Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-08
A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
The Yacht Gertrude Capsizes at the
Wharf
WITH SIXTEEN PEOPLE ON BOARD.
Architect Z. W. Wells Drowned, and Many
Narrow Escapes.
THE STORY OF THE CALAMITY.

The yacht Gertrude capsized in the
river
Sixteen persons struggling helplessly in
the water
Architect f. W. Wells drowned, and
several others narrowly escape death
Such, in tersest language, was the terrible
accident happening at the lower end OF the
public landing at about half-past five
o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The news of the catastrophe greatly mag
nified by the uncertainty OF those III the VI,
cinity as to the actual loss Of life, spread
with great rapidity, and in twenty minutes
the central portion of the city was all eX-
element, and hundreds Of people ran TO the
wharf 10 learn the particulars Of the calain-
itv. while others queried Of each other as
TO the details, or expressed ana reiterated
the hope that the facts might not be so bad
as at first they seemed.
BY degrees the list of the lost, which AT
first seemed 10 number fOurOr five, was cut
down to three, then TO two, and finally TO a
single life, but that one which Wheeling
could i'll afford to spare-that Of Architect
+. w. Wells.
The story of the calamity may be thus
told:
Just about half-past five, while the
crowds at the ball game We're competing
with each other at the Island landing OF
the Twelfth street yacht ferry for prece-
dence TO the city, the yacht Gertrude, OIL
ficered by Hall Sadler as captain and uller-
man. and George Engle as engineer, lett
the Fink street wharf with sixteen persons
on board, two of whom were ladleS-Mrs
Charles HornbrOOk, who had been visiting
al Mr.. ]. G. DillOn's, and Mrs John X. Men
del. Every thing progressed well until the
Yacht had reached within twenty yards OF
the wharf on the east bank Of the river
when il was found that the boat was
unmanageable, through failure OF the
tiller ropes TO work. There was a barge
moored outside the sand boat Fay =, Just
above which the landing place OF the yacht
was located. and as the tiller failed To re
sDond To the strong pulls Of Mr.. Saddler,
the Yacht. carried along by the swift cur
rent. swung rapidly down stream until II
was seen by those On'board, as well as those
ashore. that she she must inevitably strike
against the head of the barge. About this
time Mrs Mendel discovered that the cause
of the rudder's failure 10 work was that
her dress had been caught in the
small brass pulley-blOck, through which
the tiller rope runs, at each corner oil the
bow seats of the yacht, and that the
tighter the line was pulled the more
impossible it became TO pull the ruduer
around. Mr. Saddler and Mrs Mendle at
tempted 10 free the rope and MIR. Saddler
giving il hard tug, finally rot II loose,
while Mr. Engle, the engineer, was making
an unsuccessful effort 70 reverse the en-
81. go. IRf aF ~
the Yacht struck the upper end OF the
barge with her bow. At the moment she
struck. most OF the men in the yacht Jump
ed TO their feet but before they could fairly
the situation, or act 10 save
themselves or the ladies, the yacht careened
over. while her stern swung square across
the current. and everyone on board was
thrown into the water, the yacht sinking
stern first
Fortunately. nearly all the occupants Of
the Yacht were thrown clear of the head OF
the barge. or were able 10 scramble upon
her side. after landing in the water and
thus were in comparatively little danger.
Others were not SO fortunate, and one OF
these, Mr.. Wells, lost his life.
Those present in the boat, with one eX-
ception. where the name could not be OBJ
tanned, were as follows: Mrs. Charles
Hormbrook. Mrs. John Mendel, William
Scheele. E w. Wells, David K. Brooks,
William 7. English, William Mclaughlin,
George CHIN: Joe White. Meyers. Ed.
vile and j. Sawyer. members of the
Wheeling ball team; Hall Sadler George
Engle and William Pratt.
As Mrs Hornbrook fell into the water,
she caught hold of William Scheehle'S col
lar. but sank. As soon as she came to the
surface Joe White and Meyers, of the
Wheeling team, caught Mrs. Hornbrook,
first by one hand, and afterwards getting
a better hold on her, lifted ner from the
water. and she was hurried up 10 the
street. where "a carriage was procured, and
she was taken home. Mrs. Mendel, who
never lost her Self-pOSsession, was caught
by Lytle. of the team, and was pulled out
OF the water and taken 10 the Hotel Behler,
where she was cared for until q carriage
could be obtained, when sheWas also taken
home.
Meanwhile all but four OF the occupants
of the Yacht had scrambled ashore In one
way or another, except MessrS. Wells, Me
Laughlin, English and Brooks. Messrs.
English and Brooks went under the fiat
boat, and we're rescued at the lower end.
about where the tin dump of the Lantern
works is situated, at the upper end OF the
"Pewiky" freight station. English was res
cued through the efforts of Scheibel of the
Springfield team, aud Joseph May, the for
mer Wading out into the water up to his
waist, and handing a stick 10 English, who
had Just about strength enough 10 grasp
and hold onto it until he could be brought
ashore when Scheibel. May and others,
hurried him up the bank TO the Hotel Ben
Ter. where be was put to bed.
Brooks was e0t ashore by Sawyer and
others. and was hurried away home, being
one OF the first to leave the scene of the ac-
cident
Meanwhile Mcssrs. Mel aughip and E.
w. Wells were on the outside of the barge,
struggling with the swift current, Gnd to-
ing the utmost to make a landing. Mr..
Mel aughlin padded along down stream,
holding his head above water only by the
greatest effort. and was able to get ashore,
with the assistance of others, at spot I'M
der the "Pewiiy' FaiiFpad trestle, imme-
diately above the mouth ~ ne creek.
There willing hands hurried him into the
boat-hOuse "Glass City and although
about unconscious, was soon brought
around sufficiently for him to mount the
bank. with tie aid of two men, to hack,
which conveyed him ~ bis residence on
Fourteenth street, where he had iGedlcal
Before Mr.. Mclaughlin had emerged
from the water. poor Wells had sunk TO rise
no moro. He struggled manfuliy with the
current. but iO no purpose, and drowned
before the eyes of several, who witnessing
his death struggles, were poweriess 10 rep-
der him aid.
Within five minutes after the accident
the bank of the river was densely crowded,
aud the air was full of reports which placed
the number OF tiie drowned from two up TO
five. color being lent thess confident asser-
tons by the fact that those rescued were
hurried away so quickly that few saw more
than half q dozen Of the inmates Of the
Yacht. and from the fgrthei fact that about
Ten minuteSAfterth the accident TWO CAPS were
found floating In the water a short distance
below where the yacht cepSized, and were
brought ashore by two men who went out
in a skiff. The caps We're new, % boys
size. and Mr. Dinger. who was present
when they were brought ashore, said they
had beea bSaSht during the day at his
store. This seemed 70 pointunmistakea6ly
70 the fact that two boys were missing. and
this was scosp.cd as true by many oHl .h-