New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-07


panions. stupefed and falling at first TO realize
the magnitude Of the tragedy they were wit
Messing looked down from the wharf above
DEAD.
The dead who have been identified are as fol-
lows:
BENNETT, G. II, Of Brewer.
RHTTE5E BiEGT Mr.: Mr.. G. G. r. r. Of Il bsSEof HIsTs
BRIDGES. Irving Of west Hancock
cGsHMAN c2aTSX AlSsff Clifford. Ef EsTa@' Of coiin,h
BGK%ES bs:, Mr.. Gsorss % S f Ti%64s RSnFfr
RsTEYf RSM Nm Mrs s'iHon Holt. '" w. Of Ellsworth
LANK. ora NJ. Of Danforth.
MTRRAY, Mrs william: Of Brewer
MURPHY. Joseph, Of oldtown.
MCARD. Melvin. Of Corinth
sWEETsER F. E., travelling salesman Portland
sTOvER, Mrs Charles Of Ellsworth.
WARD. Miss Lizzie. OF Bangor.
The exact number Of dead will not be known
for some time yet, strong tide sweeps
under the pier, and some bodies may nave been
carried away by It. A diver, who was set 10
work without delay, was engaged in mis- search
until o'clock but only seventeen bodies were
found
HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
The Maine Central Railroad to-day ran excur-
stons TO Bar Harbor from all sections OF It's me
in Maine the attraction being the Warshps
Texas and Brooklyn, which were expected To-
day All the forenoon long trains packed WIN
people were rushing 10 Bar Harbor. a rain
which left Bangor at S:25 o'clock consisted OF
twelve cars jammed with people AL MOUNT
Desert ferry the terminus OF the line. the pas
sengers left the train for the boat FOR an eish'
mile sail to Bar Harbor The trains run out on
the wharf, and II Is only step from the train
to the boat The wharf Is owned by the Maine
To RI
svstem. From the wharf a slip. or gangplank,
forty feet long and ten feet wide. led up 10 the
boat The slip was hinged at the inner end. the
outer end being supported by chains. by which IL
was raised or lowered TO suit the tide. Tne
.hor, avtends on both sides flush with the end
of the gsnCplank The plank was Of wood Five
,,rbors four nv twelve inches set vertically, ran
the length OF the plank. and these were crossed
h, ,uo inch planklng It IS said that there was
no support FOR the plank between the hinges
at the outer end.
TIMERS BROKE UNDER THEM
When the excursion train from bahso' q.
rived at the ferry there was rush ioi '"e
steamer Sappho The first few passengers "a'
crossed the gangplank safely. ana II Is e''
mated that two hundred people were iiiasSeu
unon the plank. Suddenly they felt 'he pi'"N
giva way beneath them. The long uihoe' sup
norting II broke In the middle. The hinges he'u
IN one end and the chains the other' ""i'e TIC
hrouo, ends Of the plank dropped, and strug-
Cling sore lming mass Of humanity was piuiieeu
60 tho water. fifteen feet below the wharf
Go o,,,r, % the inclined sides Of the plank.
hrt at least one hundred and fifty were strug-
e,,ro IN the water The piling Of the wharf
or+,o,Iv nenned them in on three sides. ana the
-. ,,,rg at the wharf closed the outer end
OF the opening
,,,er the first moment OF stupefaction the
o-,, y, rescue began. Ropes and life preserv-
o-s uere thrown TO the crowd, but In the panic
.ho reonle in the water clutched one another
ond MANY sank thus in groups In death grap-
,a Many taken from the water were uncon-
so,ous and we're revived with difficulty. DOC
tors wore summoned from all directions ou' IL
vas half an hour before the first arrived Inc
freight house at the ferry was turned INTO
noreue the bodies being taken there TOT iueh'i-
Ncation as fast as recovered BY noon seventeen
had been recovered. Three other persons were
,aLan on board the Sappho and die don the way
to Bar Harbor.
Coroner y L, Field OF Ellsworth, empanelled
fury 10 hold an inquest. The jury VIII pegin
| It's sessions in the morning
The awful nature OF the accident was not
oornrehended for at least minute by those
wbo were the last to leave the train, although
the scene changed instantly from one OF holiday
royatv IN a death struggle The drop between
,ho solid wharf and the steamer which was
high IN the water was so precipitate that those
wbo were on the wharrs edge, surging forward
% the thirty-foot slip, pressed on over the
| br,rk 70 the water beaeath Some OF those
uhose bodies were afterward recovered died
ou,cklv. for they were borne beneath the waves
| nv the weight OF the living. who fell after them
and who madly struggled TO reach life preserv-
ers and lines thrown to them from both wharf
and steamer When the first moment OF the
calamity had passed a panic seemed to seize
those who were safe and they drew back from
the edge OF the water. But for only minute. as
| then the cooler heads in the crowd. more espe
! cially among the officers and crew Of the
steamer asserted themselves. and the work OF
rescue began.
! BROOKLYN AND TEXAS AT ROCKLAND.
Rockand, Me, Aug. 6.-The battle ship Texas
-. F.atk A N Gf -