New-York tribune., 1905-07-31


dam, taking with part of the eastern abutnnent
of the bridge.
The Pequannock River, from this point
down the mile and half to where It empties
into the inner Bridgeport Harbor and thence
into Long Island Sound. filled with shipping
discharging cargoes of lumber and coal along
the docks.
BARGE ON A MERRY TRIP
The barge Clara, Captain E. Keneally, of the
Mcwilliams Line of New-York City. was moored
at Blacks coal pier with about one hundred
tons of coal still in her hold. The captain heard
the rushing waters, and sent his son, a lad of
thirteen ashore to fasten another line to the
pier, but before the boy could make the line fast
the hawsers snapped and the barge was swept
down the river.
On the barge were Captain Keneally and his
wife and four children. 1t struck the East
washington-ave drawbridge and knocked 1t
completely around. Here Captain Keneally was
able to put one of his children ashore. Vessel
after vessel was struck by the barge and swept
from her moorings. Down upon the Congress
st. drawbridge the barge swept and struck it
broadside.
The impact great that il butted the
draw off her bed a foot The crash heard
a quarter of a mile away As the barge struck
she knocked an electric light pole loose 1t fell
across the barge, knocking Captain KenealIy
into the water The live wires hissed and
danced about the bridge like snakes. East
Bridgeport was in total darkness.
About the time the barge struck the bridge
gas MAN, which crossed the river at this point
snapped There a terrific explosion of gas.
The electric light wires lighted the gas and the
fire department was called out
Mrs KenealIy and her remaining children
were taken from the barge in a hysterical con-
dition. The breaking of the gas main filled the
river with tar and Captain Keneally was swept
down the river in it, quarter of mile away
he seized pile and cried for help He was
taken out almost suffocated and removed to
the Emergency Hospital. None of his family are
seriously injured but Mrs KenealIy is suffering
from shock.
SHIPS LCHSED FROM MOORINGs.
The three masted schooner Hope Haynes of
Bangor, Me, swept from her rnoorings and
rammed her bowsprit through the Congress-st
bridge The Margaret Hart and the Marion
z. Bulley, barges OF the McCafrey Line Of New
York were picked up in the flood and swept
through the Congress-st bridge before the barge
Clara struck it. They also ran under the rail-
road bridge and then struck the Blue Bell. a
barge of the Mcwinams Line New-York. and
knocked her from her anchor and the three
then swept down upon the lower drawbridge
The Bulley so low in the water that moth
ing but her cabin struck the bridge and this
swept away like a shngle. Mrs. Robert
Myer. wife of the captain of the Bulley who
was in the cabin with her small child. was pain
fully bruised about the back and limbs The
Blue Bell, riding high in the water. struck the
drawbridge with the Margaret Hart and swung
the drawbridge clean around. carrying tele-
graph and trolley cables along.
The barges swept into the inner harbor,
going at the rate OF at least twenty-five miles
an hour, according to Captain Robert Myer He
was on deck with line ready TO make fast to
anything at hand. Half way out the harbor the
Blue Bell made fast to the barges Scott and
English which were in tow of the tug Senator
Rice. of New-York Seeing the other two barges
swept on into the Sound, the Rice made after
them and caught them between the Bridgeport
Light and Penieid Light The captain of the
Bailey and his wife and child were taken off by
the keeper OF the Bridgeport Light and rowed
ashore to Seaside Park. where they taken
IN the emergency hospital The barges were
then towed back TO their moorings inside the
i harbor.
The house of Andrew Lesko. in North-ave..
on the bank of the Pequonnock River. was
swept from it's foundation and with Mr.. and
Mrs Iesko and their daughter was carried
Continued second paHo