Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-20

struction.
COLD SPRING HARBoR, L. l., Aug. 10.
Fourteen persons were killed. and
about so injured this afternoon Of
large excursion party composed chiefly
of the employees of Theodore Kaiser's
dry goods store Graham avenue Brooklyn \
Il. D., which this morning went to
Warmepex Grove on the steamer Crys-
tai Stream and the barge Grand Repub-
lie. In the excitement and confusion
which prevailed it was difficult to estab-
lish the identity of many of the unfor-
tunates. The killed embraced eight
women, four children and two men.
AT about $3.50 o'clock this afternoon
the last whistles for all to get aboard
were blown by the steamer, and at 3.45
everybody was ready to start The
larger portion of the excursionists were
on the barge, where the younger people
were dancing. Just then some heavy
clouds covered the sky, then came ,
squall the wind driving everything
before it. The boat hands anticipating
a shower) had let down the canvas cur
tains which arc attached to the hurri-
cane deck of the barge and fastened
them down to the port side.
This prevented the wind from blow
ing through, and as one strong gust
struck the barge it lifted the starboard
side of the hurricane deck clear from its
fastenings and supports, and forced it
and the posts and partition in the centre
over to the port side. AS it pushed over
the end of the deck nearest the dock to
which the barge was fastened it dropped
down upon the hundreds of women and
children who had crowded over to the
side of the barge in an effort to escape.
In moment the air was rent with the
screams and agonizing cries of the poor
victims whose lives were being crushed
out and limbs broken.
The scene was heartrending in the
extreme, and the excitement caused BY
the friends and relatives of those on the
barge who were on the steamer only
added to the pandemonium which pre-
vailed. The officers, deck hands and
other men ON the steGmer lost no time
in reaching the barge and doing all in
their power to rescue all whom they
could from the wreck.
Willing hands from the Grove and
neighboring places were also soon al
work, and In 15 minutes the fallen deck
was raised sufficiently to allow all those
who were alive and uninjured to crawl
| out and the injured to be assisted
| from the barge. 1t had beon hoped that
none had been killed, but the bodies of
IA were seen to be lying near the gun
vale.
All had had their lives crushed out
of them by being caught between the
edge of the fallen deck and the guard
rails. Those who knew no friend was
missing hurried away to make room for
the hundreds who saw friend or rela-
tive dead or injured. Women and chill
dren and even strong men wept pite-
ously as they looked upon the dead or
dying. OF the dead those who were rec
ognized were as follows:
Lizzie Schamant, 8 years, of No. 214
briggs street, Mrs. Pauline Prinz, 35
years, of = briggs street; - Hotf-
man, man of 30, residing at Graham
avenue and Scholes street; Minnie
Goetz, 16 years, of Stagg and Even
streets; Mrs. Lipenginger, 1856 Graham
avenue; Katie Kautze, A years, No. 1873
Graham avenue. The pilot of the barge,
whose name could not be ascertained,
was also killed. He was in the pilot
house wher the wind threw the deck
over. He was thrown over and fell be-
tween the deck and the boat.
|
Held, No 231 johnson avenue, arm
broken and other bruises, Mrs. Henry
Isselmann, No. 100 Skillman avenue;
foot broken and other bruises. Mrs
German, So years old, of No. 10 Jack
son street; seriously injured in the chest
and side of head. 1t is feared that her
injuries will prove fatal. She was taken
home by her daughter.
The wounded were carefully carried
aboard Of the Crystal stream, which
conveyed them to Oyster Bay Village, a
distance of six miles, where they were
attended by Doctors Fuller, Frye, Stans-
wick, Stewart and Whitney. The
steamer then returned here and carried
another load to Oyster Bay, and again
third load.
In the meantime arrangements were
being made by the committee of the ex-
cursion for special train to carry the
eXcursionists to Brooklyn. A number
took the train which left Oyster Bay at
603 for Long Island City. Others,
among them some of the most seriously
injured, remained on the Crystal
Stream, which left here for Brooklyn at
about 7.30 o'clock.
The bodies of the IA dead were laid
in row on the deck of the Inflated
barge, and were covered over with tar
paulin to await the arrival of a coroner
from Huntington.
The place where the disaster occurred
, is at the head of Cold Spring Harbor, mot
; far from Laurelton, and IS favorite
picnic ground.
The falling of the deck of the barge
and the results that followed are, it is
said, due entirely TO the rotten condi-
~. Al