The sun., 1903-08-16
EXCURSION BOAT RAMMED.
Lighter Hit Tier OFT south BrOOISIyn-1he
27O Passengers she Took On at MIDI
land Beach Frightened, hut In No
Danger--Was Once a Police BOat.

The excursion boat William Storie, which
run into yesterday afternoon of the foot OF
Thirty-ninth street, South Brooklyn, by
the steam lighter j s. T. Stranahan,
The Stranahan tore big hole in the
Stories bow and a good many of the 270
passengers on board thought for minute
that the boat was going to sink.
She managed to land her passengers at
the Barge Office, however and although
she shipped lot of water, she was never
at any time in danger Of sinking. part
Of the lighters superstructure on the port
side vas stove in and she was injured
slightly below the waterline. She put into
South Brooklyn Immediately after the
collision.
The Storie was formerly the old police
boat Patrol Since the city sold her she
has been made into an excursion boat and
is now owned by Mayor Hinchlife of Pater-
son, who owns part of Midland Beach.
The Storie left the beach yesterday after
noon at 4 O'Clock bound for the Battery
dock. just as she headed for Buttermilk
Channel the Stranahan came out of Go
terry about four hundred feet away from tho
Storie.
According I'd Capt. Elmer Sherwood, who
had the Stories wheel, the big lighter kept
getting nearer and nearer his boat, and
finally he gave hree blasts of the whistle, the
nautical way OF saying Keep away from
me-"
Instead of keeping away, so Capt. Sher-
h.N nt.i,N ~ h.. Sfran hmm
put mis- wheel over, evidently thinking he
could get across the Stories bow.
The Stranahan, according to those on the
Store started ahead at full speed and just
before the collision gave the danger signal.
Capt. Sherwood had already slgnalled for
the engines to be reversed. Half OF the
passengers were crowded up in the bow on
both decks and the captain yelled for every
one to get back from the bow. When the
passengers saw the Stranahau coming al
them full speed they obeyed the order
with a rush. Camp stools were upset and
lot of people fell in trying to get out Of the
way.
A second later the big lighters bow hit
the excursion steamer and as she went by
tore about ten feet of the stem of the boat
of The rent reached from the hurricane
deck down TO almost foot below the water
line. The blow was glancing one and some
persons in the rear of the excursion boat
did not know that she had Lcen stove in.
Those who had run back from the bow
instantly saw the damage and became
apprehensive.
Capt. Sherwood ordered his engines
ahead full speed, but the passenger saw
the Battery getting nearer without feeling
certain that the boat was going to make
it, Several tugs kept alongside, but Capt
Sherwood told them that he knew that his
boat wasn't in any danger.
As the excursion boat came up the harbor
full speed. with the big rent In ber bow
showing plainly, there was lot OF excite
ment caused. As she neared the Battery
dock, where she usually lands, fishing
steamer pulled in to land her passengers.
Capt Sherwood decided than he cOuldn
wait for the fishing steamer, so he ran
right up alongside the Barge Office and
told the deck hands to hurry the people cff
Before the last passenger was ashore the
ropes were cast or and the boat headed
full speed for Hoboken, where she was
dry docked. Capt. Sherwood said after
the collision
I've were never in any danger of sinking.
despite the hole in our bow. ! simply
wanted to hurry over here and get dock.
Some years ago we had "A collision bulk
head put in for just such an emergency, and
all the water we shipped had TO stay inside
this bulkhead. We may have settled in
the head trhe. but that was all The
passengers behav we'd admirably and there
was no panic.