The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-15
ASTEAMER COLLISION
GNE FERRYBOAT SINKS ANOTHER
IN NEW YORK HARBoR.
LOSS OF LIFE UNKNOWN.
THE NORTHFIELD RAMMED BY
THE MAUCHCHUNK.

The Former Was Crowded with
Pnssengers-Over One Hundred
Were Dragged Out of the Water
by People Along shore and Aboard
Tugs-MiId Excitement Prevailed
and TuEbOntmcn Declare That
Many Were DrOwned-Ench Claims
the Other Was Mt Fault.
New York, June 1.-THE wooden side
wheeler Northfield, which has been in the
service of the Staten Island Ferry Com
pany for the past 3S years, was rammed
tonight by the steel hulled propeller
Mauchchunk, used as ferry boat by the
Central Railroad of New Jersey. The col
lision occurred just off the Staten Island
ferry slip at the foot of Whitehall street,
and in less than ten minutes after the
Northfeld, which was crowded with pas
sengers, sank al the outer end of tn.
Spanish line pier in the East river. The
Mauchchunk which was badly damaged,
landed the two dozen passengers who
were aboard her. over a hundred of the
passengers of the sunken Northfield were
dragged out of the water by people along
shore and the crews of the fleet of river
tugs which promptly responded to the
ferry boats call for help. A few of the
Northfelds passengers were hurt
in the accident. and the po-
lice believe that some lives
were lost. Capt. Daniel Gully of the
tugboat Mutual, who saw the ferryboats
har "a fr1nrn
after the collision between twenty-five
and thirty passengers leaped into the wa
ter, and that many of them perished
Capt. Gully also declares that he Is sure
over a hundred of the Northfields pas
sengers were drowned. The captains Of
other tugboats who we're early on the
scene, however are inclined to think that
the disaster was not so serious as re-
CARDS loss of life. Thus far no dead
bodies have been recovered.
wild Excitement Prevailed.
The reason for such difference of
opinion as 20 the extent of the disaster
is that the widest excitement prevailed
on the Northheld. The tug Mutual saved
in all about 70 persons from the North
field, and the tugs Unity and Arrow saved
between them 100 persons.
Two policemen of the Old Slip station
claim to have rescued nearly thirty peo-
pie between them. As soon as the crowd
which had followed the sinking ferry
boat along the river front were able to
render any aid. they worked with a will
and in many instances men sprang into
the water to save life. The greatest SER
vice was rendered by the tugboats, which
as soon as it was possible, circled around
the Mortified and made bridge to the
Spanish Line pier. and men and women
cambered over the tugs TO the shore.
The swift running food tide and the
question of which boat had the right-of-
way was the cause of the disaster. Capt.
Abraham Johnson was in charge of the
Northfeld and Capt s. c. Griffin was in
command Of the Mauchchunk Each lays
the blame for the collision on the other.
How the Accident Occurred.
The Northfield. with load OF passen-
gers. variously estimated at between 800
and 1.200 at 6:0l D. m, started out OF
the west slip at Whitehall street for 81.
George. Staten Island, and at 1858 p. m.
the Mauchchunk left the railroad slip at
Communipaw for Whitehall street. The
latter craft was abreast of the barge
office at the Battery when the North
field came out of the slip. An exchange
of whistles between the boats was fol-
lowed by the crash. Capt. Griffin ap-
parently believed that the Staten Island
ferryboat would be halted until he had
worked his boat into the upper slip and on
the other hand Capt. johnson supposed
that he would be allowed to cross the
Mauchchunk bows. When the accident
appeared inevitable te speed OF the Com
m1inipaw ferryboat was reduced as much
as possible under the circumstances, but
borne along by the swift running food
tide. head on, the Mauchchunk struck the
Mortified on the starboard side at the.
hood OF the forward ladies' cabin on The
main deck The blow was terrific one
and the force of IL wrecked the steering
gear at the forward end of the Mauch-
chunk, tore up about ten feet of the main
deck, wrecked the deck house on the port
side aud broke through the deck rail and
threw down the stanchions on the forward
part of the Central Railroad boat.
Passengers Did Not Realize It.
As the humping OF ferryboats is not un-
usual In this harbor the passengers on
the Northfield did not for a minute or so
realize the seriousness OF thes collision.
When, however. two fremen ran up on
deck to save themselves from the inflow
Of water and the Northheld was being
driven fun speed up the East River In
stead of down towards Staten Island and
all the time screechlng for help. they
knew that something serious had hap
pened. Then commenced the panic which
continued until the Mortified went down.
At no time was the Mortified more than
500 feet out i'm the river beyond the bulk
head line, but the tide was running with
the velocity OF a mill race and had the
vessel sunk out In the stream only the
tugs would have been able to give as
sistance.
Capt. Abram johnson OF the Mortified
was arrested about midnight on a charge
OF criminal negligence He Is held with
out bail and will be arraigned to-nor-
row Capt. Grifin OF the Mauchchunk
went 20 his home. In Jersey City. not long
after the accident occurred on
cials of the Jersey Central Railroad
gave assurances that Capt. Griffin would
make his appearance IN Police Court to
answer 40 a technical charge OF man
slaughter.
The only person reported missing up 10
midnight was George H. Coppers, JAM.
tor OF the criminal courts building
CAPT. IMPEY's SENTENCE.