The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-06-25
FISHERMEN DROWNED,
Terrible Accident to o Party Of
New York Exoursionists.
TwENTY-F0UR LIVES SACRIFICED.

The Tug James d. Nichols, overcrowded
with Passengers, Goes to the Bottom
Four Miles from Scotland LightshIp.
Only Fifty-four Rescued.
New YORK, June 25-The tug James D.
Nichol, with siXty-three eXcursionists aud
crew numbering twelve, sank at about
O'Clock yesterday afternoon some three
miles off the Highlands. Fifty-four of
those on board have been accounted for
The rest were probably drowned.
The tug left Fifth street and the East
river Mt 1880 a. m, touched ut Pier 3, East
river, and then went on to the fishing
grounds She had, it is said, license to
carry fifty passengers, but sixty-three
tickets were sold, There was bar and n
lunch counter on board, where attendants,
with the crew, brought the whole number
on board up to about seventy-fiye.
The ting reached the banks on time, but
the fishing was poor and the sea too
rough for comfort, and about noon she
started back. When about three miles
east of the Highlands and about foui
miles south of Scotland lightship the
waves began to break over her starboard
rail heavily. To dodge the water and
the wind the passengers began to-
run around TO the port side and to climb.
on top of the deck house. The boat cal
reened alarmingly to port. and the water
swept in over the rail. The tefaor stricken
men rushed buck to starboard, and the
tug swung deeply down on that side At.
| the same time three heavy breakers struck
the boat in quick succession.
| The captain, William Hyatt stuck pluck
| lily to his post, aud sounded the whistle in.
n prolonged scream for help. Even as he,
, did so the tug filled with the water that
! poured into har from both sides, and went
down like stone, carrying many of heI
| passengers with her.
The water choked the cry of the whistle.
| but not before it had been heard and
| needed The Clyde steamship Algonquin,
a mile away. heard it, and swung round
to 20 back to the rescue. The tugs Wal
lace 5. Flint, k. J. Moran and GOVERNOR
| also hurried toward the spot. From far
| ther away came the c. T. Evarts.
| The Algonquin sent her lifeb0at, With
First Officers A. Nj Rich and four sailors
| They picked up ten men, one of whom
| however, died few moments later TheI
| tugs rescued the others who remained
aHoat. Some few had life belts on, butt
most of them were clingimg to bits OIL
wreckage. a life raft supported n DOZEN
and the top of the pilot house as many
more.
The unconscious man picked up by the
Algonquin wa, found in the Nichols life.
| boat. lie was under the thwnrtS, and cn.I
tangled in fishing lines. The boat, prac-I
tically unsuitable, was floating right side
up, but was full of water.
The Algonquin brought those she Ind
1 picked up to tile city. The living dis,
| pcrsch to their homes aud the dcRd body.
which has not been identified. was sent tuI
the morguc. All were people bearing
I German names and living on the lower
east side of the city
Some of the tugs, not wishing to COME
To the city, transferred the men they had
saved to other tugs. The Saycrs brought
/ up thirty-fuur Survivors and landed them
| on the east side The G. H. Evarts brought
| up two bodies and several survivors ThvI
\ Governor is supposed to have landed
Others in brooklyn Altogcth her iifty-foulI
out of the scyenty-fvc have been nc.
counted for, tire" eli them being dead.
The propeller Neptune. having on buardl
large party of fishermen. members oil
the Earnest and PETER Fishing clubs
went to the fishing banks yesterday
/ While there Michael Schapftun, who wal
sitting on the rail on the lower deck, wn.i
thrown overheard by the tossing Of the
+ vessel. II was fifteen minutes before h,I
was gotten aboard, and il was impossible,
\ for the rrscuers to restore animation At
/ Quarantine Dr. a f. Tallmadge pro-
nOunced The man dead