The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-07-26
Wherein Many Precious Lives Are Sac
rlllced.
A Day Dawning With Pleasant Antici-
patlOns, and
A Zenith Of Horror, Sadness and Bro
ken Hearts.
A Pleasure Excursion that, Ended In
Eternity.
Snatched from Joyous Life without
Warning.
The Victims Principally Women ana
Children.
Details and the Cause Thereof.

BALTIMORE, July 24.-A terriable calami.
ty occurred at Moth Point, Tivoli; an ex-
cursion resort on the Potapsco, ten miles
from this city, about 10 O'Clock last night,
by which many lives were lost, the number
being estimated at between sixty and sew
enty. The accident was occasioned by the
giving way of the outer pillow of the pier
on which several hundred people had con-
gregated, awaiting the boat to return to
this city The locality is in small bay,
distant about two miles from North Point
light house. 1t was formerly known as
Holly Grove, and il was the first regular ex-
cursio1 place fitted up near the city about
fifteen years ago, and was most
popular resort at that tire
and for several years aftel ward. Yesterday
an excursion was given to Tivoli, under the
management of the Mount Royal Beneficial
society OF the Catholic church OF Corpus
Christi, of which Father Stair is pastor, cor
ner of Mount Royal avenue and Mosher
street. The excursion went down on
the barge Cockade City, which was towed
by the tug Amanda Powell. The barge
was formerly an old canal boat, which had
been fitted up with several decks for excur.
sion purposes, and had been used as such
for several yeors: Yesterday an she
the last being made from this city between
6 and O'Clock last evening, and reached
Tiyoli before 10 o'clock. During the day
she had taken down about 500 persons, and
on her last trip about 100. A large num-
Der 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 rush tor the end OF
the wharf which is several hundred feet
long. and were closely packed together at
A. tUa
end, impatiently awaiting admittance
through the gate. As the barge came along
side and struck the wharf it suddenly and
without warning gave way, and large
portion of the crowd were precipitated into
the water, which is about ten feet deep.
Many were able to save themselves by
fleeing towards the shore. As the outer
end of the pier crumbled and fell, darkness @
added to the confusion and terror. and lit
tie could be done at once to rescue the
drowning, most OF whom were women and
children. The first news of the disaster
reached this city a little after 2 O'Clock this
morning, when the barge landed at Hender-
sons wharf, bringing number Of bodies
of the drowned. Up to this hour it Is said
sixty .one bodies have been recovered.
The Sun in an extra says: The boat had
made three trips to Tivoli this morning.
The boat took down 100 and at 2o'clock the
boat took 100 and at 6o'clock boat took
rs. This latter boat reached the pier at
800 and prepared to take all hands back to
the city at once as requested by Father
Star. The excursionists knowing this was
the only boat that landed at the long pier
where they were, stopped by the gate near
the steamer. Some youths tried to climb
over the gate and man and boy seated
themselves on it with their legs hanging
over. A sudden movement caused the rail
to break and twenty-one were thrown into
the water. There was Sudden crash
and chorused shrek. Splinters
flew in every direction and about
200 people were struggling among thebroken
timbers in ten feet OF water, with noise ana
cries so loud that watermen heard them
two miles away. The spectators say the
scene was sickening, as the moon had gone
down and the only light was shed by two
feeble coal oil lamps. Some OF the rescuers
took large lanterns and sent them on the
wharf. Two of them exploded and added
fresh terror to the scene. Those on the
deck of the barge threw life preseryers,
stools and benches into the water, These
stunned many and knocked them insensi-
BILE Others let down planks and ropes.
Indiscribable horror and terror reigned,
amid sbrieks and curses, groans and cries
for "God save u.s." and heart-rending
PRAYERS for help. The darkness impeded
the help rendered by those who jumped
into the water. Those whose swimming
powers were the means OF saving the hves
of Others are as follows, together with the
number ofpersons each saved; Charles w.
Connor, 6; E. A. Fitzpatrick, 4; Patrick
Beatty, @; John Oonall,4 A; Jacob Birnett.io;
lanes Burns, 10; VIM. Carry, 2; Charles
DoyIe and Captain Roberts, Of the tug
Amanda Powell. Some women were
pulled up on the wharf and some dragged
into shallow water. The movement oil
the barge caused wash that carried those
hat,Iing with the water under the wharf
and among the piles. The men were most
ly able to struggle out. The males who
we're drowned were trying to help the
women and children. Alter the CONFUSION
was over a huge fire was built on shore for
those who had been saved and their clothes
we're soon drying. Dredging for bodies
then commenced. Twenty eight had been
found up to 10 O'Clock, when the Starr took
upon herself the responsibility Of ordering
the boat up TO Baltimore and 1t came up
and went pack at day break.