Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-08-13
FOURTEEN KILLED
By Giving Away Of an Elcur'
sion Barss's Deck.
TSsniy kofe are Injured 1-.Squll Struck
ih. Barge,
AID the Overloaded Dsok Collapsed
800 People Aboard.

Com SPRING HARBoR, l.. L., Aug. l2-
A terrible disaster occurred here this after
noon by which eight women. four children
and two men lost their lives and about so
men women and children were injured.
The steamer Crystal Stream with the
hsrge Republic in tow. having aboard about
800 adults and As many children on an ex
cursion, the employees Of Odore Ksiser,
dry goods dealer, l07 Graham avenue.
Brooklyn, arrived at Cold Spring grove
dock about . o'clock. At 3.45 every body
way ready TO start for home. The larger
portion Of the excursionists we're on the
barge where tie younger people were
dancing.
There came q squail, the wind driving
everything before it, The boat hands, an-
tielpstiBg a shower. bad LET down the eau
vsss curtain attached TO the hurricane deck
Of the barge and fA.tened them to the port
side. This pre- vented the wind from blow
ing through, and as one strong gust struck
the barge it lifted the starbosrd side of the
hurricane deck from its fAstenipgs and
.upports and forced il 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. dropped down upon the hundreds
Of women and children who crowded over
to that side of the barge in their effort TO
escape. The officers, deckbAnds and other
men on the steamer lost no time in reach
ing the barge and doing all iu their power
10 rescue all they ,uld from the wreck.
Willing hands from the Grove and neigh
boring places were soon at work, and in 10
| minutes the ssllen deck WAS raised suf-
| fcientiy to allow all those alive and unn-
iared to crawl out and the mi ured to be
! assisted to the barge.
The lifeless bodies Of IA were laying
near the gunvsle All had their lives
| crushed out by being caught between the
| edge Of the fallen deck and the guard rails.
Six of the dead were recogoiz ID, all living
in BROOKLYN. The pilot Of the barge was
killed name not known. He was in the
! pilot house when the wind threw the deck
over, and WAS thrown over and fell be-
| tween the deck and boat.
Ths injured were carefully carried
| aboard the Cry stal Stream. which conveye cd
them to Oyster Bay village where they were
| attended by doctors. In the meantime ar
| rangements we're being made by the COM
| mit,ee Of the excursion for = special train
| 10 carry the exCursionists to Brooklyn. A
number took the train which left Oy stef
Bay at 6 03. The others, among III, m
some of the most seriously injured, re-
manned on the Crystal Stream, which left
here for Brooklyn about 80
The place where the disaster occurred is
at the head of Cold Spring Hsrbor. a favor
ite picnic ground. The falling of the deck
| of the barge, it is said. vas due entirely to
the rotten condition Of the supports. Mary
excursionists carried home pieces Of the
centre posts, which show they were per
fectly rotten ut the core. The barge itself,
| il is said, was unsafe in other particulars.
Coroner Rodman arrived At the scene
about 6. and empsnelled jury which
viewed the bodies and gave permit for
their removal. and they we're taken aboard
the Crystal Stream, which conveyed them
to Brooklyn.