New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-27
CRUSHED By HIS ENGINE.
NO HAND AT THE THROTTLE OF THE FERRY
BOAT CINCINNATI.
THE ENGINEER HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DEATH
AND THE BOAT CRASHED AT FULL
SPEED INTO TIE FERRY SLIP.

SPEED INTO TIE FERRY SLIP.
Joseph Gray, the engineer Of the Pennsylvania
ferryboat Cincinnati. of the Cortlandt-st. line.
was crushed to death by his engine yesterday
md the boat, which was approaching the New
York shore at full speed ran into the end OF
the line of piles at the north side of the ferry
slip with such force that Scvcral people were
injured and the fcrryboat damaged The I'm
cinnati is ore of the new boats on the Jersey
City line She is a twin-screw boat and a
doubc-deckcr7 She left her slip at jersey
City at 2 o'clock yesterday with David Tuttc IN
the pilot-house. Gray, the engineer, was alone
in the engne-rcom usual. and fireman was
in the Gre-rooin. The train from Philadelphia
had just arrived and the boat was crowded with
passengers. In the space for teams were several
large trucks and or two carriages.
As soon os the fcrryboat clear of the slip
the pilot rang for full speed and the engineer
obcyed the signal. The river happened 10 Dc
remarkably free from craft. Usually at that hour
IL is crowded The pilot calculated tnat IL ne
reduced speed about three boat-engths from
the New.York slip the ebb-tide, which was running
strong, would carry him down 50 tlat ne coulo just
make the slim He stcered for the end Of the line
OF piles which forms the northern side ol thc upper
slip on this side of the river As the boat APP
ecnccrs crowded ont Of the cabins and filled the
space before the horses, standing in solid crowd
waiting 10 land.
When the pilot Judged the proper time had come
he rang the bell for the engineer 10 slow down To
his CONSERVATION, no heed was paid 70 his signal
and the boat drove on straight toward the head Of
the line Of piles The pilot violently rang the bell
10 reverse the engines, but no attention was paid
10 that signal. The next instant there was crash.
The ferryb struck the piling squarcly, and the
people on her were thrown violently TO the deck.
There WAS great excitement, and the horses be-
came frightened and attempted to break away
from the men who held them.
The engines now stopped, and fireman came
rushing up from the engine room. lie met Tuttle,
who had run down from his piot-housc to see
what was the matter in the enginc-room. Holt,
the fireman, sang out, Gray has been killed
One look into the cnginc-room showed the boiy
OF the engineer lying tangled up among the
machinery. The ferryboat in the meantime had
Teen carried down by the cbb tide, and had
driftcd across the short double line of pns which
separates the TWO ferry slips. Tuttlc ran BACK 70
tie pilot-house and blew his whistle for assistance.
tug came in answer 90 the signal and showed
the ferryboat into her slip. where the passengers
were landed. Many OF them were bruised. but
/
exception was Ms. Mary a. IIowlaud. OF No
4l6 Ilenderson-st. Jerscy City. She was thrown
10 the deck by the force OF hc collision with the
hulkhead. and in falling struck her back against
a seat. She was carried ashore TO a carriage, and
was taken 10 her home on tho next boat
While the the passengers were landing efforts
were made TO eXtricate the body OF Gray from the
machinery This was work OF some time for
the body was twisted in and out among the
parts Of the engine in n horrible manner The
engineer had evidently been oiling the engine and
had lost his footing and fallen into the machinery.
which. moving at full speed. had battered him To
death Every bone in his body was broken and
his head crushed The fireman at work in the fire.
| room had heard no unusual sounds IN the engine
room until the bell connecting with the pilot
housc began 10 ring violently rs the engines
were neither slowed down reversed IN rcsponsc
TO the signals, he went into the e1cine-room where
he saw the form OF the engineer being poun led and
manglcd among the machinery. Tie fireman
fastened 10 shut OF the steam Just at that
moment the lcrryboat struck the bulkhcaJ
The body Of Gray was taken to an unlcrtallcrs
establishment lie was thirty-cisht years old
and lived in Colgatc-st., near SiXthst.. Jersey
| CITY He leaves widow and four chill ircn.
The Cincinnati was taken 10 jersey City. She
was not badly injured. but will n,cd Somo repairs
before she goes on the line again. The news of
5 me dsister aboard the Cincinnati spread rapidly
| IN Wc,tst., and before the tug got her into her
slip II large crowd had collected about III? ferry
house Superintendent Osborne, Of the Terry. was
summoned by telegraph from Jersey City. He
came over and took charge of matters. II was
not until after he arrived that the body OF Gray
was extriclted from the machinery.
| Tie lit of injured among the passengers, 50 far
a. could be- asccrancl, was as follows Plungcr'
Walton. the rncing man: Mrs. Mary \. Holland.
40. ilG ncndeson.st., Jersey City; back badly
in i,ircI and internal Injuries Miss Elise NOkcS Of
| M.dson-avc Ncw-York, internal injuries and So
vcfc bruises; Martin Brooks, Ncw-lorh: tr1mpcd
upon by hortcs X. f. Wood No. III west Seven
| City, knee smashed. ,
Little damage was done to the fcrryslip by the
collision