The sun., 1893-06-15
SHE GRATED ON THE ROCKS.
DANCING ExCURsIONISTs UNAWARE OF
THLIR PERIL
The Iron Steamboat Cepheus Jnndu Her
Passengers without Alarming Them nnd
Then Pokcs Her Nose in the Mud.

The Iron steamboat tepheus Jnrdu Her
Passengers without Alarming Them nnd
Then Pokes Her Nose I'm the Mud.
COLLEGE PorST. L. L. June 14.-The iron
steamboat Cepheus took a rest in q bed OF mud
In Flushing Bay. of this village this evening
with several ragged holes In her bottom. Her
nose then pointed shorewnrd. and at intervals
the jarring OF the pumps could bo heard dis
tinctly across the still waters In the evening.
With between 400 and 500 passengers on
board nearly all Of whom were women. she
steamed away from the wharf at the foot OF
First street in this place this morning in the
wake of the white feet Of the knickcrbucker
Yacht Club. which was sailing up the Sound.
1t was the open regatta OF this club. and they
had chartered the steamboat to carry their
families. friends. and invited guests. The first
instnlment OF hcr passengers was picked "
Mt South Sixth street in BROOKLYN. and the
tardy ones who came BY train boarded her
when she made landing In this place. before
the start Of tho regatta.
They were n merry crowd. and. although
there was little wind for tho yachtsmen. there
was plenty Of fun aboard the steanb boat The
course was UP tho Sound to Execution
Light and beyond. Finally the wind failed
the yachts altogether and tho masts OF the
vessels were beginning to throw shadows on
tho water. when tho Cepheus started to return
to the starting point Off the club house In this
place.
The band was playing and the feet Of many
dancers rcrc gliding across. TIL. deck as the
boat bore down toward tho First street wharf.
the slip OF the Ninety min h street and College
Point ferry. and it was low tido as the big
boat churned her way through the water.
suddenly she appeared to hesitate. Sho
tremblcd IRON stem to stern. She had caught
on tho trencherous rocks under water and
gaming holes We're torn in her bottom.
Those on the. lower deck were greatly
alarmed. Int on the urper decks tho dancing
continued and the band played on.
the ponnnnG Of the Ss
felt above tho lar OF the other machinery
ANXIOUS faces pcercd over. the sides and
looked inuuirinEly around. But the boat con-
tinued on. apparently uninterrupted. to the
wharf. which was about the distance OF a city
block away.
o'clock. Seven minutes later the boat was
made fast to the wharf and the gang panks
All ashore! All ashore"
This cry rang out from all parts Of the boat
and then for the first time the passengers be-
gan TO understand what the humping OF the
however. as the crowd poured OIL.
Relieved of his passenGer7. Capt Beale
TO niI NHW ths nopT pm KEEP
had got short distance from tho dock he was
forced to swing toward the mud flats. and
soon tho boats nose had rooted bed in the
:. The. passengers went back to Brooklyn and
New York by rail.
cceded in patching ,up the holes to, such an
extent that tho Cepheus fioated. and the last
seen Of her here she was disappearing In the
fog In the direction OF New York.
The Ccpheus reached the Iron Steamboat
Company's pier at the foot Of Wcst street and
the Battery at about 10 o'clock. After landing
at the pier she sailed away to the place where
the company's boats lie W.