The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
RAN INTO TRINITY'S BOAT.
a TUG, IN BAOKIN6, sMAsHED THE
MOHAWK,s GUARD RAIL

a TUG, IN BACKING, SMAsHED THB
MOHAWK's GUARD RAIL.
Jhs Loco P,cnicneru or the Trin,.y Church
sunday school, she were % heard the
Hnohnwk ANA Her BarEe, Bad,s rcnrea
-Nesedy Hurt snd the Damage slight.
For the first time In twenty-four years there
was an accident yesterday to q Trinity Church
Sunday school picnic. Tho steamboat Mohawk,
which, with tho barge Nelson. was taking tho
1900 picnickers to Glen Island, was run into by
a wreckinE tug and was temporarily disabled.
though she was soon fixed up enough to
go on her way up the Sound. The
collision. In the opinion Of the noisy crowd
that disembarked at Pier Is at 8 O'Clock last
night, was second In Importance to the narrow
escape from drowning Of q snall boy at the bath
ing beach; the temerity of another small boy,
who In the course OF an ~epileptio ht kicked the
Rev. A. W.. Griffin In the face. or the fainting
spells Of q young woman, who was finally car
riod OF tho boat by three men and sont to her
home In q cab.
Tho Trinity Sunday school picnic II free to all
members Of tho school. Their friends and rela-
tires may come along by paying 20 cents q
head. Two-thirds Of yesterdays crowd were
Sunday school children. Most of them came
from the southern end of Manhattan leland.
The picnic Of each year II ~ occasion to
DO looked forward to from the moment
they arc fairly homo from the last one. 40
cordingly, though It was advertised that tho
Mohawk would leave at 8 o'clock, many and
many o mall boy was hanging about the pier
house ct 2. Tho Matteawan. q regular Glen
Island boat,occupied tho pier, as matters fell out,
until 10 o'clock. 30 that the Mohawk was de-
leyod moro than an hour in starting. Tho young
persons on board were greatly worked upon by
this delay. 1t was even t~earfully rumorod
abroad that the excursion was not 10 start at
all. When at last tho Mohawk and its clumsy
companion swung out into the river the chill
dron went wild. They were 80 active In their
ecstacy that the older folks became excited in
keeping them from prancing overheard. This
was the state Of affairs when they rounded the
Battery and started up the East River. Mr..
Gibson. assistant superintendent Of tho Sun.
day school, who had general charge Of the excur-
sion, succeeded in setting them TO dancing. and
by tho time the bridge was overhead everybody
felt fairly started. When the Mohawk was OPP
posite the Brooklyn coal piers, Just above tho
bridge, tho folks on the starboard side began to
wreckinE tug i. j. Merritt Was backing out from
the coal piers toward the Mohawk. little more
S Sanas q r aanf a6e6s aed. sE%yi The sa Goh ahead de aa
ahoadr
came steadily back until her high, overhanging
hawk. tearing away the guard rail- at the for
timbefs a howl Of terror went up from bots
decks Of the Mohawk, and was echoed from
lunged and porily, scuttled across TO the opIro.
site side screaming as II for, their lives. They
perfectly peri f@e clear 10 TO th pin that 4" tn the emo Mohaw See1 Wss
doomed Equally portiy and equally strong
'u MesnS SffRA tho so Merri Ws1 wa sis ssfll G SaePin sn snd
scrapins and tnar!pR back along the Mohawk's
guard rail. The stGnchions, supporting. the up.
hands Of the Mohawk in chorus. Their remarks
use on n SUNDAY school picnic. There were deck
hands on the Merritt. too, They ran forward
"AhsndI Go ahead, Aheadl"
the Merritt did not go. ahead. Perhaps the tide.
ThiGh was setting hard toward Goyern9Fs
she reached the paddle bSy; By that
press their strictly secular opinion OF the Cap
tain of the Merritt:
S were a s1%'s' ike J! ne dee ds2i i' ana blue , %Srd H,s""''
Rev. Mr.. Griffin could do to keep them from
jumping into the river.
some youthful idiot started a cry Of "boy over,
board In response there was a rush back
S tST1bsi sh rs.r f,"r" Gsp1. s slaS n fG iosaa , Sss
his side wheel was iainnit.i. and sienalled 10 the
steam lighter Annie Nj. Boyer. which WAS near
by, Tor help. She gave MIN Il line and held the
wreokage, was cleared away. Much to every:
body's relief no children were found under.
meath the smashed ratings and stanchions.
The cross frames OF tho paddle box were so
knocked in that the wheels were blocked. When
everything was cleared away and u line had
bcep stretched on both theupper and the lower
deck to keep the children back. the Mohawk
went on to Glen Island and landed at 1slandwild.
Capt. Brainard IS very sure that he whistled
twice, to call the Merritts attention 10 his in
sppttpn IN m "a m mort in ntpDty NJ tirnn fpr fha
Merritt TO avoid the accident. He was visi6iy
angered over the matter when he landed from
the Mohawk last night.
"For all know" he said with some asperity.
the gosh darned tug Is attacking yet"
Merritt's WreckinE Organization. tho owner
Tho Waterman on duty wouldn't believe that
there had been any accident. and said that the
Merritt was off down Staten Island way some
where. He didn't exactly remember the name OF
her Captain.
The children who landed last night were very
sure that some small boy in swimming with
them, but unnamed, apparently. had tho cramps
and sank three times before he was pulled out.
Tho Rev. Mr.. Griffin has O sore nose to remind
him that he tried to assist a small boy Who was
the young mans name, but would like TO learn
Il. On tho trip back Miss Emma Wilmer of II
Monroe street had a series OF fainting spell,
She was attended by DR.. Ferguson, a friend al
the Rev.. Mr.. Griffin. anu was sent home from
the pier In a cab.
And that said tho assistant superintendent
with a weary sigh. lis NIL until next year"
The only accident TO u Trinity Sunday echoo'
excursion heretofore was - years ago, when q
piece of wreckage caught in a p~addlewheel and
delayed the picnic for two hours.