New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16
EXCURSION BOAT STRUCK.
PASSENGERS EXCITED.
Captain Of William Storie Soon
assures Them of Safety.

The lives Of nearly three hundred pleasure
seekers were imperilled late yesterday after
noon by a collision between the steamboat Will
lam Store and the steam lighter J. s. T. Strana-
han in the bay near the breakwater on the
Brooklya side, and a few hundred feet north of
Gowarus Greek. Part of the stem Of the Storie
three feet wide, and extending from the main
deck to point two three feet below the
water line, was torn away. and the Stranahan
was badly .aked amidships. No one was in
Jured as a result Of the collision, but the excite
ment ran high. for few minutes among the
passengers. most Of whom were women and chill
dren
The boat people deny that there was any sort
of panic, but passengers declare that women
screamed and picked up their children and ran
wildly about the deck They were speedily
quieted by Captain Elmer ]. Sherwood of the
excursion boat. The Storie was run to the
Barge Office pier. at the Battery. without out
side assistance. and after the passengers had
been landed she taken under her own st cam
10 the Tietjen & Lang drydock in Hoboken She
was leaking a little but not enough, her cap
tain says. to have caused any anxiety. 1t could
not be learned last night what became of the
Stranahan after the accident although it vas
reported she had put back to Brooklyn. Cap
tain Sherwood says her pumps were working
and she turned back. Captain Sherwood blames
he deliberately tried to run across the Stories
bow.
The Storie was making the o'clock trip from
Midland Beach to the Battery. with 30 pas
sengers and a crew of eight aboard. She was
formerly the police boat Patrol. and built
in 1850 She is now owned by Mayor Hinch-
life of Paterson. n. j.. who also owns several
hotels and pavilons at Midland Beach, Staten
Island
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
The story of the accident as told by Captain
Sherwood is follows
1 was standing off the Brooklyn shore we'll in the
mel when the Stranahan came out of Gowanus
Creek As she came out the captain headed her
emerged from the creek l gave two toOts of the
course. When she turned north she was about $50
ieet it TO to sta star6oard Of me thought he was head
for he closed in little me as we went along
About opposite the Dreakwater he suddenly
that time and 1 saw that he was trying to cut
when it was too late he did the Best he Could /
stopped the engines and then had them reversed.
to run clear. but he couldn't make it. When he
was about three feet away he sounded danger
right across our bow and ripped the stem out of
our boat Immediately sent the mate below. and
he reported that she only leaking very
little We have three bukheads. and | ordered
make the run to the Battery and put all steam
possible. A tug had a dredge in tow not far from
told the captain that didn't need any assistance.
Battery.
Captain Sherwood was asked why he landed at
the Barge ONCE pier: He said that another
boat was tied up at his own wharf and that he
landed at the Barge Office to get his passengers
Off so he could run the Storie to the drydock as
quickly as possible.
Charles Kelly manager of the steamboat line,
went aboard the Storie at the Battery and pro
ceeded with her 10 the Tietjen & Lang ship
yards where she was Immediately placed in
drydock He said that the shipyard firm had
been ordered to proceed with all possible haste
to repair the damage.
u have the names of a number of passen-
gers" said Mr.. Kelly, who say that Captain
Sherwood was not to blame for the accident.
The Stranahan deliberately cut across his bow,
when she should have held her course" Mr.
Kelly said he had heard Of no undue excite
ment among the passengers.
One of the passengers. who said his name was
Craig, but who refused to give his Christian
name or his address, is authority for the state
ment that there was considerable excitement
for few minutes He said
Most Of the passengers were women and children.
and the Stranahan got near us several
and waited for the shock, When it came it was
not as heavy one as / had expected. But the
women ran about of them crying. but they
were soon quieted. Captain Sherwood very
cool, and guess that saved panic He shouted
turned away tug that had come to our help. Every
one was re4ssured ana mere wal & nc no tuft&het & eX-
peared to the right OF She kept getting closer
sudden}v veered to the left and started 10 cross
the bow | the rail, and back just
as I saw there was going to be a collision.