Evening journal., 1894-06-25
WRECKED FOR THE THIRD TIME
Graphic Story of the Awful Panic Among
ExcursionIsts on the Hudson River Yes
terday when the Steamer Tolchester
Was Blown Up-ToIchester Is the Old
''J9nah," samuel M. FELTON,.


August II. 1885 while In charge OF
Captain John Wylie, and while leaving
Chestnut street wharf Philadelphia, for |
this city. she was blown up by dynamite
IL was with the greatest difficulty that
the passengers we're rescued.
Again the wreck was towed to this
city and repaired. Then she was sold
to New York navigRtors, remodelled aud
called the colchester Yesterday she
again blew up, aud this time the acci
dent was accompanied by injury and
death The Herald gives graphic
story Of the disaster:
The explosion of cylinder and the
breaking Of a piston rod on the over
crowded steamer colchester last evening,
of Stony Point. threw fourteen hundred
passengers into mad panic, and. Il is
believed, added the loss Of at least one
life to the grews.me record OF the day,
while several persons were badly injured.
According TO the most reliable reports
that could be secured up to an early hour
this morning, the steamers fireman,
whose name could not be learned. was
the only one killed, though several per
sons jumped overheard, but were, In all
probability, rescued. When the vessel
left the city at 10 o'clock esterdsy
morning she was crowded to the guards,
while throng Of would-be excurslonists
were left behind for lack Of room.
Careened to starboard.
The trip up the river was uneventful
barring uneasiness occasioned among
the more nervous passengers at the
rush Of water on the steamers decks
from the paddle box on the starboard
side. Water, ankle deep, flooded the
lower deck, the explanation being that
the heavily loaded steamer was oareened
10 starboard by the weight Of the ice and
beer, all unwisely stored on that side.
NeWburg, however, was reached with
out accident, and the home journey was
commenced with the vast throng Of pas
sengers IN as good spirits as cramped
and crowded conditions would admit The
colchester WAS the last boat Of the night
TO 60 down the river aud az 6 30 o'clock,
when of Sandy Point there was not
another steamer IN sight Suddenly
there came q mighty crash that shook
/ the big steamer from atem to stern. An
Instant later came tho sonnd OF rushing
steam, and dense clouds Of smoke
poured from the engine rooms In blind
ing volumes
In less time than It takes to tell Il the
passengers were battling, panic stricken
mad 20 escape from the apparently
doomed steamer. Women and children
predominated, but they were thrown
aside and trampled under foot by men
Lost TO every consideration bat that Of
their own safety
In the twinkling of an eye every life
preserver In sight was grabbed. Wher-
ever woman clutched one Of these life
saving belts IL was torn from her by some
man, brutallzed by fright
Made Maniacs by Terror.
A few Of the men fought to quell the
panic, and Shane shamel Save the
women first rang through the steamer.
| Painting women Uttered the cabin
floors; others crouched upon their knees
and prayed aloud In an agony of terror.
The struggling crowd rushed from side
TO side Of the smoke enveloped vessel
until the water rushed in upon the
lower deck, and II seemed as though she
must capslzs.
Three men in the midst Of the excite
ment threw themselves headlong into
river and padded frantioally shorewRId
They iwere afterWsrd picked up, hall
dead with fright One woman sprang
from the hurricane deck into the life
boat which q moment after the explO'
sion had been tumbled overheard. 10 was
an awful jump Her ankle was broken
and her shrieks aof agony could bs
plainly heard above the din Of panic.
"No danger No danger" yelled the
officer and some Of the cooler men. 10
ten minutes the bruised aud dishevelled
passengers were made to understand
that they were really In no peril. Then
commenced a wild scene Of another Kind
frightened women, separated from hus
bands and children, started upon 1
frantic search for the missing ones.
To add TO the excitement, smoke con
tinued to pour from TIE engine room
and the crowd surged about In chox
ing gloom Meanwhile the steamer will
her piston rod broken, was drifting
steadily toward the rocks at Stony Point
She was anchored just in time to avert
more serious accident.
Charged to Take Them Ashore.
Bostmen put off from the shore wit
. the design Of saving threatened lives O
passengers, but when the condition q
affairs became apparent these goo
Samaritans shifted 20 a commercial basis
clustering about the helpless steamer
, the boatmen coolly drove bargains wit
the still frightened passengers for th
, trip ashore. The well capitalized weI
, forced TO give up $i-a head for the ro'
of three hundred yards, while the in
Z poverished we're ferried over at % cent
[ each.
! As many passengers as could raise th
a necessary funds went ashore and II
turned to tho city on the West Shol
express, which was tagged for the
accommodation. Probably seventy pc
' sons, all told, escaped from the helpies
d steamer in this way, leaving behind
4 closely packed crowd OF worn and e.
4 hausted passengers. A tug from q
4 Cornell Towing Company took the injurC
a aboard and started for the city.
s Little could be learned up to an earl
hour this morning Of the precise natut
Of the accident beyond the fact that u
cylinder operating the steamers waikiki
7. beam exploded, breaking the rod an
Il wrecking the mschinery in general
a Prof Harry Lsmbase is good dire
tor, good trombone and baritone player.