Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-02
CRASH ON THE NORTH RIVER
The Pennsylvania Railroad
Co.'s Ferryboat Chicago
WAS IN COLLISION TUESDAY
With the Savannah Liner City
of Augusta.


of Augusta.
The Fcrryboae Run Down and sunk While
She Was Going From the Pennsylvania
Railroad Station in Jersey City TO the
Coriinndt Street Ferry, New York The
Huinber OF People Drowned Not Yet As
certa,ned-suene of Wild Excitement.
New York, Oct. 31.-The Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Co. IS ferryboat Chicago, /
plying between Cortlandt street, this
city, and the Pennsylvania railroad
station in Jersey City, was cut down by
the Savannah Lime steamship City of
Augusta about l O'Clock this morning,
as the ferryboat was approaching the
east side of the North River. Within
few minutes of the collision, or before
the Chicago could mako her slip, she
sank in IS 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 80 to 100.
One man, John Bryson, is known TO
have been drowned. His body was
recovered. Fireman Vroom Of the
Chicago is missing, and is thought 10
have been caught in the stolSehold. 1t
is not improbable that other lives were
lost.
When the Chicago left Jersey City,
at IL Al a. M, Capt. William Durham
was in the forward pilothouse, direct
ing the boat personally, and one of his
deckhands was at the wheel. The night
was perfectly clear. The tide was
ebbing fast, and Capt Durham. on
this account, was obliged to keep his
boat headed we'll up stream. 'As he
nenred 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. She
was coming up stream, and was very
close. Capt. Durham gave two blasts
of his whistle, to signify his intention
hem aport, he rang the signal to go
| Augusta, Capt. Durham says, did not
reply to the signal, hut kept right in
| her course. A minute later, the City
of Augusta rammed the Chicago Just
abaft her paddle wheel, on the star
board side.
| SCENE OF WILD EXCITEMENT.
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 she
1 reached her slip, made wild scramble
| for life preseryers. Fortunately, there
were few women aboard-not more than
| five or six-and at first they were
showed to the rear. George Blumen-
stock and George Bay, truekmen, who
! ~, 20, thaa nj 10 mil FIJI
of milk, jumped into the middle of the
struggling mass, and yelled, Hands
off; the women first, save the women. -
A score Of men took ul the shout, and,
in thrice, the women were fitted with
life perservets. The small number of
passengers did not exhaust the supply
of life preservers, but many, in theiI
excitement, did not stop to put them
on, but leaped overheard unprovided.
II is feared that some such persons
must have gone down in the chilly
waters before help came. The deck
hands displayed commendable courage
Capt. Durham and Chief Engineer
Penfield set them splendid examples
Capt. Durham was the last man TO
leave his boat. He kept up a constant
call for help with his whistle, and,
wheI he finally left, he tied the whistle,
to keep up the sound, and, when The
Chicago finally went down, she did it
with her whistle blowing. Engineer
Penfield kept his hand on the throttle
until the water put out his fires, and
he had scarcely time to run ON deck
and Jump overheard when the boat
went down.
DID NOT OFFER TO HELP.
The CITY of Augusta found herself,
for few minutes. unable to get out OF
the hole she had made. Her anchor
chains were entangled in the splinters,
and, despite her reversed engines, she
was unable. at first, to do more than
pull the Chicago down stream with
her. The City of Augusta's nose was
clear into the Chicago's hull She
finally managed TO get clear, and backed
away. No effort was made by the crew
to lower boats to help the passengers OF
the Chicago, who were then in the
water by the score, their cries being
plainly audible ON shore.
The tugboat Chauncey M. Depew
reached the scene before the Chicago
sank, and took 30 people from the
forryhoat and out of the water. The
fireboat, the policeboat patrol and
several launches wero called to the
scene, and did valuable work in reseu-
ing people. Several small boats were
sent out from Tho neighboring piers,
and, in ones, and twos, and threes, the
drenched, chilled and sometimes un-
conscious passengers were brought into
the piers, where thoy received needed
attention.
John Bryscn, who was drowned was
the driver of United States mail van
| ,,o,na 10, tI,a Na,y Nof IL npSfoniao Re-,
sidos the vehicle in Bryson's charge,
there were on the Chicago truck be-
longing to the Adams Express Co.
Containing $1,000 in silver barsj, two
produce trucks, two milk trucks ard
one other wagon.
STORIES OF THE COLLISION.
III, w. Bible, editor Of tho American
Knit Goods Review, one of the passen,
gers on the ferryboat, said; II started
for Philadelphia iast night. intending
to attend convention at Reading, Pa.
When | reached the New Jersey side,
learned that | could not secure q
, berth in sleeping car, and came back
to this city on the Chicago, intending
to take later train over the Jerse,
Central railroad. As near as | can re-
! member, the Chicago was about 10(
, yards from the Cortlandt street docl
when the crash came. l noticed thai
, the Chicago was headed up river, and
thought it was strange. | was in tho
] lower cabin, and was seated when the
/ crash occurred. The Chicago leaned
far over to one side, and | almost fel
{ ovei Then, three or four mon who
] we're neai by, as well as myself, managed
to get located, and were putting on life
, belts, when deckhand cried to every.