The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-10

FERRIES ABANDONED
Fog on the River Delays
the General Traffic
of the Harbor.
ACCIDENTS TO FERRYBoATs.
Exchange Place Crowded with Ve-
hicles ALI the Morning
Hoboken Ferries
Idle.
ACCIDENTS TO FERRYBoATS.

When there is a fog on the river Elk
change place is a very crowded and live
ly place, and there is more cussing and
blasphemy in the area of one hundred
feet than in any other place in tZe United
States. The reason is that the place is
1ammed with vehicles Of all sorts, sizes
and conditions. and every driver wants to
get ahead of the other. even at the risk
of running his shafts into the rear of his
neighbor's wagons. Fog delays the fer
ryboats. and those not running on time
cause "a block in Exchange place Such
was the state this morning, and it lasted
until noon
Delays of from twenty to forty minutes
on the ferries from Hoboken and Jersey
City We're the subject of much complaint
among tardy business men, Long Island
commuters suffered even worse
The ferryboat Central of the Jersey Gem
tra1 line. in searching for her Liberty
street pier at $40 o'clock, got into old
Pier 16 of the Pennsylvania line. In
backing out she collided with the grain
elevator New York, bound up the river,
and the tall boat rocked as if about to
topple over. No serious damage was
done to either boat. The passengers
We're considerably shaken up and at the
tirst crash there was a general outcry of
alarm. The excitement increased when
the tower of the grain elevator leaned far
toward the Centraps upper deck. but
as the other boat righted herself, the
crew Of the Central were able to restore
quiet until the ferry slip was reached in
safety.
In general the North River ferries were
ya1xy eli ,l4a<711 1fr
Pennsylvania boats ran every twenty
minutes instead of the usual interval Of
ten minutes. The Erie and Jersey Ces
trail lines were not less behind time some
early boats arriving thirty or forty min
utes late. The Hoboken ferry laid off
one of the four boats and ran at inter-
walls of twenty minutes.
Freight barges and lighters came over
in small numbers. Several freight agents
reported the usual amount of work. but
at most of the piers men were standing
idle. The Lehigh agent received only
one of the four floats due from the Jer-
sey shore early in the morning.
BY noon the fog had cleared somewhat
and a number of steamers were reported
passing Sandy Hook and Quarantine. The
st. Louis for Southampton, Ethiopia for
Glasgow and a number of smaller steam
ers passed out at Quarantine. The ar
rivals were the Allegheny from Jamaica,
Holstein from Santa Martha, Trinidad
from Bermuda, Hubert from Barbados,
Lenoconing from Algiers and the CLAN
ton from Dunkirk.
Down in the bay the fog completely
blanketed everything. The observers at
| tbs Quarantine and Sandy Hook stations
couldn't see any vessels of shore.
The health officers boat put out from
the boarding station at Quarantine this
morning and found the British steamer
Richmond which arrived last evening
from St. Lucia, still at anchor.
The Alesia came up last evening and
anchored off Quarantine. about nine
o clock, out her presence there was not
known until the boarding officer went out
to the Richmond. when she was seen
anchored near the latter. The Alesia
came from Mediterranean ports and re-
ports that she had fine weather. One OF
saveria, aged % years, died Of phthisis on
March 9tn. The body was brought TO
port.
The Auranda of the Cunard line may
| be OFF the Hook waiting for the fog to
| lift Should she not be sighted when it
clears up, there will be no reason % think
| that something past the ordinary has de-
| tanned her. She has been a couple of
days behind before now, owing to unusual
| stress of weather, but now she Is three
| daYS OYRrdue