New-York tribune., 1905-07-22
EXCURSION BOAT on ROCK
Continued from first page.

stances Of the accident she would have passed
over safely The Sirius draws only eleven feet.
The shock sent shudder over the Sirius. but
the members OF the excursion paid little atten-
tion to II. Captain Pearce knew that some
thing serious had happened. but he took his
precautions without noise and excitement
hasty investigation showed that the rock had
pierced one of the plates OF the middle Of the
five compartments OF the vessel and that water
was coming in directly under the engine room.
The compartments were closed and pumps were
rugged. Meanwhile the pilot steered the Sirius
around the north end OF North Brother Island
and over TO the flats of Barretto Point less than
mile away. At this move those on board could
not fail to realize that something was wrong.
But before they had time to become panic
stricken Captain Pearcs and his officers passed
among them and told them calmly what had
happened and what he planned to do.
On the way TO the fats. where the Sirius
beached, she was passed by the College Point
ferryboat Hackensack. Captain Hagan In COM
mand. whose sister vessel. The Bronx. is said 70
have refused aid 10 the slocum- Captain
Pearce called to Captain Hagan, telling him Of
his plight and his intentions. and asking him to
report to the Office OF the Iron Steamboat CON-
pany. Captain Hagan did as requested soon
as he reached his slip.
HELP APPEARS QUICKLY
When the situation OF the Sirius was OBJ
served. help was not long in reaching her. The
Earbor Police from the suh-station at 122d-st,
were first on the scene. quickly followed by a
Hfeboat and dozen life savers from the Port
Morris station. The Charities Department
steamboat Massasoit, her way down from
Hart's Island. followed next 70 the rescue and
was able. because of her lighter draught to 20
alongside and take off half Of the party Bor-
ough Inspector Titus, Inspector McClusky. Cap
tain Hayes. OF the Alexander-ave station and
a squad OF reserves from that precinct reache!
the stranded steamboat in a police launch and
took charge of the transfer OF the passengers
The Massasoit took her load TO 132d-st. from
which all went home.
Meanwhile. A 1. Harrison. general manager
OF the Iron Steamboat Company. ordered the
Dreamland TO be detached from the Coney ISL
ana service and to go up 70 the Sirius The
Dreafniand arrived In time To take aboard those
left by the Massasolt and TO carry them back 10
Manhattan The police boat Patrol also went
10 the scene OF the accident. but arrived too
ate to be OF service.
DR.. Newman. the pastor OF olivet Memorial
the Rev Theodore Leonard the assistant pas or
ana Elder Albert A. Berger. OF No. l4l Avenue
A. IN particular, and all the other older members
or the party. we're emphatic in praising the
'CoLness and care with which Captain Pearce
acted; Inspector Titus. too. declared th-t the
captain did exactly the right thing in the cir
cumstances.
The spot where Captain Pearce beached ths
Sirius is only few hundred yards from where
the General Slocum finally grounded and sank
a year ago
The Sirius is one OF the stanchest Of the Iron
Steamboat Company's fleet. She was built IA
1900. Is 2e feet long, and OF 993 tons gross dis
placement Her crew numbers twenty
DR.. Newman declared at his home last night
that there had been panic on the Sirius
we passed close to liner" he said and
then felt two shocks IL seemed as II the
stern had struck a rock. and then within few
seconds came another shock. as II she had struck
again.
here was absolutely no panic on the boat
and very little concern about the accident
Jacob Segrist the chairman OF the excursion
committee. came 10 me and told me that the
captain was aware that we had struck a rock
and that he was preparing TO beach the boat
| found only one woman at all excited The
band kept playing and no seemed 10 mind
the accident.
"Of course. the slocum disaster had cut down
the attendance Whereas two years ago we had
about 1.4OO aboard the excursion to-day We had
only about 600 or 100. A good many OF the
people did not want to GO
1T is doubtful II We win hold another excur-
sion for some time to come, as this accident as
we'll as the memory OF the Slocum, viii have tts
sheet on the people"