Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-06-22
DISASTER. IN
EAST RIVER
Steamer Mortified Rammed and
Sunk by Propeller Mauch
Chunk.
nANY PERSONS ARE D10WNEn
Death List May Reach 100, but the
Facts Are Not Knowa
Yet.
hlAaY PERSONS ARE D1owNEn
SCORES Hkv. MARROW ESCAPES
Rescued by Nearby Observation-Disclosures
Following Disaster Makes II Hard
to Got ut tho Facts--Connlct-
Ing stories of Fatalities.

New York, June 1.-THE wooden side
wheeler Ncrthce.d, which has been In
the ccr.ic Of the Staten Island Ferry
company for the past thirty-eight
years, wcs rammed last night by the
steel hullcd propeller Mauch Chunk,
ueed as "A ferryboat by the Central
railrood or New Jersey. The collision
occurred just off the Staten island fer
ry slip at the foot of Whitehall street,
and In less than twenty minutes after
ward the Mortified, which was crowd
ed with ~eesengcrs sank at the outer
end OK TIE Spanish line pier, In the
East river. The Mauch Chunk, which
was badly damaged, landed two dozen
passengers who were aboard or her.
over a hundred 81 the passengers OF
the sunien Northile,d were dragged
out of the water by people along snore
and tie crews OF the fleet of river tug
which promptly responded TO the ferry
boats cali for hep. A few or the
! N%orthfc,i's passengers we're hurt IN
, the accident. and the police believe
that some lives were lost. Captain
Daniel Gully, Of the tugboat Mutual.
who saw Tie ferry boats crash togeth-
err. saws that Immediately after the
collision bet ween twenty-five and thir-
~ OF the passengers lcapcd into the
water, and that many OF those per-
ishcd.
Captain. Gully also says that he Is
sure Cycr q hundred OF tie Northfe!ds
passenaer3 were drowned. The cap
tains OF ether tuSDoats, who were ear
IN on the scene, we've are inclined
| g., thi,lF ~ ar TN III ca gIcT VIZ nor FER
ious IS regards LOGS Ci life. Thus for
10 dead bodies have been recovered.
The reason for such a difference or
opinion as to the extent of the disaster
Is that the widest excitement pre-
vailed on the Mortified. The tug Mu-
tual saved In all about seventy-hve
persons from the Mortified, and the
tugs Unity and Arrow saved between
them $50 persons. Two policemen or
the old ship station claim to have res
sued nearly thirty persons between
them, AS soon as the crowd which
had followed the sinking ferrypoat
along the river front were able to rem
der any aid they worked with a Will,
/ and in many instances men sprang IN
TO the water to save life. the great
est service was rendered by the tug
boats. which, as soon as 1t was possi-
be circ!ed around the Mortified ami
made O bridge to the Spanish line pier,
and men and women c,ambered over
the tugs to the shore.
While the f,orth1eid was well sup
piled with lie preservers, which were
slowed IN out OF the way PAGES, not
more than two dozen OF the endan-
gered poascnEers were able to get the
life belts. In a few minutes the North
field sank 10 the bottom Of the river,
and then all who had not jumped TO the
tugs found themselves In the water.
The swift running flood tide and the
question Of which Doat had the right
OF way was TIE cause Of the disaster.
Captain Abraham Johnson was IN
charge OF the Northfeld ana captain
S. G.. Griffin YVES In command or the
Mauch Chunk. Each lays the blame
OF the collision on the other.
Captain Abraham Northfleli was ar
rested about midnight on n charge OF
criminal negligence. He Is held with
out bail and will be arraigned today.
Captain Griffin Of the Mauch Chunk
went to his home In Jersey City not
lonE after tic accident occurred.
Officials OF the Jersey Central rail
road gave assurances that Captain
Griffin would make his appearance ir
police court TO answer to a technical
charge OF granddaughter.
The only person reported missing VI
to midnight was George III. Coopers
janitor OF the criminal courts build
Ing.
New York, June i5-There were
twelve teams on the Mortified ant
they all persisted. The officials OF thu
Staten Island ferryboat said there
were probably not over 900 passenger
on the Mortified at the time OF tn,
collision. Tie passengers say that tn,
usual rush hour crowd was aboard
and that 1t numbered fully 1900 men
women INK children.