New-York tribune., 1902-12-29
OVER ICE BY LIFELINE.
Rochlands Passengers Rescued
Ferryboat Still Fast.
ROPE SHOT FROM DOCK.

After a night filled with exciting experiences
the ten people board the old rickety side
wheel ferryboat Rockland. which ran into an ice
foe in the Hudson River between TarrytoWn
and Nyack at Saturday, were rescued
from their perilous position at a. m. yesterday.
The feryboat is still fast in the ice despite the
efforts of tug, which in trying to free her al
most became wedged in the ice near the Rock
land. 1t was decided to leave the Rockland in
charge Of the crew, and another effort will be
made to release her from the ice pack this
morning.
In order to reach the imprisoned passengers,
who were as powerless TO reach shore if they
had been caught among the icebergs of the
Arctic region, the rescuers shot lifellnes from
the Tarrytown ferry dock to the boat. A num-
ber of the lines missed the mark, but after half
an hours hard work a sailor managed to catch
one Of the ropes and made it fast to capstan
shout of joy went up from the passengers
Eight of them were men, and they slid down icy
ladders to the rough ice close by the port side,
and, catching hold of the lifeline. walked along
the ice toward the Tarrytown shore. 1t
trip that required a stout heart, because fire.
quently air holes and broken ice encoun-
tered, and unless a tight grip was kept on the
rope, they would sink beneath the ice
BY jumping from cake to cake and skipping
open spaces they all managed TO reach the
Tarrytown dock in safety. The of the
ferry boat in the mean time. with axes and
picks, cut away the ice that dingy could
be lowered and in this the two women pas
sengers We're seated An open course was cut
for some distance. until firm track of ice was
found. and then they walked TO the ferry dock.
They were Miss Anna Bunsenmeyer the eigh-
een-year-old daughter of William Bunsenmeyer
of EIrnsford, and Miss Ellen White. seventeen
years old, of South Nyack These women, in
about to sink were cool, and even offered to aid
house to them for sleeping apartment but
they suffered so from the cold that they could
not sleep. Miss Bunsenmeyer in describing her
experience. said:
The wind hoxled around the boat while cakes
of ice kept smashing against the paddle wheel
boxes. At the time when the Rocklald ran INTO the
ice were going very fast. Suddenly felt great
shock, followed by the crunching of ice. Then the
machinery STOPPED suddenly and l heard a man
say: I'VE fast" l knew then something was
wrong. but l thought We would get to Nyack all
right. Finally. after the crew had worked at the
machinery and away some of the ice. they
found that they could not bulge the paddle Wheels
A big cake of ice had wedged in one of them and
threw tht machinery on dead centre, as the en-
gineer called it. AS darkness settled upon us
grew rather nervous. Captain Lyons told US not
to worry and went to Tarrytown and purchased
milk, sandwiches. bologna and cake Whlch we are
for supper While We were tyng M ,d 10 Ien s o5T
little boat When the Rockland first ran into fne
ice every one on board thought she was gong 70
position. CT the wheels being high out or the
When the crew and men passengers tried to
get the machinery in proper position the two
girls aided them. standing by with axes and
crowbars