Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-06-20
DISASTER At GOTHAM
CROWDED FERRYBoAT sINKs I'M
EAST RIVER.
SOME LIVES PROBABLY LOST.
Captain of River Craft Positive that
Five Score Went Down
to Death.

New York, June 1.-THE wooden
sidewheeler, the Mortified, which has
been in the service of the Staten Island
Ferry company for the past 80 years,
was rammed tonight by the steel-hulled
propeller Mauch Chunk, used as a fer
ryboat by the Central railroad of New
Jersey.
The collision occurred Just off the
Staten Island ferry slip at the foot of
Whitehall street, and in less than 20
minutes afterward the Mortified,
which was crowded with passengers.
sank at the outer end of the Spanish
line pier in the East river. The Mauch
Chunk, which was badly damaged,
landed the two dozen passengers who
were aboard her.
Over 100 passengers of the sunken
Mortified were dragged out of the
water by persons along the shore and
the crews of fleet of river tugs, which
promptly responded to the ferryboats
call for help. A few of the Northields
passengers were hurt in the accident,
and the police believe that some lives
were lost.
Capt. Gully of the tugboat Mutual,
who saw the ferryboats crash together,
lision between 25 and 80 passengers
leaped into the water, and that many
of those persisted. Capt Gully also de-
clares he is sure over 100 of the NORTH
fields passengers were drowned.
The captains of the other tugboats
who were early on the scene, however,
are Inclined to think the disaster not
so serious. Thus far no dead bodies
have been recovered.
The reason for such a difference Of
opinion as to the extent of the disaster
is that the widest excitement prevailed
on the Northfield. The tug Mutual saved
in all about Is passengers from the
Mortified. and the tugs Unity and Ar
row saved between them 150 Two po-
licemen of the old ship station claim to
have rescued nearly 80.
AS soon as the crowd. which followed
the sinking of the ferryboat along the
river front were able to render any aid
they were at work with a will and in
many instances men sprang into the
water to save life.
The greatest service was rendered by
tugboats, which, as soon as it was pos
siDle, circled around the Mortified and
made a bridge to the Spanish lire pier
Men and women clambered over the
tugs to shore. While the Mortified
was we'll supplied with life-preservers,
which were slowed in out-of-the-way
places, not more than two dozen of the
endangered passengers were able TO
get the life belts on
The widest sort of panic followed
when the hundreds of passengers real
lied their danger. This was only few
minutes before the Mortified sank 10
the bottom of the river, and then all
who had not jumped to the tugs found
themselves in the water The swift run
ming food tide and the question as to
which boat had the right of way were
the causes of the disaster Capt Abra-
ham Johnson was in charge of the
Mortified and Capt. S. c, Griffin in
command OF the MaUch Chunk.
Captain Johnson of the Mortified
has been arrested and held without
bail on the charge of criminal negli-
gence
The officials of the New Jersey Cen
trail gave assurances that Captain Grit
nth would appear in police court to-
morrow to answer to the charge CT
manslaughter.