New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-17
THREE STILL MISSING.
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DROWNED n
THE NORTH RIVER COLLISION.
OFFICIALS OF THE cATsKILL LINE SAY NOBODY
WAS LOST. But THERE Is NO TRACE OF

OFFICIALS OF THE CATsKILL LINE SAY NOBODY
WAS LOST. But THERE Is NO TRACE OF
THREE OF THE CATsKILL.s PASSENGERS
Although the officials of the Catskill Steamboat
Line. whose boat the Ca;skill. was sunk in the
North River OFF Fifty-eghth-st.. Wednesday
night by a collision with the Sandy Hook boat ST.
johns. assert positively that lives were lost In
the accident. there several persons who assert
equally positively that there lives lost. At ali
events, there are three persons who were on the
Catskill when she sank who have not been seen
since by their families. Reports OF these cases
were yesterday made to the police. and they are
now on the hunt for the missing persons.
one OF these Is the six-year-old boy Berthe Tim.
merman who was sitting on the forward deck when
the collision occurred. II is certain that he was
Knocked into the water. but beyond that nothing
is known definitely. The officials say that he
picked up by the New-York Central tug No. IS
Captain Stokes OF the tug. however. denies that
he rescued the boy
The two otner missing persons are Mrs. Mary
Mcdonald. seventy -fve years old OF West Ho-
boken. and her daughter. Mrs. Susan Morris Henry
Mcdonald. Of Mrs. Mcdonald yesterday r,-
ported TO the police that neither his mother nor his
sister had been seen heard from since the acci-
dent Mrs. Mcdonald was sitting in the forward
cabin with hec three daughters Mrs Norris Mrs
Hannah Kline and Mrs. Catherine Prosser when
the collision occurred Mrs. Kline and Mrs Prosssr
were picked up and set ashore Mr. Mcdonald fears
that his mother and his other sister must have been
drowned
The blame for the collision will have TO be se..
tied by the Board OF Steamboat Inspectors who
Will institute an investigation OF the accident on
Tuesday next The captain OF each steamer says
that the other Is at fault, and IL will require con-
siderable expert work TO sift the evidence II Ia
customary for the boat going with the tide or cur.
rent TO have the right Of way. The captain OF the
81. johns says that ne water was running out 1T
the time, and that, ne coming downstream
and blew first, he clearly had the right OF way.
As nearly as can b ascertained. the tide In the
North River at the lime and place Of collision was
about slack giving neither boat the right OF way
on that ground. The one which blew first would
then have the right of way, but I'm this case each
captain claims precedence. Captain Joel A. Cooper,
Of tae Catskil in report which he yesterday
made TO the 7oard Of Steamboat Inspectors. de-
clares that no lives We're lost by the collision.
=, The Catskill" he says, left Pier No; g, North
River, at 6:i5 p. m, September Is and when OF
Fiftieth-st. | steamer coming down TO the
eastward Of the Catsklll blew two whistles, and
course. | answered by two whistles and they re-
sponded by one l rang to go back and blew three
five to thirty feet from our stem. The Catskl
filed and sank of Fifty.eighth-st."
The captain Of the 81. Johns says in his report:
When about abreast Of Fifty-eighth-st.. North
l River about midway in the stream | made red
mailing that would the right. port. side
opposite whistles saw that a collision was UNI
avoidable. and stopped and backed going back
al Iull speed, Win Hneel nara a-pOst, Nnen We
came together. The ST. Johns cut through the
hull OF the Catsk about ten feet from the stem.
on the starbOard side. She sank in a few minutes.
l lay alongside OF her until she sank lowered
lIfeboats and rendered all possible assistance. No
lives were lost, and injured on the 81.
Johns. The weather was haZy and dark"
The Merrtt-Chapman Wrecking Company yes.
terday sent two derrick tugs TO begin the work OF
raising the Catskll. Her nose is on the river bed,
while her stern is out OF water 1t is expected that
she will he up to-day.
The 81. Johns had her bow damaged only slightly
and was repaired yesterday. She takes another
excursion party OFT tomorrow.