Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-06-25
25 LIVES LOST.
Tug James D. NichoI Founders With
Fishing Party on Poard.
Nearby Steamers Only Prevented Loss Of Every
Soul Of the Party.

New YORK, June 24-As the steamship
Algonquin of the Clyde line from Charles
ton and Jacksonville was off Atlantic High
lands, about four miles southeast of Scot
land lghtship, at 12 As this afternoon, Capt.
Plat observed about mile away big tug
rolling and pitching ON the waves. He saw
that the craft was crowded with people and
she was close to the point of foundering.
The lifeboats were lowered when the tug
careened to starboard and the smokestack
almost touched the crest of passing wave.
Another big whitecsp struck the tug and
sent her the other way. Thus the waters
played with her a minute or more and then
she went to the bottom. Az she sank out
of sight the top of the wheelhouse with a
raft and lifeboat remained floating on top
of the water. To every particle of wreck
age clung one or more Of the drowning
throng.
The Algonquin was joined by three tugs.
All these vessels reached the drowning peo-
pie at about the same time. Together they
commenced to take people from the water
and from the raft. In less than 20 minutes,
those who had been on the foundered craft,
excepting those who had gone to the bot
tom, had been rescued. One tug rescued
"a. The Algonquin's crew secured 10.
Other tugs got number.
The lost tugs lifeboat was found floating
aimlessly about by the Algonquin's crew.
1t was full of water and had evidently been
overturned many times. In the bottom,
tangled in the ropes, was the body of, a
man. His coat was off and his shirt sleeves
rolled up to the shoulders. Efforts were
made to revive the spark of life at first
thought to be still within him, but they
were unavailing. In his pocket was found
quantity of lines and hooks.
From the survivors it was learned that
lost tug was the James d. Nicol, owned by
VIM. Reeves of New York city. The peo.
pie aboard were members of an excursion
party got up under the direction of the
Herring Fishing Club, social organization
composed mostly Of Germans, having head
quarters at So First avenue. 1t was the
10th annual excursion of the club. Blu,
few of the people were acquainted with
each other. Of the nine persons rescued
by the Algonquin, not one was able to iden.
tify the body of the man found in the life
boat. Tickets were sold to persons who
probably had never heard of the Herrick
Fishing Club.
The Nicol, with the party on board, left
the foot of Fifth street, East river, at 80
this morning. She passed down through
the narrows and moved over to the fishing
banks off the Highlands, not far from Sea-
bright. Here those on board fished until
about noon when the start home.
ward was made. As the tug pro-
ceeded toward the city, the wind freshened
to some extent and the waves rolled higher.
The Algonquin passed the tug and the lat
ter followed in the wake of the big steamer.
At that time there appeared nothing amiss
on the Nicol. In half an hour the waves
became more boisterous and dashed up
against the side of the tug, throwing spray
over the excursionists who were on deck
Stories as to what next happened con-
fiict. According to one account, the fish
ers, to avoid getting wet, moved around on
the side of the vessel where the waves did
not strike with such force. 1t is claimed
by some that this action resulted in the
foundering of the tug. With the increased
weight en- one side she toppled over, and
water ran into her to such an extent there
after, that it was impossible to navigate her.
She struggled for short distance, and then,
as the water continued to roll into her, sank
further and further into the swells and
finally went down.
By others it is claimed that the shifting
of passengers had nothing to do with the
accident. These allege that the tug was
old and rotten, that che 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 ascer-
tanned, % people or thereabouts were
drowned. These figures are secured by es-
Inmates of the number of persons who were
aboard and the number saved.
When the crew of the Algonquin had
picked up about all they could carry in
their metallic lifeboat-nine living and one
dead-they put back to the vessel, which in
the meantime had put about and was lying
not far from the point where the accident
occurred. 1t was far too rough to attempt
to bring the rescued on board the steamer,
so line was swung to the lifeboat and she
was towed to quarantine. At the latter
place they were brought to the Algonquin's
deck.