New-York tribune., 1901-06-15
FERRYBOATS IN COLLISION.
THE NORTHFIELD SINKS AFTER BEING
RAMMED By THE MAUCH CHUNK
NO LOSS OF LIFE KNOWN

The Staten Island ferryboat Northheld. Ioadetf
with about one thousand passengers was
rammed few minutes after O'Clock last night
by the steel hulled propeller Mauch Chunk. used
as ferryboat by the Central Railroad of New
Jersey. The Northheld. with her side badly
stove. but under her own steam headed a few
minutes later for Pier No. 10 East River near
Old Slip. and in less than twenty minutes she
went down in thirty feet of water close to the
end of Pier No. TO-
AS far as could be learned at late hour last
night there was loss of life. although many
eyewitnesses are certain that bodies will be
found in the cabins the lower decks when
the divers examine the wreck this morning
The accident occurred just off the Staten Island
ferry slip. near WhitehaH-st
The Mauch Chunk which was badly damaged.
after landing the two dozen passengers which
were aboard OF her at the slip adjoining the one
occupied by the Staten Island Ferry Company,
proceeded under her steam TO Comnuni-
paw Channel where she was laid up for repairs.
Over a hundred of the passengers on the sunken
NorthheId We're dragged OUT of the water by
people aIongshOre and the crews of the fleet OF
river tugs. which promptly responded to the
ferryboats call tor help A few of the North
fields passengers were hurt in the accident and
the police believe that some lives were lost
THINKS MANY WE'RE DROWNED.
Captain Gully. of the tugboat Mutual one Of
the first 10 reach the NOrthtieId after she was
struck. says many were drowned
The reason why there is such a difference OF
opinion as TO the extent of the disaster was
that the widest excitement prevailed while the
Northtield. at full speed and with a strong flood
tide was pushing her way along up the river
and the crews were so busy rescuing the un-
decks of the NOrthfield that they We're unable
To keep track of all that was going on.
The tug Mutual saved in all about seventy
nve persons from the NOrthfield. and the tugs
Unity and Arrow saved between them 150 per-
sons from watery graves Some OF the other
uugbOatS which did heroic service We're the En-
peror. the J. L. Pusey. the Lehigh Valley No. IA.
and the Catasauqua- The crews of the lighters
Sisters and Livingston. which were mOOred at
each side of the Spanish Line pier saved many
people. Policeman Michael F. Walsh and John
w. Walters. of the Old Slip station. say they
rescued nearly thirty people between them, and
the individuals who distinguished themselves as
volunteer life Manuel Fernandez.
watchman. and Henry Burke and Roger Gil
bride, lOngshoremen employed on the Spanish
Line pier
TUGBOATs' GREAT SERVICE
The greatest service was rendered by the tug
boats which as soon as IL possible circied
around the Northield and made bridge to the
Spanish Line pier. Men and women clambered
over the tugs 20 the shore. and soon they
reached the wharf many of the latter became
hvsterfcal When they recovered from tho
fright they We're taken home by friends.
While the NOrthneld, IN accordance WITH the
Federal regulations was we'll supplied with hfa
preservers which slowed away in out OF
the way places. not more than two dozen OF
the endangered passengers were able TO get the
life belts on. This state of affairs due 10 the
fact that the life preservers were not handily
obtainabIe and the widest sort of panic fol-
lowed when the hundreds of passengers realized
their danger. This was only a few minutes be-
fore the Northfeld sank TO the bottom of the
river and then all that had not jumped into the
tugs found themselves in the water
The swift running flood tide and the question
of which boat had the right Of way was the
cause of the disaster Captain Abraham John
son was In charge of the Northfield and Captain
s. c. Griffin in command of the Mauch
Chunk Each lays the blame for the collision
on the other. but. by orders of the officials OF
the ferry companies. neither of the captains
would make a statement concerning the occur
renee. The collision will. however. form the
basis of a official investigation by the United
States Inspectors of Steam Vessels Captain
Johnson was arrested last night. and it is said
Captain Griffin will be to-day.
The Mortified with a load of passengers
variously estimated to be between eight hum
dred and one thousand. at 6:01 p. started
out of the west slip. at Wnitehall-st for ST.
George. Staten Island. and at 5:53 D. m the
Mauch Chunk left the railroad slip at Com
munipaw for the east slip at WhitehaII-St The
latter craft was abreast of the Barge Office at
the Battery. when the NOrthfeId came out of
the slip An exchange of whistles between the
beats was followed by the crash. Captain Griffin
apparently believed that the Staten Island ferry
boat would be halted until he had worked his
beat into the upper slip. and on the other hand.
Captain Johnson supposed that he would be al
lowed to cross the Mauch Chunks bows
MAUCH CHUNKS SPEED REDUCED
When the accident appeared inevitable the
speed of the Communipaw ferryboat re-
duced as much possible under the crcum-
stances but borne along by the swift running
flood tide head on the Mauch Chunk struck the
Northheld the starboard side at the hood