The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-24
CRASH
Steamer Comes Within an
Ace Of Cutting Down
the Bergen.
ONLY ONE INJURED
Seven Hundred in Danger
Escape With Slight
Bruises.

That an appalling disaster, involving
the loss of many lives, did not take place
IN midstream last night is owing only to
the fact that a huge ocean steamship
which crashed into the ferryboat Bergen,
on the North River, struck her. glanc-
ing blow and not one squarely amid
ships. just the difference of one or two
points in the course of the steamer and
the Bergen, instead of lying up for re-
pairs at her dock in Hoboken, would
have been sent to the bottom and the
lives of about 700 persons endangered.
1t was about a minute after 7:3O when
the Bergen started from her dock in Ho-
boken. She carried the usual crowd.
Standing outside forward was young
clerk whose name could not be learned
When the boat was within 800 feet of
the Barclay street Slip he happened to
look down the harbor, only to see a huge
black shape looming up not more than
thirty feet away. Terror stricken, he
tried to shout, but could make no sound.
He rushed to the door of the mems
cabin, shouting frantically, Save your
selves! Take to the boats!''
There was a crack like the report of
cannon and a jar shivered half dozen
of the lights A few men who were stand
ing up found themselves sprawling upon
the floor, and some who were sitting on
the starboard side pitched forward on
their heads.
Those sitting on the opposite row of
benches Jared better, except for few un-
fortunates who were leaning forward, and
who had their heads knocked back
against the wall. In the women's cabin
three women who were standing talking
together were thrown into football heap
in which there was an unwonted display
of lingerie and dainty ankles.
One lay still, in dead faint. About
her the others shrieked and walled
Run for your life!'' shouted one. PUT
on life preserversn' cried another Help!
help!' shrieked fifty others, running wild
ly to the doors at one end and then at
the other.
Outside fallen HOSES were neighing
shrilly and lashing about with their heels
in fruitless efforts to regain their feet.
Their drivers added deep-mouthed curses
to the Babel inside the cabins
In the confusion no one noticed what
had become of the steamer that had
done the damage. BY the time the deck
hands had seen that the injury was not
serious and had calmed the excited pas
sengers, it had steamed away, and its
lights were lost among the twinkling
myriads along the river front.
my back is broke My back is broke'
moaned one young girl whose blanched
face and colorless lips showed the pain
she was suffering. When the boat reached
I,ex T9 d
rick wanted to call an ambulance for her,
but she insisted on being taken home. She
gave her name as Elsie Glennon, of No.
n North Moore street, Brooklyn, and
with her mother, who was with her on
the boat, went home in a carriage.
At the pier it was found the fantails of
the bow of the Bergen had been ripped
off She was sent back without passen-
gers to Hoboken for repairs.
The superintendent at the Dominion
line wharf said, last night, that he saw
the collision at a distance. The tide was
at flood, and the Bergen swung down
stream, striking the unknown steamer on
the port bow.
The unknown craft stopped and threw
out an anchor. She waited off the Do
minion line pier for about ten minutes
and then went down stream. The un-
known vessel was in tow of one tug,
with a hawser out the usual distance,
and she had two tugs pushing her along
on either side
The officials of the Hoboken Ferry Com
pany have been unable to learn the name
of the steamship. The Bergens bow was
stove in by the collision and she is now.
lying in the repair shop in Hoboken be-
ing patched UP.