The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-25

NEW DIRK, June "a
1PHE tug James d. Nichols, owned
by William Reeves, this city,
foundered off the Atlantic High.
u lands shortly before 1 o'clock
this afternoon. The Nichols had on
board party of excursi onists number
ing siXty-eight persons, and also car =
ried crew OF five men. As noar as
can be learned at this writing forty
eight persons were rescued by the
steamer Algonquin, of the Clyde line,
and the tugs Governor, Wallace B.
Flint and II. J. Moran. This leaves
twenty-five persons unuccountad for
and these have probably been drowned.
The names Of the victims have not all
been learned yet, and it will probably
be- several days before complete list Of
the dead can be gathered A partial
list follows:
DRowNED--Frank Schultz, John Dunn,
Frank McAleer Gus and William Kirsh-
ner, Charles Wetling, Charles Graham,
Walter Buckridge.
MISSING - William Schultz, George
Wanke, Christian Brecht, Charles Gra-
ham, james Hayes, Richard Howes, Theo-
dore Schlessinger, William and Andrew
Weisler, AL Pabst, Emil Wolff, Joseph
Wolff, Frank Wolff. Charles Wolff. Louis
Bierman, Henry Fleming John Hoffman,
Carl Hupe, Gus Frazer. All were resi-.
dents OF this city and Brooklyn.
The tug Nichols was chartered by an
association known as the Herring Fish.
ing club, Of this city. The tug, with
the party on board, left the foot of
Fifth street, East river, at Z 30 o'clock
this morning with sixty-eight persons
in all, while the tugs crew numbered
five.
There was quantity of beer abroad,
but from the accounts of the rescued
passengers, no one was intoxicated.
The Nichols passed on down through
the narrovs and then moved over to
tho fishing banks off the Highlands not
far from Sen Bright. She arrived
there about $50 o'clock Here the ex-
cursionists fshed until about noon,
when the start FOR the home Journey
was made. As the tug proceeded on
her course towards the city. the wind
freshened to some extent, and the
waves rolled higher. The change in
the wsatheraand the sea seemed not to
affect the craft or the spirits of those
on board her.
The steamer Algonquin, of the Clyde
line, passed the tug. and the latter fol-
lowed in the wake Of the big steamer.
At that time there appeared to he moth
ing amiss on the Nichols But in half
an hour the situation was completely
changed. The waves became more
boisterous and dashed up against the
sides of the tug, throwing spray over
the e&cursionists who were on the
deck. And here, where the trouble
commenced, and stories as to what
next happened commence to conflict.
According to one chapter of the nara
tives, the fishermen. to avoid getting
wet, moved around on the dry side OF
the vessel. 1t is claimed by some that
this action on the part Of the passengers
resulted in the foundering of the tug.
A ToPHEAvY TUG.
With the increased weight on one
side she toppled over and the water
ran into her to such an extent that 1t
was thereafter impossible to navigate
her, She struggled for a short dist
ance and then, as the water continued
to roll into her, she sank further and
further into the swells and finally went
down.
By others it is claimed that the
shifting of the passengers had not hing
at all to do with the accident. These
allsge that the tug was an old and rot
ton affair, that she was terribly over
crowded and consequently top heavy,
and that when she got into the heavy
sea she simply went over.
AS near as can be ascertained twenty.
fiye people or thereabouts were drown
ed. These figures are secured by esti-
mates of the number of persons who
we're aboard and the number who wore
saved.
When the accident occurred the AL.
gonquin, which was headed for New
York, had reached point about four
miles southeast Of the Scotland light
ship. 1t was just 1245 when the
scream Of whistle, given Ia such q
way as to denote distress, came over
the sea. It reached the ears OF
Captain Platt. who was stand
ing on the bridge, The captain
observed about mile away a big tug
rolling and pitching on the waves.
With the aid of his glasses he saw the
craft was crowded with people and
that she was on the point of founder
ing, He signaled the engine room Be.
fore the screws Of the ship had ceased
their revolutions an order had been
issued to lower and man the lifeaboat.
Boat No. a was hurriedly swung from
its davitts and Officer Rich. accom-
panied by Seamen Chris Hansen, John
Nelson, O. Nelson aud John Tanger-
son scrambled into it.
When the work Of lowering the boat
was accomplished, the people On the
Algonquin looked over the water to
where they had seen the tug. AS they
did 30 the little vessel careened over
to the starboard. her smokestack al
most touching the crest OF wave.
PLAYTHING FOR THE WAVES.
Just OF this time, however, another
big white cap came rolling along and
striking the tug. sent her over the
other way, Thus tho water played
with her for minute or more, and
then she went to the bottom. As she
sank out Of sight, the top wheel house,
together with raft and life boat
remained floating on the water. To
every particle Of wreckage olung ONE