The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1898-07-01
THREE DROWNED.
A Terrible Storm capsI1sd A Beat Near
Marietta, Ohio.

near Marietta last Saturday,
which cost the death of three
men. The steamer, William
Duffy is q little boat with only
the one deck and was carrying a
crowd of near 200 persons to the
Eureka. Buckeye park Mt the
head of Marietta island where
the United Commercial Travel
ers were holding their annual
picnic. Just before the boat left
the wharf the passengers noticed
a heavy black cloud, lowering in
appearance, approaching from
the west, but the'sun was shining
brightly and although several of
the passengers remarked that
they thought it was going to rain
no one hadany thought of danger.
The wharfboat lies at the foot of
Second street and the excursion
boat had scarcely reached the
foot Of Fifth street when the
cyclone overlook it.
Persons who were aboard the
boat say the first gust struck it
suddenly, before they realized a
storm was coming, and turned 1t
part ways over. There was a
momentary reaction when the
boat rocked back again, but only
momentary, for the full force of
the wind was against the broad
side Of the boat ana turned it
almost over. Then occurred the
only possible thing which under
the circumstances could have oc.
cured to prevent the boat from
capsizing. The long distance
telephone wires are stretched
from the top Of high derricks,
one on the Island and one on the
other shore. The boat happened
to be directly under the wires.
The derrick on the island was
blown down and the wires which
were many in number and were
drawn taut by the falling derrick
fell upon the boat as it careened
and prevented 1T from turning
entirely over. But for this the
boat certainly would have cap
sized and every person on board
would have been thrown into the
river, beneath it. When the boat
lunged over on its side the Cap.
tain rushed through the crowd
which thronged the deck and
tried to drive them to the center
Of the boat, but there was no
time for them to move. Down
went the edge of the boat, be-
meath the waves and the water
rushed in higher and higher on
the frightened, screaming mass
of men, women and children. All
they could do was to seize what.
ever was in their reach and hold
on to it. Some were carried be.
meath the water but chung to the
ratings. stanchions or whatever
they could find and held their
breath until the boat righted
again. On the bow of the boat
there was no railing and it was
there that the three men, Lou
Bevan, Macolun Nye and John
Gerken. who were drowned,
were standing
When the boat blew over there
was nothing for them to hold to
and they were thrown over board
into the river. About a dozen
persons were thrown over board
in this way. Several of them
come up again beside the boat as
it righted and were rescued. The
scenes for the next few moments
after the boat righted herself and
had landed were dramatically
pathetic. Husbands were madly
rushing about locking for their
wives and children, and the wives
and children were weeping for
some loved one whom they could
not find. Young men were ex-
citedly asking for the safety of
girls. Sobs of joy and exclama-
tons of delight were heard on
all sides. People hung on each
others necks and wept for joy.
Men cried and women cried.
People who were there say they
will never forget the scene, if