The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-01
FERRYBOAT m 8 COLLISIONS.
SERIES OF ACCIDENTS IN THE
EARLY MORNING FOG.


New Jersey In q PAnlc-Rammed on
Two Trips and Dumps q Third Boat
when She Goes Back 20 Lay Up,
Tie heavy fog which hung over the
North River early yesterday morning was
responsible for one Of the. most remark.
able series Of accidents that ever befel
ferryboat in these waters, the New Jersey
OF the Pennsylvania Dcsbrosses street
feet getting into collision with three other
ferryboats in less than two hours.
One OF the collisions was with the Erie
ferryboat Passaic. and came very near
resulting In q serious disaster, for the New
jersey was crowded with passengers bound
TO their work In this city, and for fully q
minute Il seemed as though she would
turn completely over. Fortunately the
Passaic veered OF In time, and the New
Jersey righted herself.
In all three Of the collisions persons were
hurt by fragments Of wood, and the excite
ment, especially in the collision with the
Passaio was tremendous. Men and women
fought for Life preservers or rushed up
and down the decks yelling for help while
eome tried TO jump overheard and others
fell fainting. Horses were thrown over
on the New Jersey in the collision with the
Passaic, and one badly frightened animal
plunged into a crowd Of passengers. but
was stopped by deckhand before he could
do any harm.
The New Jersey met with her first disaster
shortly after 8 o clock. Sac was on her
way IRON Jersey City bound for Des-
brosses street crowded WITH passengers,
many Of them women employed IN factories
In this city. About opposite ShaInoers
street the New Jorsey met the Ere ferry
boat kidgewood, bound from Pavonia
70 Chambers street. Inc log was so thick
that the pilots OF the two Loats could not
make each olher out, aud the tooting oil TINS
log whistles was almost lost IN the noise
the fenyboats made tgnting their way
through the ice, great deal oil wnicn
was IN the river yesterday morning.
lIsc Two uOa,s ce.iiIe tosvtiioi "4sI crash
! line New by yer '5s sSs sp Taoh Ss
turned at right angles 10 her 10 enter heI
81 at Chambers street. The Ridgewood
al, the New Jersey just forward OF The
meas cabin. the first crash Was followed
oy a second as tie bow Of the New Jersey
swung ar, u ID a struck the side OF tIIt
ltidgswooo. Locked together the boate
we're unmanageable for time. and try as
hey would, the pilots were unable to gel
out OF ole anothers way. Finally they
pulled apart /, tie meantime tn,
errifc wlistGng from both boats bad
brought feet OF tugboats and other nv
The scenes on both boats were about the
same. Men and women tore life pre-
servers from their places and tied them
about their bodies; others completely losl
their heads and ran around like madmep.
while the dcckhands. assisted by few Of tht
,ooler passenger, underworld TO calm them
After the New Jersey drifted away from
The Ridgewood, her passengers quieteu
down and evidently made Up their minds
hat the boat wasn't going TO the bottom
The New jersey was IN good enough
shape TO continue her trip TO Desbrcssss
street, but the Ridgewood had to be towed
into the slip. Orce there the excitemen,
IN the Ridgewood subsidized, although O
lumber Of the passengers showed hands
and faces badly cut as the result OF beine
struck by flying glass.
Only one man on the Ridgewood was
at all badly hurt and for time 1t was he
,ieved that he had a fractured SKI II. III ;
man was Julian Miegt Of 30 Garfield place.
Rutherford, n. J. lie had an ugly cash
piece OF timber, ton from The side Of the
terryboat when the New JERSEYS bow
swung around and struck her. After the
mans injury hal been dressed by an
ambulance surgeon, he went home, Sew
eral Of the New Jerseys passengers were
cut ny HyulB glars, out u'ue was eeI iousis
injured.
After discharging her passengers a,
Desbrosses street, and having a part o!
her splintered side removed. tho New Jersey
started back TO Jersey City. Capt. Spencer
was satisfied that she was in good enough
condition. and she took a number OF pas
sengers with her.
II was on her next trip from Jersey City
10 Desbrosses street that she got intotrouble
with the Passaic. There was a strong
ebb tide flowing and the river was heavy
with Ice. The ferryboat was unman-
ageable part Of the time and Capt. Spencer
proceeded with the greatest caution.
In order TO make his slip at all. Capt
Spencer had 70 take the New Jersey a CON
siderable distance upstream past Il and
some OF the passengers who were on the
boat said that he got almost IA far as Four
teenth street ]. g toIi was making a turn
in toward shore when the Psssaic came
out Of the fog ani crashed into her.
Ihc ftss4Ic WIS EouI q IRON Twenty
third street to PavoEia end was comm =
4 good rate Of speed. d. spte the THO,
fog. She struck the New Jersey fairly
pmidships on the voman's cabin side, and
the cresh was easily heard on shorc. al
though those who heard II co aid ol soe VII, {
vessels were In coll sion.
The whole side u the New Jersnv crashed
in like tfsue ~ rer when tho passnic hi'