The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-08-19
AN EXCURSION HORROR.
DeCA OF u steamer.
OYSTER BAY. Long Island, Angus

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DecA OF u Steamer.
OYSTER BAY. Long Island, August
l2--i ..ul;sc:: Ut :sonS UelU tiiisd out-
rl9hi a.u thirty were injured at Cold
Spring Harbor at 1 O'Clock this alter
noon. An excursion barge was Just
clearing the dock on her return to Brook
lyu. when the vessel was struck by a
heavy squali end was dashed with great
force against the dock. 1t was IN the
midst OF terrible thunder storm and
the waves ran high. Some persons
think that the mast of The barge on
which the people were killed was struck
by lightning but this is not known. All
was excitement and confusion. Women
and children became panic stricken and
were running about the boat screaming g
wildly. The SKY was dark and threaten
ing. The sea was feariully wild.
Before the unfortunate people could
realize tn cir great danger the upper de-k
of the barge came down with frightful
crash upon the surging crowd beneath.
When the rescuers set to work and the
wreckage was cleared away terrible
sight met the gaze of those who were
laborlng with desperate energy to save
the unfortunate people. Fourteen per-
sons lay dead on the lower deck and up
ward OF thirty were more or less severe
ly injured, and their heart-renderlng
moans aud calls for assistance lent addi-
tional horror to the terrible scene. Some
Of those on the barge are supposed to
have fallen into the water, but at 9
O'Clock tonight no bodies had been
washed ashore or recovered.
The names Of the killed and injured
have not been learned. Most OF them
were strangers to each other and had
no friend with them by whom they could
be at once identified
The excursion was sent out by the
large dry goods house Of Kaiser OF Brook.
lyn, for the benefit of its employees, but
many other persons took advantage OF
the excursion to 60 along. Nearly all
are residents OF. Brooklyn and William
burg. There were two barses and three
more towed by large tug called the
Crystal Spring. They left Brooklyn
early this morning and arrived at Cold
Springs Earbor at about noon. The
| barces were moored 10 Dennisons dock,
the excursionists had picnic at Cold
Springs grove. The boats had barely
left the dock when the accident took
place. Among those killed was the pilot
of the barge. When the confusion had
somewhat subsided, the superintendent
OF Kalser's large establishment made ar
rangements for sending the killed and
Injured to their homesla Brooklyn. He
telegraphed for a special train OF the
Long Island Railroad and it left Cold
Springs Harbor at 7:30 p. m.
OF the Cead eight are women, four
children and two men. The boat hands,
anticipating shower, had let down the
canvas curtains which are attached to
the hurricane deck of the barge and fast.
enod them down on the port side. This
prevented the wind from blowing through
and as one strong gust struck the barge
| it lifted the starboard side Of the hurri-
cane deck clear from its fastenings and
supports and forced it, and the posts and
partitions 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, 1t dropped down upon
hundreds OF women and children who
had crowded over to that side of the
barge in an effort to escape. In a mo.
ment the air was rent with the screams
and agoniz!ng cries of the poor victims
whose lives were bein! crushed out and
limbs broken. The scene was heart
rendlng in the extreme, and the excite
ment caused by the friends and relatives
of those on board who were on the
steamer only added to the pandemonium
which prevailed. The officers, dock
hands and other men on the steamer lost
no time in reaching the barge and doing
all in their power to rescue al! whom
they could from the wreck. Willing
hands from the grove and nelghborlng
places were also soon at work and in
fifteen minutes the fallen deck was raised
sufficiently to allow those who were
alive and uninjured to crawl out and the
injured to be assisted from the
barge. All of the dead had the llvts
crushed out of them by being caught be-
tween the edge of the fallen deck and
the guard rails.