Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-08-01
AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT.

day nights COLLISION OF the II
GINA" with the louise In view OF
the l.rge pumber of people on the
steamers, it is matter of tina ktul
ness that the mortality was not
greater but it Is too bal MS it is,
for it has brought sorrow TO IA large
number Ofhomes. AS in the TlyOll I
calamity, the people left their
homes in the morning on an excnr'
sion for health and pleasSpa, and
the contrast Of their TetaFA adds
lmmeasureably to the grief and
suffering.
The blame, of course, will have
to be determined by the properly
constituted authorities. With the
few facts at hand, it is impossible
to find fully satisfactory explana-
tIon for the accident, although it
manlfestly resulted from confusion.
Both steamers h ave excellent
records, and both have heretofore
been handled with care and safety.
The old Bay Line has won wel!.de-
served reputation for prudence and
reliability. The Louise has carried
thousands OF people without mis-
hap, and her size and siurdiness, as
we'll as the efficiency of her officers,
have always been an assurance
against danger.
The two steamers have passed
each other repeatedly during the
present season. The width OF the
channel at the fatal point was
ample, being three or four hun.
dred feet, and everything would
undoubtedly have gone on as usual
had it not been for tug and a
schooner that complicated and con
fused matters. Their coming be-.
tween caused the two large steam
, ers to alter their course, and the
result was the accident. Of course,
there will be the customary con-
tentiOn about signals, but It is
hoped that t evidence Will be
thoroughly sitted, and that the
blame Will be placed where it be.
longs.
COLLISION AND DEATH.
"The steamer Louise, with about
Aj00 TOlch ster eXcursiOnists
aboard, bound to Baltimore, and
the steamer Virginia, of the By
Line COMPANY, bound for Norfolk,
were in collision shortly after eight
o'clock last night in the Beaverton
channel, PatapScO river, just below
Fort Carroll. Four persons arr
known to have been killed, and
fifteen are reported missing. Pas
sengers OF both steamers say that
several tell overheard from the
Louise, though the tug Mamie,
which was on the scene OF collision,
failed to find any persons in the
water. Both steamers were severe
" injured. The Virginia began to
leak, and had to return to the city.
The damage to th Louise was TO
the jOlner work on the starbOard
SIDE, near the gangway. There
was great excitement on board of
both steamers
STATEMENTS OF PASSENGERS.
Mr.. VIM. Cline, Jr., who was a
passenger on the Louise, said al
was standing in the back part Of
the saloon on the second deck,
when | saw the Virginia coming
toward us. The women and chill
dren got frightened and began to
scream. lu the uprJar there was
a crash; the LONise shvered from
stem to stern and keeled over
IslIghtly. The Virginia had struck
the Louise on tie starboard side,
in the rear of the wheelhOuse, her
PROV ploughlng right into a group
of persons. For second or more
there was q cracking of timbers.
Then the steamers separated
| Everything and everybody was in
confusion. Women and Chi dreD
we're crying, throwing their arms
about and making anxious inquiries
for each other. | began to pull
down lite preservers and pass them
to the women, ! did not know
what would happen. After | had
given ont about a dozen life-pre-
servers | went down on a lower
deck, and there | saw the big hole
which bad been made IN the side
of the Louise. The timbers and
people we're all mixed mp. | as.
sisted in pulling out tue injured,
The officers of the Louise seemed
to be cool and knew what they
were doing"
PUTTING ON LIFE.PRESERVERS.
Mr.. Ferdinand Bernhard, No.
943 West Preston street 81 was in
the stern of the boat with two lady
friends, singing ave are out on
the ocean sailing" when we felt a
sudden severe shock. We thought
the boiler had exploded. OJe OF
the young ladies tried to jump
overheard, but | pulled her back.
She tainted. got lite preseryers
and put them on all our party. The
lite. preservers were right over our
heads, and it was no trouble to pull
them down and put them on. There
was wild confusion on the steamer.
People ran over each ether scream
ing and shouting, and several
woman jumped overheard. Very
nearly every one put on life.pre-
server, and those who did not
have a life .preServer on carried