The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-28
HAD A ROUGH TIME
MOBILE EXCURSION STEAMER
 WENT ON BEACH.
Passengers Had to Wait Patiently Un- til Big ride Could Force Boat Into Deep Water---No-
 body Hurt.
Advertiser Bureau.
 nHAll ar

AdVertiser Bureau,
 Mobile, Aug. 27.
 What was feared would prove most disastrous trip to a large number of exeursionists to the Eastern Shore yes terday ended In q rough experience only, with not one of the 125 persons on board the bay steamer Caloosa in- jured
 The Caioosa left Mobile yesterday morning with a large passenger list, in cluding many members of local camps of Woodmen of the World with their families. These were bound for Jack. son Oaks, below Daphne Here Myrtle wood Camp. Daphne, had their annual barbecue. The excursionists reached their destination without experiencing the slightest trouble. After a most en- joyable barbecue. a part of the after noon was spent in innocent amuse- ments About 4 o'clock the weather became threatening and soon after d heavy downpour and wind storm fol- lowed.
 The picnic party. made grand rush for the caIoosa for shelter. Soon the hawser parted and the steamer was blown bToadside on the beach. The wind piled sand against the wheel Fred Pascos the owner and man-in- charge that it would<take a good tide to get the steamer off. There was at tho time an unusually low tide Dark ness came on and with the rain beat ing through the steamer, the passen- gers were greatly inconvenienced. In working the wheels in an effort to get off the beach, nearly the entire bunker of coal was exhausted.
 It was a case of wait till the tide rolls in," and those aboard. many drenched. secured life preservers and settled down In any old place to sleep. The captain and crew gave up their hunks to women and children these being given first attention.
 Tn the meantime, friends and rela- tives of those on board, who staid at home. had gone to the local landing to await the arrival of the board. Mobile had been visited by wind and rain and 1t was at first thought the vessel had tied up on the other side in order to have smooth sailing for the return trip. Others, however, would have none of this to allay the fast-appear- ing uneasiness and the long distance telephones were used to points from Darhne southward.
 It was learned through one inform ant that the Caloosa was hard and fast at Jackson Oaks, and, the weather continuing threatening, the fears of anxious ones here grew very percepti- Dly4 SOIHS were WiAAiH6 AO 1SGNPS aS surances and returned to their homes, while others remained on the wharf un til near midnight.
 Shortly before s o'clock this morn ing the Caloosa steamed up to her mooring at the foot of St. Francis Street, the officers and crew almost ex- hausted from a night of strenuous la bor and the passengers dilapidated- looking crowd. Captain Fred Pasco gave the following statement:
 'It was an accident that was simply unavoidable. Nobody deplores the oc- curence more than I. To accommodate the excursionists, those in charge hav- ing suggested 1t, put the steamer into Jackson's Oaks to place them closer without difficulty. However, the tide fell unusually low for this time of season, and we went aground. To add to the situation a severe squall struck us while at the end of the wharf, the steamer parted the line and tearing away several billings went broadside upon the beach. Then came the rain, and there being no other shelter the excursionists took to the steamer. This made matters worse. so far as con cerned the floating of the vessel It was raining, and the passengers could not remain on the wharf until we float ed the Caloosa- There was but one thing to do--await a higher tide, which we did. floating about 1 o'clock this morning. and securing fuel at Hem met's."