The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-13
CRUSHED TO DEATH
Fourteen People Killed on an
Excursion Boat.
THE DECK WAS BLOWN OFF
VI the Starboard Side on to the People on the
Port Side-A Passengers Account
OF the Accident

MiNEoLA, L. l., Aug 12.-The employees
OF Theodore Kaiser, OF Graham avenue.
Brooklyn, went on an excursion TO Laurel
ton grove, Cold Springs harbor, to day on
the steamer Crystal Stream and the barge
Republic. There were 500 persons crowded
together on the upper deck on the barge.
suddenly heavy squall struck the barge
ana the upper deck gave away, pinioning
about nifty persons. Fourteen persons
were instantly killed aud twenty or more
wounded. The injured were taken to Oys-
ter Bay for treatment.
Eight women, four children and two men
were killed Just before leaving Cold
Springs haroor dock for theireturn trip,
AFTER all the Passengers were aboard,
squall sprung up. The boat hands, antici-
pating shower, let down the canvass cur
talns which are attached to the hurricane
deck or the barge and fastened them down
10 the port side. This prevented the wind
from blowing through, and as one strong
gust struck the barge it lifted the star
board side off the deck frnm it's fastsniugs
and supports and forced it over on top OF
the port side. AS it pushed over
the end OF the deck nearest the
dock to which the barge was fastened
dropped down upon q hundred women and
children who had crowded over TO THAI
side of the barge in an effort to escape. In
a AAOAAOAh tuC vas EcuI WIFI SCREAMS
and the agonizing cries of victims whose
lives were being crushed and limbs
broken. II was In the midst OF q terrible
storm and the waves ran high. Some per-
sons think the mast Of the barge was
struck by lightning, but this is not known
The officers, deck hands and ether men on
the steamer which had the barge in tow
lost no time in reaching the barge and
doing all in their power to rescue
all they could from the wreck
Willing hands from the grove and
nelghboring places were also soon at work
and In fifteen minutes the fallen deck was
raised sufficiently to allow all of those who
were alive and uninjured 10 crawl out,
and the injured to be assisted from the
barge. IL had been hoped none were killed,
but the hfeIess bodies OF fourteen people
were soon lrtng near the gunw.le All
had their lives crushed out by being caught
between the edge of the fallen deck and
the guard rails, Women, children and
even strong men wept piteously as they
looked upon the dead or dying.
OF the dead bodies, those recognized
were a. follows: Lizzie Schamant Mrs.
Pauline Prinz. Hoffman, Minnie Goetz.
Mrs Lipeninger, Katie Kautze, Robert
Schiller, Amelia Laadgraf, Mary Scha1f,
Minnie Schsullein, Annie Voltz, Amelia
Wagner. Emma Wen, Louis Kurt.
The pilot of the barge, whose name
could not be ascertained, was also
killed He was IN the pilot house
when lhe wind threw the deck over He
was t1r0wn over and fell between the deck
and boat. Among the injured are Charles
Held, Mrs Henry Isselmsin, Mrs. Herr
mann. The wounded were carefully carried
aboard the steamer, which conveyed them
TO Oyster Bay village, distance of six
miles, where they were attended by
physicians. The bodies Of the dead were
laid on the deck OF the barge TO await the
arrival of the coroner.
The place where the accident occurred is
at the head of Cold Springs hsrbor and is
favorite DicknickinR ground
The falling and sad results are due Ell
tirely. 10 is said, 20 the rotten condition OF
the supports of the deck. Many excursion
lists carried home with them pieces Of the
centre posts, which show they were per
fectly rotten at the core. The barge itself,
il is said, is unsafe IN other particulars.
Mrs. Schamant, whose daughter Lizzie
was among the killed, says she was stand
ing at the upper end of the barge She
saw the storm coming and YVES trying TO
get to shelter when cyclone came and
ripped the top Of the barge off. and a min
ute later she saw her daughters legs stick
ing out from between the guard rail and the
edge Of the deck. she could hear her
screaming, but could not help her. She
does not know what became of her sister,
who was standing near her, and it is
feared she was also killed.
George Peters who was slightly injured
said: Every body had gone on board the
barge and steamer and they were Just pre-
pairing to cast Off the hawsers by which the
barge was fastened to the dock
when a cyclone struck the barge and
threw IL over TO one side. They
had rolled down the canvas on one side 20
protect those on board from the rain,
which was commencing to fall when 9
fearful gust of wind lifted the
roof off and carried it, with
the pilot house and everything else
over against the side nearest the dock. A
number of people were crushed between
the edge Of the roof, which dropped down
when the supports were broken, and I
think most of those killed had their lives
crushed out in that way. l assisted num-
Der Of women and children to get from
under the collapsed deck. I never wit
messed such terrible sight"
Other accounts of the accident are SINH.
lar to the foregoing. When the special
train conveying the survivors home
reached Brooklyn a crowd Of 1000 gathered
at the depot auxiousiy awaiting news Of
those near and dear to them. The coroner's
Jury this evening viewed the bodies of the
dead and gave permit for their removal
to Brooklyn.