New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-27
SEVEN PERSONS DROWN.
FIVE FROM ONE CRAFT.
Small Tornado Does Much Damage
IN BROOKLYN.

Seven persons were drowned and Others in
jured, houses were blown down and unroofed,
fences levelled. trees ripped and telephone az a
electric light wires torn down as the result of a
young tornado that swept from the southwest
over Brooklyn at $50 p. m. yesterday
The storm did not go over Bath Beach. Coney
Island or Manhattan Beach. where there were
between one hundred and fifty thousand and
two hundred thousand pleasure seekers, and
many sailboats on the water. These resorts
received only fringe of the storm in the shape
OF rain.
The heavy wind. which resembled a tornado
in some Of its destructive ability. passed over
Bay Ridge and then across the Parkville section
to Canarsie and out over Jamaica Bay, swerv-
ing here so TO strike across to ROckaway.
The storm was accompanied by heavy rain,
and left trail of damage. The most serious
accident was the drowning Of five Of a sailing
party Of thirteen off the South Brooklyn shore.
The other two persons to meet death by drown
ing in swimming, one in the East River
and the other in Jamaica Bay. dozen
more sloops and smaller craft were overturned
by the wind. but in most cases the persons We're
rescued by nearby craft and uninjured.
Many boats were driven from their moorings
and wrecked, and the fleets of several yacht
clubs in South Brooklyn and Jamaica Bay
badly damaged.
The five persons drowned were off Forty-sev-
enth-st. The 3S-foot sloop Elsie and Kate over
turned. These persons were:
CLARKE. Mrs. Kate. fifty years old. of No. 6s2
Henry-st
CLARKE, Louise. four gears old. daughter of the
CLARKE, Lizzie years old. another daughter of
MaR SPao Hsce 9f 6 . 2t S are ks
foarth-zt letzA Brooklyn fiSTii
The hodies of only two Of the five-Mrs Clarke
and Mamie Clarke her niece-were recovered.
The sloop left Dougherty's shipyard. at Clin-
ton-st. and Gowanus Bay at noon. Peter
Clarke, who is employed in a lumber yard in
South Brooklyn was board. He owned the
boat, and taking out family party, in
Guiding his wife and three children. The only
member Of his own family saved besides himself
was his son, Peter. jr., eight years old. Others
in the party were Mrs John Clarke, sister-in-
law and her fve-year-old son Harold; John
Iaason fourteen years old; Eddie Ritchford.
tweaty-four years old; Richard McInerney,
twenty-four years old, and John Kopp, twenty
six years old.
Nj Clarke was at the helm and the sIoop
was off Sixty -hfth-st. when the storm broke
with great fury Those VINO were watching the
craft say that an effort was made to send the
boat before the wind TO the pier at Forty-sev-
enth-st The waves were piiing over her. and
the women and children sought shelter below.
Members of the ID Naval Battalion, IN bathing
from their pier at F1fty-seconG-st.. saw that the
sloop was in sore distress and party of them
started to the rescue in three whaleboats, un-
der tbe command OF Chief Master-at-arrns
Thomas NJ Walker. They had scarcely started
when they saw the boat careen and turn turtle.
Those who were floating near the craft when
the Naval Reserves arrived were pulled into
the vhaleboats. Tie in Walkers boat
tried TO reach the women and children in the
cabin They dlved again and again. and at last
brought ND the body OF Mamie Clarke. After
half an hour the attempt given UP and the
boat towed to the Bush Stores at Forty-second-
ST. There the body of Mrs. Kate Clarke
recovered later.
Walker says that he and his men offered to
tight the boat and recover the other bodies but
Mr. Clarke declined the offer. and had the boat
towed TO the Erie Basin by a tug. When the
boat was righted and pumped out no bodies
were there Probably they were caught in the
rigging and were forced out by the passage of
the submerged craft through the water.
When the storm came up suddenly two per-
SONS who were in swimming became confused
ard on account of the heavy sea, were drowned
one was James Healy. forty-eght years old of
No I7S Fulton-st., who lost his life off Wash
ington-st in the East River, and the other, an
Continued second page.
TIE SARATOGA LIMITED.