursion Party from Baltimore, Md
Sixty or Seventy People Lose Their Lives.
BALTIMORE, Nd, July "a.
A terrible disaster occurred at North.
point Tivoli, an excursion resort on the
Patapsco, ten miles from this city, about
ten O'Clock last night, by which many lives
were lost, the number being estimated
between sixty and seventy. The accident
was occasioned by the giving way Of the
center portion of the pier, on which sew
eral hundred persons were congl stsated
awaiting a boat to return to this city The
| locality is small bay, distant about two
miles from Northpoint lighthouse. 1t was
formerly known as Holly Grove, and was
the first regular excursion place fitted up
near the city about fifteen years ago, and
| was the most popular resort at that time
| and for several years afterward.
| Yesterdays excursion was given as IT,
volt under the management OF the Mount
Royal Benefit Society Of the Catholic
| Church of Corpus Christi. The excursion
| as 1t went down on the barge Cockade City
was towed by the tug Amanda Powell The
| barge was formerly an old canal boat
decks for excursion purposes, and used as
such for several years. Yesterday she
| made three trips, the last being made from
| this city between six and seven o'clock last
| evening, and reached Tivoli before ten
o'clock. During the day she had taken
| down about five hundred persons, and on
her last trip about one hundred. A large
| number Of those who went down during
| the day had remained, intending to return
on the last trip. When the barge APP
| preached all those on shore made rush for
| the end Of the wharf, which is several hum
| dred feet long, and were closely packed to-
gether at the gate, about twenty-five feet
| from the end, impatiently awaiting admit
lance through the gate. As the barge came
alongside and struck the wharf, 1t suddenly
and without warning gave way and large
| portion Of the crowd was precipitated.
into the water, which is about ten,
feet deep. Many were able to
| rs the outer end OF the pier crumbled and
! fell. Darkness added 70 the confusion and
terror, and little could be done at once to
rescue the drowning, most OF whom were
| women and children. The first news Of the
disaster reached the city little after two
this morning, when the barge landed at
| Henderson wharf, bringing number OF
| bodies Of the drowned. Sixty-five bodies
| had been recovered up to noon to-day and
been brought to the city. All except four
have been identified.
| Throughout the night many personals.
| Tiers, brothers and friends connected with
| the:excursionists-ga at the Eighth
Street wharf. where the barge usually
| lands, anxiously awaiting her arrival and
| apprehending disaster when the boat did
| not come in at her usual hour. As the hours
| wore on past midnight and there were yet
| no tidings of their friends, their fears were
| increased almost to conviction that some
| dreadful accident had overtaken the party.
| At later hour their fears were realized
| when the facts became known.
| As fast as the bodies were identified by
| relatives and friends they were taken to
| their respective homes. Unidentified bod
| les were carried to the Eastern police sta
tonic remain until recognized OF other
| wise disposed of. ~
Statements in regard to the immediate
cause of the accident are conflicting. It is
stated by some that the barge was already
/ living alongside the wharf and the gang
| plank had been run out, when it gave way,
| and that it fell from the sheer weight OF
| the crowd upon it. Others are of opinion
| that the wharf was carried away by CON.
| tact with the barge.
FURTHER DETAILS.
| The Sun, In an extra issued after one
o'clock, says: Tho boat had made three
1 trips to Tivoli. The morning boat took
! down 100, the two O'Clock boat 200, and the
six O'Clock boat seventy-fve. This latter
boat reached the pier at 500 and prepared
| to take all hands back to the city at once,
as requested by Father Starr. The excur-
| sionists, knowing this was the only boat,
| dashed along tho pier until they were
| stopped by gate near the steamer. SoHe
| youths tried to climb over the gate, and q
| man and boy seated themselves on the raj,
with their legs hanging. A sudden move
ment caused the rail to break, and the two
| were thrown into the water. A connection
followed, and there was a sudden
crash and chorused shrek. Splin-
| tens flew in every direction, and
about 200 people were struggling
among the timbers in eight feet of water.
| The noise and cries were SO loud that
watermen heard them two miles away.
| Those who witnessed the scene state it was
| sickening. The moon had gone down, and
| the only light was that shed by two feeble
| coal oil lamps. Some Of the rescuers took
barge lanterns and set them on the wharf.
| Two of them exploded and added fresh
terror to the scene. Those on the decks OF
| benches into the water. These struck q
great many and knocked them insensible.
| Others let down planks and ropes. lnde-
| scribable hopelessness and terror reigned,
| shrieks, curses, groans, cries for God to
! "Save u.s." heartrending prayers for help.
| Darkness impeded the help rendered by
| those who jumped into the water.