The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-08
TWENTY WERE
HURLED TO DEATH
Crowds of excursiOnists Fall With
Steamers Gang Plank.
WAS AN AWFUL CATASTROPHE.
Hudreds of People Rushing TO Board
Steamer at Bar Harbor for n
Visit To the Warships When
the Crash Came.

BAR HARBOR. MAINE. August IA
careful examination by divers and on
shore In the vicinity of the Mount
Desert ferry slip, the scene Of the terrible
accident yesterday, Indicate that the
twenty victims reported i'm last nignts
Associated Press dispatches are all who
persisted as a result OF the catastrophe.
A Mr.. Southland. Of Bangor, who was
seriously injured. is not likely TO re-
cover. and two other persons arc suffer
ing from pneumonia. Others who were
hurt yesterday were reported to-day as
being in favorable condition.
THE ACCIDENT.
4 score of persons were killed yester-
dsv bv the collapse Of the gang plank
OF the Mount Desert Ferry. Fully one
hundred and hfty persons were sud-
denly thrown into the water and Tor
few moments 10 appeared as it half OF
them would be drowned. The work or
rescue was promptly begun. however.
and IT is now believed that not more than
twenty persisted
Following is a list of those known to De
dead:
Mrs William Murray Of Brewer
Irving Bridges. ~ West Hancock
Albert Colson. OF Levant
Mrs Alonzo p. Cakes Of Bangor.
Miss Grace Summer Of Bangor
Joseph Murphy. Of Oldtown.
Mrs. Hollins vs. Estey. Of Eliworth.
Clifford Cushman. OF CQrn,h
Miss Lizzie Ward Of Bangor
Charles W. Downs OF Eliworth
+. L swcetser. travelling salesman, OF
Portland. Ne.
Mr Ora " Lark. Of Danforth.
Mr. and Mrs. O. II. Bennett OF Brewer.
Mrs. Charles Slower. Of Ellsworth.
Melvin AIcCard. OF Corinth.
Mrs A. H. Billings OF Bangor.
Mrs. George Dcrwent. Of Bangor.
Miss Lewis of Hampden Me.
Unknown woman believed 20 be "a sales
woman for a Boston publishing house.
PLUNGE OF FIFTEEN FEET.
The Maine Central Railroad to-day ran
excursions from Bar Harbor from all sec
tons of its line in Maine. the attraction
being the warships, which were expect
ga to-day. All the morning long trains
packed with excursiouists were rushing 90
Bar Harb0r The train which LETT Ban-
por az S.2j consisted OF twelve cars jam
cd with people AT Mount Desert Ferry
the terminus OF the line. the train is lett
for the boat. for am e.ghtmAe sail %
Bar Harbor.
From the wharf a slip. or gang plank
forty feet long and ten feet wide. led up
90 the boat The slip was hinged at the
inner end. the OUTER end being supported
bv chains. by which IL was raised or low
cred. to suit the tide. The wharf extends
on both sides flush with the end Of the
wooden gang plank. Five timoers, four
by twelve inches. ser vertically ran me
length of the plank and these were cross
ed by tw0-nch plankiug. II is said that
there was no support for the plank De-
tween the hinges at the outer end.
When the excursion train from Bangor
arrived at the ferry there was rush
for che steamer sappho. The first Few
passengers had crossed the gang plank
safely and Sc IS estimated chat 200 people
were massed upon the plank. suddenly
they felt the plank give way beneath
them. The long timber supporting the
plank broke in the middle The hinges
held up one end and the chain the other,
while the broken ends of the plank drop
ned and a struggling screaming mass
m humanity was aunged into che water
fifteen feet below the wharf
THE WORK or RESCUE.
4 few chung 70 the inclined sides Of the
plank, but at least $50 were struggling in
the water. The pilEg of the wharf par
TALLY pcnned them in on three sides ana
the boat lying at the wharf closed the
outer end of the opening
After the first moment of stupefaction'
the work of rescue began Ropes ana llie
preservers were thrown Go the crowd.
but I'm the panic the people DO the water
.iutchod one another and many sank mus
I'M groups in death grappIe. Many
taken from the water were unconscious
and were revived with difficulty Doctors
we're summoned from aI directions but
4, wac haitian hou- before Do first ar-
-iyel The freight house no the ferry was
turned into a morgue. the bodies being
taken there for Identification as FAST as
| recovered. At noon seventeen bad been
! recovered Throe other persons were
| f.l,en on board the slDph7 and died ON
! r.. TfurHmH