The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-07-08
3 DROWN WHEN 50 ON
PIER FALL INTO SEA
Rotten Planks Break Under
Crowd Waiting for Launch
at Plum Island.
GIRL. Is. AMONG THE DEAD
Many of the Struggling Mass
Hauled to Safety With
Rakes and Hooks.

The rotten boards OF a pier at Point
Breeze on Plum Island between Man.
haitian Beach and Rockaway Beach,
gave way last night while fifty persons
were shoulderins each other to 60 down
the pier and board launch to take
them to Sheepshead Bay.
Three of the fifty f,oundering in hf-
teen feet of water were drowned. The
rest were rescued by the labors Of the
Point Breeze cottagers and small
launches that hurried to the place.
These are the dead:
Samuel Cohen. nine years old, no
address.
James Fox. so years old, OF 472 War
rem street. Brooklyn.
Susan Grossman. Is years old of 343
Bedford avenue. Brooklyn.
John Morson runs a roomy launch
between Point Breeze and Sheepshead
Bay. on Sundays the launch is
crowded with persons who go down to
the windswept beach to visit friends
In the tents that dot the sands and the
bungalows further up.
At the very tip end Of the point he
has pier that runs down to n float
where he moorcd his launch. He called
the place Morsons Dock.
At o'clock last night its old beams
We're creakinc under the weight Of nifty
persons waiting for the launch to take
them back to Sheepshead hay. Across
the end OF the pier Samuel Henry who
had things in charge. had stretched a
rope to prevent any one going down 20
the float.
Morson's launch came coughing up
presently with only a few on board and
at the sight OF 1t the waiting crowd
pressed against the rope.
There was O rending sound and then
the planks dropped out. Instantly
there was the wild confusion. The nifty
fought and shouted and clutched at one
another. The summer folk ran from
bungalows and tents. many OF them to
aid friends.
Policeman James A. Sullivan OF the
Gates avenue station In Brooklyn. who
Is spending the summer at the point
With his fari;!y. headed the sprinters
NJ his side ran Or. Cyrus Fry OF SEA
Hancock street, Brooklyn. The two
jumped into the threshing crowd in
the water.
They got many children and women
up to the spiies beneath the wrecked
pier. which had not given way. Be-
tween them they took out Mr.. Fox. DR..
Fry and DR.. Graves. also OF Brooklyn.
worked over the man for an hour. but
he died His Was the only body recov- =
cred.
Police Sergeant Frederick w. Hill
man. who is spending the summer with
sullivan. heard the screams Of those
who had fallen while he was at dinner
In his tent. He ran for the pier with a
garden rake.
With him was Thomas inland Of
Eighth avenue and Sixteenth street,
brooklyn. The sergeant pushed the
rake into Niland's hands and leaving
inland sprawled out along a pier henG
dlved in. one by one he took Samuel
Buckner of Noorhes avenue. Sleeps
head. his wife. Dora. and his three
sons. Eugene. Adolph and Irving. up Ia
the foot of the spiling and then INLAND
hauled them TO safety with the rake
Soon Il dozen men were reaching down
rakcs and boat hooks and long poles
into the water fishing exhausted swim
mcrs out
Launches and pleasure craft Off the
island were quickly turned and headed
for the dock and the owners and crews
saved many.
street. Brooklvp. saved I. A. Scamme
Of 663 McDonough strt.i. brooklyn, ant
Albert j. Randen Of 1874 East Twenty.
eighth street. Manhattan. When h.
first heard the screams he ran to tn.
station Of the l.. $. Volunteer Life Sav.
ing CORPS half mile ,p the beach, bu,