Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-01
STEAMER SINKS FERRYBOAT
Two Lives Known to Have Been Lost When
the Boat Goes Down.
FEARS THAT OTHERS HAVE PERISH: 10
Crew of the Ferry Behave Nobiy, but
for Some Reason the steamer
Makes No EGort TO Save
Those In the Water.

NEW YORK. Oct. 31.-The Pennsylvania
Railway company'e ferryboit Chicago, ply ng
between Cortlandt street, this city, and the
pennsylvania railway depot in Jersey City,
was cut down by the Savannah line steam
ship City Of Augusta about 1 o'clock this
morning as the ferryboat was crossing to the
east side of the North river. Within a few
minutes OF the collision and before the Chi
caso could make lite slip 1t sunk in seventy
five feet Of water 1t is not definitely known
how many passengers were on board the
Chicago at the time OF the disaster, but the
number Is variously estimated at from fifty
to 100 One man, John Bryton, Is known
to have been drowned. His body was re-
covered Fireman Vroom of the Chicago
is missing and is thought to have been
caught in the hold. 1t is not improbable that
other lives were lost.
When tho Chicago left Jersey City at 12:4i
a. m. Captain William Durham was in the
forward plothouse directing the boat per-
sonally and one of his deckhands was at the
wheel. The night was perfectly clear. The
tide was ebbing fast and Captain Durham
was co this account obliged to keep his
boat headed well upstream. AS he neared
the New York shore he put his helm over
to head into the slip and as the Chicago
swung around the captain caught sight OF
the City of Augusta bearing down on him.
1t was coming upstream and very close.
Captain Durham gave two blasts of his
whistle to signify his intention to pass to
etarboard and pulling his helm aport he
rang the signal to go ahead at full speed.
The City of Augusta, Captain Durham says
did not reply to the signal, but kept right on
A lnta hp nj
Augusta rammed the Chicago just abaft the
paddle wheel on the starboard side.
Crew Behaves Nobly.
A scene of wild excitement followed. The
passengers most of whom had risen to go
to the forward end of the ferryboat to be
prepared to leave as it reached the slip,
made a wild scramble for life -preservers.
Fortunately there were few women aboard
not more than five or six-and at first they
were showed to the rear. George Blumen-
berg and George Ray, truckmen who were
coming over to the city with their loads of
milk, jumped into the middle of the strug-
Cling mass and yelled Hands off! The
women first! Save the women!'' score
of men took up the shout and in trice tho
women were fitted with life-preservers.
The small number of passengers did not
exhaust the supply of life-preservers, but
many in their excitement did not stop to
put them on, but leaped overheard unpro-
vided. 1t Is feared that some such persons
must have gone down in the chilly waters
before help came.
The deckhands displayed commendable
courage. Captain Durham and Chief Engi-
neer Penfield set them splendid examples.
Captain Durham was the last man to leave
his boat. He kept up a constant call for
help with his whistle, and when he finally
left he tied the whistle to keep up the
sound, and when the Chicago finally went
down it did so with it's whistle blowing.
Engineer Penfeld kept his hand on the
throttle until the water put out his, fires
and he had scarce time to run on deck and
jump overheard when the boat went down
Don't get excited She won't sink" the
deckhands cried as they ran among the
passengers. PLENTY of time" They man
aged to reassure the majority of the pas
sengers.
Captain Durham saw the Chicago was
doomed and he gave the command for all
hands to go up on the upper deck. This
created a new panic, and men and women
by the dozen Ieaped overheard and strug-
gled to get away from the vortex when it
came.