The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-01-21
oNl nuNpMnp sIs AIMS do Ia.. N

Tho Regent Park Lakes tho scene of An
other Accident--So Lives Lost, Owiny t,,
\ the Shallow. Wator--Intense Excitement
i Throughout london. -. t.%.s. K
] What might have proved to have
been q most serious disaster accident
rivalling the disaster Of 1867, occurred
on the 10Th inst. in Regents Park.
London. The weather was delightful
though a thaw had set in, and the lakes
Ill Tue parks werccro wded with skaters
VINO have had Il "royal time" of il
! during tho recent severe weather
throughout Great Brilain. AS there
was prospect that thaw would soon
put an end to the sport, an unusual
| number of persons were enioyiuu
themselves OH the ice. Suddenly there
was series OF loud, cracking reports.
ana the ice on one of the ponds rave
way and at least o hundred mpn.
women and children were submerged
III the chilling wntcr beneath. a crv
Oh horror arose from the vast throne
OF people on the ice and in the neipI.
porhood OF the lakes, while those who
| wero lucky enough to escape made n
nasty scramble for the shore. The
"i1e,sayvers" aud police, assisted bv
nuho.eus OF volunteers, soon pulled
OUT tho drcnched pleasure-scekers
from amid the slabs Of tloatinp ice
Women and children naturally sufIerrd
the most from their involuntary cold
bath, but up to the present, thanks Io
the TACT that the water was not very
deep, no serious results huue been re-
ported. Intense excitement prevailed
throughout London when the news nf
the accident was spread throughout
th" city, many recalling the fatal 18th
or january, 1867, when, in the same
park, at least two hundred people
were suddenly submel ged through the
breaking OF the ice, forty-one Of whom
| were drowned.
| PREVIOUS to the calamity of 1867
there were long series of isOla, cd
accidents on the ice, which did nol
, seem 10 nave put the authorities uu0n
y their guard, which was crowned by
one OF fearful magnitude. The iccmei,
, had openly expressed opinions that
thc Ice was unsafe, being formcd
chlc1ly OF melted snow, vet about 500
skaters were permitted to exercise
upon 1t on the at crnoon in question,
and over two thousand people watched
!. thcir racciulmovcmcntS with pleasure
Suddenly, and without any warning
The ice at the sides gave way and i'm u
few seconds the entire sheet split mn
INTO fragments few yards square.
~ general rush was made to the hunks,
winch, unfortunately, broke up the
SOFT ice into smaller pieces. Scores OF
skaters W no had been enjoying lhcm>
selves on Its surface slipped down be-
tween the pieces and appeared to be
at once sucked under the ice. A lew.
with great presence Of mind, threw
themselves flat upon the surface of
INC broken ice, and thus preserved
their own lives and were instrumental
IN saving others. AS il was, ut least
ZOo PERSONS were at one time struy-
@'ih9 III the water and ultcring heart
ieh"ihg appeals for assistance. The
icc men on duty, assisted by hundreds
OF spectators and the police, did their
best TO drag people to land, but i'm the
excitement OF the first momcnts' sur
prise many went down never TO rise
to the surface again alive. the slabs nr
broken ice 1loating ON top OF their
struggling forms. Men, women and
ahlldrcn were seen cInginy TO the
edges OF the broken ice, shoutiu~ for
asSlslcncc, which those who Witnessed
| their suilrrinGa were powcricss f.,
render, and in brief time, chilled nud
orhumbcd, sank with few faint,
waves above the water. A Stronw
lorce OF police was soon on the SuoI
aliu rendered great service in Drc-
, serving ordrr and permitting syslrm
atic "ilollSiobc mad for recovering thc
DouiCS. The humber drowned wns
Hnnliy lound to be tnrty-unc, and the
calamity threw feeling of sadness
over lhr entire metropolis. After this
cVcnl the newspapers were crowded
Wl'h communications suggesting plans
I"r preventing the recurrence of such
ulSaSicr, among them being the fill
| ing mp ol the lakes to Il certain drDIb
inc latter suggestion, being acted upon
shortly afterwards, and il is doubtless
que {" this tact that no lives were los,
Dy the recent catastrophe.
Regents Park is situated i'm tb,
northern portion Of London, and
covers an area of 40 acres, occupviuu
the site of Mary lGbonc Park, which in
the time OF Queen Elizabeth was used
as Il hunting ground. Regents Park
owes us preservation to the intention
Oh George III. TO erect Il royal palace
within lis grounds. The Parl; con-
ta'ns the gardens Of the XuoIouical
Society and Of tho Royal Botanical
society, as well IS the grounds of a
lew private villas. I'm summer time
the northern half the park is devoted
10 crlckel, ana in the SOuthcst corner
therc Is Hover garden of ANTIQUE
dcSl%n. The artificial lake, the scene
OF thc late accident, is situated in the
southwest portion of the park
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| JOHN SHERMAN ELECTED.