The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-05
STORM AT GARFIELD
Thunder, Lightning, Hail, Wind
and Waves.
A GREAT CROWD AT THE PIER
sand and Not More than One In
Ten Get to Battle.

The Fourth OF July is always a great
day Tor Garfield beach, and If yesterdays
crowd did not exceed by several thousand
the largest attendance in its history, it
was because the railroad company's equip
ment of cars and engines was totally in
adequate to haul more than half the peo-
pie who desired to attend. None of the
afternoon trains were capable of clearing
the depot platform of but more than a
small part of the multitude which clam
mored for seats, and as the cars became
packed the people deemed themselves most
fortunate if they could get but standing
room or foothold to hang on the outside
OF the coaches.
At 3 o'clock the pier, pavilion and res
taurant shed at Garfield were uncomfort-
ably crowded and each incoming train till
D o'clock continued TO pour In more thous-
ands, swelling the mass of humanity until
there must have been ten thousand people
at the beach. The open spaces about the
ticket office and costume room were con-
tinually lammed with struggling humanity
fighting Its way to the stairway leading to
the pier and bath houses. At the entrance
TO the bath houses there was a black,
sulleA, Grabbed ''felt-devilish- blue'' set
which waited its turn for a key until
patience ceased 70 be virtue. This tedium
was occasionally broken by a man carry
ing an inspiration Jag, celebrating the Day
we celebrate, with rip roaring shrieks that
pierced the air with "bet your life Pm a
daisy, and can mop up the lake with any
gol darned son of a sucker on the PER-
Even the pavilion was so crowded that
dancing was impossible, though some of
the buxom lassies whose bumpers were
equal TO the emergency, made their way
through and rather enjoyed the conclusion.
AS the train which was to leave the
beach at O'Clock hauled into the station,
threatening cloud hung over the noun
tains, spreading across the lake to the
southwark. a few drops Of rain admon-
ished the crowd of an approaching storm,
and it required but few minutes to I'LL the
eighteen coaches with an eager crowd.
While the train still stood al the station a
fierce wind swept down over the noun
tsins, rocking the cars on their narrow
tracks, accompanied by torrent of rain,
striking terror to the passengers, whU
would topple over The pier was
black with s1rging mass which huddled
closer together, dumb with fear, like the
crew on sinking steamship, with an occa-
sional scream from hysterical women. Hail
stones battered the roof, the sea rolled and
its angry waves pitched and tossed and
tumbled the timbers in its fury. In the
panic that ensued mothers struggled TO hold
their babes above the crowd to keep
them from being crushed. Strong men
snatched little children that would have
been ruthlessly trodden under the feet of
other burly men who knew no regard
for the lives of others, weaker than them
selves. During these frightful scenes
hundreds of batbers were caught out far
from shore and the waves rolled up De-
tween them and land, beating them back in
their fight. A number of boats were also
seen battling with the storm, and several
cries Of distress pierced the ears of the
frightened spectators. Fortunately. when
the storm was at its worst, and many lives
seemed to hang upon a chance, the winds
bad well nigh spent their fury and the sea
soon quieted down, allowing all to return
safely TO shore. 1t was a terrible expert
ence, and many of those caught out at sea
July 4, 1891, will never cease to shudder
whenever astorm comes up.