Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-30
RIVER TRAGEDY
MARS OUTING
OF MONAHANS
Steamer Majestic Sinks Barge,
Causing Two or More Deaths
on Latter.
PANIC AND CONFUSION
AMONG PASSENGERS
fearing Boat Was Doomed Men
Fought to Reach Shore.
Many Jumped to Pier.

OF the hundreds that left Newark
for Witzers Point View Grove, on the
John F. Monahan Associations an
nual excursion yesterday morning on
the steamer Majestic, but forty-five
of the excursionists returned to this
city last night on board the boat, the
others preferring the rail to the water
route, after the collision in the East
river between the big Newark steam
er and a barge, which resulted in the
I drowning of two and probably four
4 persons connected with the barge.
4 The story of the accident was told
in the final edition of yesterday S
Evening Star
There was doubt and uncertainty
this morning as to whether two, three
or four perished in the river tragedy,
No one on the Majestic sustained dam
gerous injuries, and this must be
considered as almost miraculous, as
the panic among the excursionists
was almost indescribable in it's turbu-
lency and confusion,
Terror Among Excursionists.
The crowd of men was terrorized
and rushed about the boat. in some
instances knocking each other down,
in the scramble for safety. They were
fighting mad and would not listen to
reason. And at no time in reality was
there any danger to those on the Ma
iestic had all maintained order.
After order had been restored and
the greater number of the excursion
lists were on the pier, survey OF the
situation, was made. II revealed hit
tered decks, life preservers scattered
about IN profusion, the receptacles
that had contained them splintered
and broken and other features that
mark an after riot scene.
Those who decided not to return to
the Majestic and complete the trip
to Newark seemed to be self-satisfied
with their own judgment. They We're
not convinced that the excursion boat,
after the impact with the heavily
laden barge that so quickly sent the
latter to the bottom of the East River.
had not sustained some latent dam
age to machinery or other vital parts,
that might develop in deep water on
the homeward journey, with land far
distant.
The Majestic docked at Commercial
wharf about $40 o'clock.
Went Headon Into Barge.
The Majestic with the members
and guests of the Monahan Associa-
tion on board, turned its nose home
ward from Witzel's Grove at 5.07
o'clock and was making great head
way toward Newark when, at
Eighty-sixth street, East River, just
below the Greensboro Bridge, it
crashed headlong into stone barge
moored to the dock at Eightysixth
street, cutting it in two and sinking
it within couple of minutes.
The barge, or lighter, had the name
"Catseye" painted upon it. The YES
sci was owned by the Cullen Trans
portatioa Company. That is one
statement Another statement has it
that the vessel belongs to the Fleming
Company and was numbered "a.
Captain Charles Bergstrome and
his wife, who were on the barge
were drowned, but conflicting reports
were soon in circulation. One report
had it that the woman was saved and
the man drowned, while another re-
port reversed this. Still another re-
port has it that a child on the barge
also perished.
But scores of excursionists who
claim to have been witnesses to
the scene that followed the collision
declare that both man and woman
perished.
Eighty-sixth street is said to be
seven or eight miles this side of Wit
zel's. and as the collision occurred
about $3.50 o'clock some idea of the
time being made by the Majestic
CONTINUED on Page 10, Column 81