The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-08-03
A PLUNGE TO DEATH.
Terrible Disaster to n Picnic Party Near Raj
timorc--FaliinR Through n Wharf--Many
Lives Lost.

Terrible Disaster to n Picnic Party Near BaI-
timorc--Faiing Through n Wharf--Many
Lives Lost.
terrible calamity occurred at North
Point Tivol, an excursion resort on the
Patapsco, ten miles from Baltimore, about
10 O'Clock Mt night, by which many lives
were lost, the number being estimated at
between sixty and seventy The accident
was occasioned by the giving way of the
outer portion of pier on which several
hundred people we're cong egated awaiting
the boat to return to The city of Baltim or
The locality is on small bay, distant about
two miles from North Point Lighthouse. /
was formerly known as Holly Grove. and
was the first regular excursion place ever
fitted up near Baltimore about fifteen years
ago, and was a most popular resort at the
time and for several years afterward. Balti-
more dispatches give the following details
An excursion was given 10 Tivoli under
the management of the Mount Royal Benefit
cial society of the Catholic Church of Corpus
Christi. of which Father Starr is pastor,
Mount Royal avenue and Mosher street.
The exc irsionlsts went down on the barge
Cocka9e City, which was towed by the
tug Amanda Powell. The bargs was for
merly an old canal boat, which had be n
fit, up with several decks for excursion
purposes and used as such for several years.
She made three trips, the last being made
from this city between 6 and o'clock,
Ieaching 1ivoli before 10 O'Clock. During
the day she had tax, n down out 500 per-
sons, and on her last tr about 100. A
large number of those who went
down during the day had remained,
/ intending to return on the last trip.
When the barge approached all those on
| shore made a rash for the end of the wharf,
which is several hundred feet long, and were
closely packed together at the gate, about
twenty-five feet from the end, impatiently
ava ting admittance through the gate. AS
the barge came alongside and struck the
wharf it suddenly and without warning gave
way and large portion of the crowd were
precipitated into Il o water, which is about
ten feet deep. Many were alb g to save them
selves by fleeing toward the shore as the
outar end os the pier crumbled and fell.
The darkness added to the Confusion and
terror and little could be done at once to
rescue the drowning, most of whom were
women and children.
The Rev. W. f. Starr, pastor of Corpus
Chris Roman Catholic church, who wit
ne" ed the tragedy, said: "The wharf at
! 'hvoli ran out from the shore at least one
thousand feet. Near both ends of II wharf
were large gates, which we e generally k ept
cl' sed up n the arrival of the boat. Last
night a number of person. fat:gued AMI de-
s ring to obtain advantageous positions on
the DO 1t. stroll ed out III on the wharf before
the arrival of the barge, so that at the time
she came in sght there we-o probably be-
tween 200 and 80 persons on the wharf be-
TIVE en- the ues. /, with few others, had
ga IL d the eXtreme end of the wharf beyond
the GA gate when the barge made fast. In
t g mean time both gates had be IN clos d
and the keeper of the gate nearest the
barge would not allow any one to pass. The
people near the boat were Just walking over
tine gangplank when l heard crash b hind
me, and saw a dark hole in the wharf and
a mass of human be ngs struggling in the
water beneath, while Others on the wharf
were pushing and lostling each other in q
frantic endeavor to reach place of safety.
Men and women were shrieking and children
were crying. while from the dark abyss be-
low the most heartrending cries we're heard,
oniv to en1 in gurgling sounds as the help
less eings succumbed to the waters. Stools,
pieces of plant. and every hing available
were thrown into the water right in
the mid-t of the str ggling mass. until it
e anne evi ent that some who might be
aved from death BY drowning would be-
| come vi tins of the heed essness of those
who. VITA the best intentions but very poor
Judgment, were casting o heavy, articles
| INTO the water. my self stepped upon
para'le wharf and made my way back TO
the enc of the saster. Efforts to resc ne
the drowning person we're being made by a
Jew brave young men: ana already num-
|
well-nigh Geld had been brought up, and lay
on thu wharf. One young man pulled off his
outer clothing, sprang into the water, and
! SUI ceedei IL re scuiny numt or of per-
sons. If there hal been eight or ten like
| him am atiSfed thet but few would have
been drowned. I he moon had not yet
arisen, aud thework progressed under tn o
feeb e light of a few lanterns. A number of
bonfires had been started on the shore to
allo W those who had been rescued to dry their
IL Ia = IL.
city with twenty eight bodies To whom the
blame should be attached / cannot say. The
wharf was an old, ricketty thing, and last
year remembe- kicking large piece of
plank off which might have proved death
trap TO some one in its loose cord tor.
1t is probable that if the people
had been more equally distributed the acct
dent would no. have occurred"
The scene at Henderson's Wharf, where
the Cockade City arriy ed with her first load
ofdead a. O'Clock in the mo ming, was af-
tecting. Many friends of those who had
gone on the excursion had gathered, being
uneay at the unusual delay. Anxious pa
rents sons and daughters at once began to
make lnquirits, and agonizing cries went up
as they found their fears verified and learned
| that some of their friends were among The
dead. Duilng the morning the crowd in
creased and The sorrowing scenes grew in
numte-. Most of the victims were
women d ana In very many cases
their faces We're discolored and blood oozed
| fro n their nostrils.
When carried off the boat the bodies were
laid side by side in the shed on the wharf.
The faces wers covered with cloths. and the
hans were crossed ON the breasts. All the
undertaken wagons obtainable were secured,
ana the work OF taking the identified VIC
tins to the homes SO suddenly cast into
| gloom was begun. By night sixty-fve bod
les had been brought to the city.
The coroner's Jury brought in the followS
ing verdict: We find that Louisa Swearer
and others cane 10 their deaths by drown
ing ~ the breaking of the bridge at III, oil,
and that the authorities of the place did not
use proper care and precaution TO prevent
the occurrence