Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-10-05


The Collapse of Platform at u
Ferry House Causes the Unpleas-
ant Occurrence Admiral Dewey
to Go to Washington by Special
Train Monday.
New York, Sept. 30.--In the excess
OF their zeal IL secure IA good point of
view of the Dewey naval parade three
score Of w0uld-bc spectators We're pre-
cipilated into the North River at the
foot Of West 'orty-sccond street One
woman fell among lhe boating timbers
and sustained II broken leg in addition
TO possible itcrnal injuries. The other
persons who fell either climbed out
themselves or We're pulled out by the
police with the assistance of the gen.
eral crowd,
The accident occurred alongside of
the ferry-house, where an old and mar
row platform along the side of the
house had attracted some of the more
venturesome OF The crowd. Along this
strip of half-rottcn boards, not mere
than two feet wide. the first man was
followed by another and still more,
both men and women pushing their
way after The leaders. The limited
number that the planks would hold
had Just settled down in snug safety,
When the cracking shelf collapsed a
moment later and the ripping of the
boards and Splashing of water, mingled
with terrified cries. caused instantly
n rush of excited spectators.
Mrs. Salma Krog. 81 years old of 35S
East Fifry-third street. was half un-
nj i.rht han
taken from the water by the first party
of rescuers that arrived. She was car
ried 10 Il neichharing coal yard, and
an ambulance from Roosevelt Hospital
was summoned. The ambulance sur
gcon found that the woman's right leg
had been broken just above the ankle
She was removed to the hospital.
The other persons involved in the
collapse were more fortunate. Some
had tumblcd into shallow water and
Were able to wa,ic out Those who
got into deeper water were picked up
by Detective Shindler of the Thirty
sixth Precinct and patrolman Nc
Gowan of the Twenty Pre-
cinct. who had found Il small boat
near the ferry slip.
Wet and bedragglcd, the rescued men
and women betook themselves TO their
homes. and left the crowd and police
to watch for another mishap.
To Invite Dewey to Chicago.
Among yesterdays arrivals in town
We're two separate parties from Chi
cago. which are here 10 try to induce
Admiral Dewey To accept the hospital
ity of to metropolis of the West. One
of these parties is led hy Mayor Harri-
son aud number of Chicago business
men, mostly members of the Illinois
Manufacturers Association. There are
about 500 ia this party. They are the
bearers of foral invitation to the Ad
miral to participate in II celebration in
his honor to be held in Chicago on Oct
Q. The invitation vii be handed to the
Admiral ut the Waldorf Astoria on
Sunday morning at 10 o'clock.
The train which will carry Admiral
Dewey to Washington on Monday WILL
it is said be- the finest in appointments
ever run ovr an American railroad. 1t
will consist of a composite dining and
three vestibule drawing-room parlor
cars. The private car Atalanta will be
for The exclusive use of the Admiral.
The train will leave Jersey City at
10 O'Clock on Monday afternoon and
~ i've in Washington at $50 the same
+IaN II was offered to the committee
~ r' of the Dewey celebration at
!%ton. hy President Cassatt of
e:n.yiyania Railroad.
,rIncnse Crowds Everywhere.
luring the naval parade the scene
a ng the shores was one never 10 he
f. gotten. Not one-Quarter Of the peo-
pie who desired to do so. either from
the river banks or from steamers. could
witness 1t. Before S o'clock every pier
and dock open To the public was
1ammed with a jostling, eager mob.
ready to break out into cheers at the
smallest provocaton. The more daring
dangled their legs from the the ends
of the piers regardless of the push be-
hind. Small boys perched upon spiles
and iibed their less fortunate cOmpan-
ous below.
The police arrangements We're excel
lent. The bluecoats showed all the
tact for which the New York police
force is noted. They were firm. but
chary of using force and directed their
efforts entirely to preventing accidents
in the crush and TO facilitate progress.
Their clubs were used only aS guard
rails and badges of authority.
Up in Riverside Park the crowd was
no less dense. but the scene was more
pastoral, The trees and stretches OF
grass, stni green, broke the monotony
of the sea of human heads that lined
the river front. All the way up to
Grants Tomb the shore was black
with people At the monument dense
mass surged up the very edge of the
cliffs till 1t seemed that the island it.
self must tip and east its unaccus-
toned weight into the river below.
Across the river all of New Jersey
and the surplus of this city and Con
necttcut had gathered. All along the
edge of the picturesque bluffs they
stood. They perched on perilous craggs
and climbed to the topmost limbs of
trees.