Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-05-06
BIC FINANCIAL
 SOCIAL SUCCESS Excursion of the Steamer $. s. Brown to Little Rock Sunday Liberally Patron ized and Enjoyed.
ENCOUNTERED STORM
Boat Was Driven Against Pier of Rail- road Bridge at Little Rock and SmaIl-Sized Panic ResuIted-Dam- age Slight.

" It'll lNe SACeDtlOH Oi lfISntIul accident which marred the pleasure of the excursonists for a few min utes after the packet s. s. Brown departed from Little Rock last night shortly after $ o'clock. the trip of the big Mississippi river steamer to the capital city Sunday from this city was a big success, financially and socially.
 The steamer reached Pine Bluff this Morning at 6:30 o'clock on it's return trip to Memphis and after loading several thousand bales of cotton at the foot of West Court street, departed this afternoon.
 The accident, which is being dis cussed about town today by the excursionists and others, was not of serious nature, nor were there any fatalities attending it, but it was frightful in the extreme, and for a few minutes a small-sized panic existed among the four bun dred passengers, men, women and children. The steamer was also delayed several hours as result
 of 6 terrific storm, which was
 largely responsible for the mishap
 The Brown left the Little Rock
 landing near the Iron Mountain
 depot in East Little Rock a few
 minutes after s o'clock last night
 In addition to the large local con- tingent of pleasure-seekers who went to the capital city on her that
 morning, she had taken on large delegation of Little Rock people for the down trip, among whom were no few women.
 While several hundred people waved a farewell, the big boat backed out from the landing and al- most instantly with her departure came heavy downpour of rain. accompanied by terrific wind. Heavy claps of thunder and flashes of lightning were frequent. After turning her nose down the river the big steamer was put under good speed. Her whistles gave orders for the opening of the big Rock Island railroad bridge and notwith- standing the binding rain, the steamer made straightway for the open space. Upon nearing the bridge Pilot Nixon, who was at 4he wheel noticed that the bridge was not open full and he hngged one of the big stone piers of the bridge in an effort to go through safely. As the nose of the steamer pointed through the opening, a frightful gust of wind caught the steamer and showed it into the right south pier With great force.
 So great was the collision that several passengers were thrown to the floor and ladies and childxen seated in chairs in the parlors were turned topsy turvy. The women and children ran here and there crying for their companions and rel atives, but as quick as the col lisiGn came, order was restored ;, Clerk Rozier, Captain Ed Rowland Sr., and other cool-headed persons cried 10 the passengers to keep their seats and be quiet. The bar tender on the boat made the ne- grOes in the orchestra continue 1 their music, which came to sud 1 den stop when the boat struck the 1 pier, and within a few minutes the | frightened ones were quieted and i, order perfectly restored. Three young women tainted. but were ! cared for by relatives and friends and after the steamer tied up at the 1 south bank, just south of the bridge, the incident was joculariy 1 discussed.
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