The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-25
TWENTY LIVES LOST.
Disaster 0vertakes a German
Fishermen's Excursion.
THEY cAPsIze THE STEAMER.
There Was . Bar on Board, the Fishing
Was Poor, the Sea Rough and the
Beat Went Down.


Nichoi, with sixty-three excursioaists
and q crew of ten or twelve. sank at
l O'Clock this afternoon. three miles of
Highlands. Fifty-four OF those on board
have been accounted for and the rest were
probably drowned The tug left Fifth
street and East river at 80 this morning
for the fishing grounds- She had, it Is
said, license 10 carry fifty passengers,
but sixty-three tickets were sold There
was bar and lunch counter on board,
whose attendants. with the crew, made the
total number on board seventy-fve. The
tug reached the banks on time, bat the
fishing was poor and the sea too rough for
comfort, and about noon she started back.
When about three miles east 81 Highlands
and about four miles south of Scotland
iightship the waves began 10 break heavily
over her starboard rail. To dodge the
water and wind the passengers began to
run around the port side and TO climb on
top OF the deckhouse. The boat careened
aiarmingly to port and water swept over
the rail. The terror-stricken men rushed
back starboard, and the tug sunk deeply
on that side. At the same moment heavy
breakers struck the boat in quick suc>
cession.
The captain, William Hyatt, stuck
pluckily to his post and sounded the
whistle In a prolonged scream for help.
Even as he did so the tug filled with the
water that poured into her from both sides
and sank out of sight in the water. She
went down like stone, carrying many OF
the passengers with her. The water choked
the cry of the whistle, but not before il
had been heard and needed. The Clyde
steamer Algonquin, q mile away. heard 1t
and swung around to go TO the rescue.
The tugs Wallace B. Hunt. X. J. Moran
and Gov. Sayres also hurried toward the
spot. The Algonquin picked up ten men,
one of whom died a few minutes later.
The tugs rescued the others who remained
ahoat. Some few had life belts on, but
most of them we're clinging to bits of
wreckage. A life raft supported dozen,
and the top of tina pilot house as many
more. Capt. S. c. Piatt, OF the Algonquin.
said that while stiff breeze was blowing
there was no sudden squalI. There was
big sea on. The Algonquin brought those
she had picked up to the city. The living
dispersed to their homes and the dead
body, which has not been identified, was
sent to the morgue. All the people bore
German names. Some of the tugs. not
wishing to come to the city, transferred
the men they had saved to other tugs.
The Sayres brought up thirty-four surviv-
ors and landed them on the East side. The
T. C. Evarts brought up two bodies and
several survivors. The Governor is sup
posed to have landed several in Brooklyn.
Altogether fifty-four out of the seventy
five have been accounted for. Three OF
them were dead. The officers of the Flint
have for some unknown reason denied
having rescued any of the men or know
ing anything about the matter. John A..
Maggie, who was rescued by the Algon-
quin, says he was caught under the avn
ing of the tug when il sunk. He managed
TO crawl out and seize table, which kept
him afioat Finding his chum. Frank
Gaiser, in the water. he let him have the
table, which would not support two, and
started to swim. Soon alter he was picked
up, but Gaiser has not been seen since.
The Algonquin arrived at her dock at
pier 70. foot of Roosevelt street, about 5
o'clock. She had on board nine of the
survivors of the Nichols and the body of
one of the victims. Capt Platt, of the
Algonquin, when interviewed concerning
the accident, said.
s'The Jug was about sinking when first
sighted by the Algonquin. There was a
heavy sea on, and a good deal of wind
from the northeast. My attention was
first called 10 the tug by the blowing of Its
whistle. She was then rolling from side
TO side. and suddenly turned over and
went down almost instantly. The passen-
gers appeared 10 be demoralixed and ran
about the deck wildly, and as the boat
swayed TO one side they rushed to the
other The tug appeared TO be topheavy
and as though she was overloaded. l or
dered lifeboat lowered immediately, and
sent il in charge OF Chief Officer Rich 70
the scene of the disaster, bat before 1t ar
rived the tug had sunk out OF sight. OH
Ger Rich succeeded in rescuing nine of the
survivors, aud also took on board the life
boat the body OF man which he found In
q boat belonging to the tug. The dead
man was all tangled up with fish lines and
the boat was full of water. though righi
side Up. Soon the tugs Moran. Flint
Gov. Sayres and Esarts arrived at the
scene aud they succeeded in picking Ut
many of the Survivors, rs well as some o.
the dead bodies.
Among those on beard the boat and
who are supposed 10 be drowned are
Andrew Webster. Charles Webbing. John
Dunn. Frank McAleer. Thomas Willis
W. Maggie, Gustave and William kersner
Edward Ray. William Scultz. Fred Van
derheid, James Hayes. Albert Pabst
William Buckridge. William Moore
Charles Graham. Hermann Everhardt.
The names of those saved and landed by
the Algonquin are: Edward Cape. Ghar.e.
Duezsnger. Charles George, f. Pitt. b. l.
| Wood. John Maggie. Charles Eberhari
Jerome Curton and James Gilmore. A
few hours after sinking the tug was pretty
well broken up and the wreckage began e
come ashore Before dark the entire
beach was strewn with IL Forty-thret
luncn baskets were washed up. Nc
bodies have come ashore.
RRooKLYS, June ga catboat was cap
sized by sudden squali off the Atlantic
Yacht Club house. at the foot OF Fifty
sixth street. Brooklyn. A pleasure party
consisting of SIX people, two men. tse
women, boy and a 2-yesr-old girl, were
thrown into the water. The men and
women and boy sank before assistance
could be rendered them The little CIR
was saved As yet their names are not
known. and nothing Was found about tbs