The sun., 1894-11-24
CRASHED INTO THE PILES.
A FoRTE- roor HOLE sroTs IN rHE
FERRHB0AT FETHERLAFD.

Nearly = eesre or rsrss.s r.iurea-Fs-r
Tahes - the Husso- Street Hsspttsi-
sssa ts Have ssr-ek = New CuSre.t.
The Hoboksn Ferry Compsny's newest and
best boat the Netherland, met with = serious
accident yesterday morning which came near
proving fatal 10 several Of her passengers. A
dense fog hung over the North River, and the
company had only three Of their four boats run
ming. The fog finally lifted. and II was decided
70 start the Netherlsnd, which had been lying
idle in her slip in Hoboken.
Accordingly. at s.3o o'clock she pulled out of
the alp with about 500 passengers on board,
Capt. Henry Meyers in charge. The trip across
the river was almost completed and the passen-
gers had crowded 20 the gates 10 be ready to get
ashore ~ soon - possible. One slip at the foot
Of Barclay street is at present in use. Just as
the Netherlands bow reached the first pile Of
this slip she swung little TO the left, and then.
much TO the alarm OF the passengers on deck,
began 10 float sidewise down stream with the
strong ebb tide and directly toward the piles Of
the vesey street slip. The passengers, mostly
men. who were standing on the side OF the boat
which would strike the piles II II continued TO
float on, began 10 push their way TO the other
side, yelling a. they did 90. Thus before the
boat actually crashed into the piles there was
some confusion, and when the crash came II had
developed into panic.
The Netherland struck the piles almost ex-
actly in her centre, the side reserved for
smokers. The nrst crash stove a hole in her
side Just above the water line. fully thirty feet
in length, snapped her guard beam in two, and
broke every window on that side Of the boat
except the FIRST three. The Netherland con.
tinued to bump against the piles. and when the
boat finally was stopped by getting wedged in
between the piles the hole In her side was in
creased to forty feet, and the railinRs and parts
of the upper deck were smashed into splinters.
The excitement OF the passengers was intense.
The men cursed the ferry company, while the
women screamed. Every one made . rush to
the left side Of the boat. which had not been in
jured. Some Of the passengers had been knocked
OF their feet by the force Of the shock. but no
attention was paid TO them by the Others and
those who were disabled lay where they had
fallen. In the centre OF the boat, on the lower
deck; the floor was mass of u1controllable and
kicking horses Several had been knocked
selves, while their masters had Joined the crowd
in rushing 70 The left side q the boat.
When the Netherland finally came To halt
and the passengers were assured that they
would not sink, several. by getting on the upper
S sSn 20 ss Of
the wharf The nrst man s e accomplish on Il r this
s e soeetg WSo yes 4, sss al
there was . rush to follow his example, and
two women would have tried the jump, but the
deck hands restrained them.
wanted to. Capt. Meyers backed away from the
piles, only to be driven against them again The
and finally, after a few Efforts. he gave up the
trial and waited for help The whole reserve
force Of the Church street police station had %
charge OF Roundsman Saul. A rope was thrown
aboard the Netherland and made fast. Then
cred pulled the boat into her slip No sooner
had the boat been securely fastened than there
the % for her
deck hands and the injured.
Street Eosptai for 'e ambalsness and W two soon
arrived, under the charge Of prs; Grpuby and
1ured In the ladies' cabin. and got to work.
There were fifteen or sixteen wounded; Most
Of them were only slightly hurt, and after
them. -Four it was deemed best to take to the
hospital. They were:
& s.5rSs ss years old OF East oranse right hand
pas Ss ss rsEf %
Icy. Eosr,SI years old Of ESS,t.sl.
sewers scalp Wound and body bruises
street. Hoboken; left hand cut.
Mr.. Renehoid and Mr.. Robelot- Clolery were
The the only nj ones retained IN thS hospital and they
When the wounded had been removed, the
Netherland pulled out of her slip and, unas-
foot OF Fourteenth street. Hoboken. Capt.
Meyers refused TO speak about the accident
After he had made his report to Superintendent
woolsey, Mr.. WoOsey said:
1T was the most unheard-of thing. There
was absolutely nothing the matter with the
steering apparatus OF the Setherland or her
the entrance to the slip which was not there be-
fore and which we cannot account for"
When asked what the damage TO the boat
would amount TO he replied: -Four thousand
dollars on the outside. Her machinery was not
injured" This figure is considered very low by
others. Mr.. woolsey said that Capt. Meyers had
been In the employ sf the company for sixteen
years and had beenh pilot for seven years, and
always had been trustworthy.