Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-11-01
UNKNOWN LOSS,
Thrilling Scenes at Sinking
of Ferryboat Chicago.
Men Calamity First Supply the Won en-
With Life Preserers.
Thought that Some Passengers Hastily JumT ed
Overheard and Perishcd.

New York. Oct. 31.-The Pennsylva-
MIA Railway COS. ferrybolt Chicago
plying between Cortlandt street. this
city. ana the Pennsylvania Railway
depot in Jersey city. was cut down by
the Savannah Line steamer City of
Augusta, at / o'clock this morning. as
The ferrybOat was crossing 10 the cas-
side Of the North river. Within a few
minutes of the collision ard before the
Chicago could make her slip, She sank
i'll - 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
30 to 100. one man. John DrysQn. is
known to have been drowned His
body was recovered. Fireman Nroom
of the Chicago. Is missing and is
thought TO have been caught in the
stoke hold. 1t is not improbable that
other lives We're lost
When the Chicago left Jersey City. at
12.i5 A. NJ. Capt William Durham was
in the forward pilot house directing the
boat personally and one Of his deck
hands was at the wheel. The night
was perfectly clear. The tide was ebb-
ing fast and capt. Durham on this ac-
count was obliged to keep his boat
headed well Up stream. As he neared
the New York shore he put his helm
over to head into the slip and rs the
Chicago swung round the captain
caught sight Of the City Of Augusta
t+aring down On him. She was com
it,r c+r f1ASn
Captain Durham CAV" two blasts of his
whistle to signify his intention to pass
To starboard, and putting his helm
ap7rt h. rang the signal to go ahead at
full speed.
The City Of Augusta, Capt Durham
says, did not reply to the signal. but
kept right in her course A moment
later the City Of Augusta rammed the
Chicago just abaft her paddle wheel
in the starhoard side
a scene of wild excitement followed.
The passengers. mos. of whom had
risen to go to the forward end Of the
ferryboat to be prepared to leave as
she reached the slip, made a wild
scramble for life preservers. Fortu-
nately there were few women aboard
not more than five or siX-ard at first
they were showed to the rear.
George Bumcnstock and George Ray,
truckmcn. who We're coming over IL
the city with their loads of milk.
jumped into The middle Of the strug-
Cling mass ana shouted: Hands off.
The women first. Save the women."
A score of men took up the shout and
in n trice the women we're fitted with
T., hn baV nf
passengers did not exhaust the supply
of praseYveTs but many in their excite
ment did not stop to put them on but
leaped overheard unprovidcd. II is
feared that some such persons must
have gone down in tAe chilly waters
before help came.
The deck hands displayed com
mcndable courage. Captain Dur
ham and Chief Engineer Pen
field 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 Chica-
go finally went down she did it with
her whistle blowing.
Engineer Penfeld kept his hand on
the throttle until the water put out the
fires in the boilers and he had scarcely
time to run on deck and jump over
boar when the boat went down.
Don't get excited She won't sink. :
the deck hands cried, as they ran among
the passengers. There's p,enty of time.
They managed to reassure the majority
of the passengers.
Captain Durham soon saw that the boat
was doomed and he gave the command
for all hands II go on the upper deck.
This created new panic and men and
women by the dozen leaped overheard and
struggled to escape from the vortex when
the vessel went down.
The Citv Of Augusta found herself un
able for a few moments to eXtricate her
self from the hole she had made. Her
anchor chains were entangled in the
splinters ana despite her reversed engines
she was unable at first to do more than
prll the Chicago down stream with her.
The City Of Augustus nose was clear into
the Chicago's hull She finally managed
to clear herself and backed away. No
effort was made by her crew TO lower
boats to help the passengers who were
then in the water by the score. their cries
being plainly audible on shore:
The tugboat Chauncey NJ. DepeW
reached the scene before the Chicago
sank and took 80 people from the ferry
boat and out of the water. The fire boat,
the police boat Patrol and several
launches were called to the scene and did
valuanIe work in rescuins people. Sew
eral small boats were sent out from tn
piers and in ones, tWoS ana threes. the
drenched. chilled and sometimes uncon
scfous passengers were pf1uSnt III 70 tne
piers. where they received needed atten
ton.
John Tryson. who was drowned, was