The New York herald., 1922-08-02

others, in no mood for further river
riding, started home or to some other re.
sort. The Grand Republic with her
crippled bow was taken for repairs to
Sherwin's dry dock. Brooklyn.
One OF the most coherent accounts OF
the moments Immediately preceding the
accident was given by Miss Beatrice
on the Grand Republic with Miss Frieda
Greenbaum OF 154 East Third street
Both were bound for vacation at Sum-
NIT Lake Camp, near Bear Mountain.
I'VE were on the port side of the
upper deck" said Miss Bennett "and
Frieda had just called my attention to
the thick haze.
Belts Distributed.
Suddenly the Grand Republic slowed
her engines and then there was a
frightful crash--a terrific grinding.
crushing sound as splintered wood
showered into the air and fell all
around US.
Among the first to arrive at the scene
of the mishap were the Police boat
Manhattan and Police launch No. 2,
hurried from the Pier A headquarters
of the harbor police under command Of
Sergeant Byrnes. and the reserves from
the Beacn street police station, who
preserved order ashore at the points
where the crippled craft discharged
their passengers.
officers of each craft blame those Of
the other. The Grand Republic is now
operated by the Highlands Navigation
Company of II Battery place. d. r.
McAllister. secretary of that corporation.
hurried to Pier IT directly after the
mishap. He heard what Capt. Lewis
4. - ta ,tofr
Of several towboats in the vicinity, as
well as other witnesses.
He then expressed the opinion that
cross signals were the immediate cause
Of the smash. The ferry boat, he said.
was signaled to let the Grand Republic
have the right OF way. but steamed
ahead at full speed.
my inquiries" he said. convince me
the Grand Republic held the right of
way"
capt. Lewis blew one blast OF the
whistle, signfying he was going ahead
and the Erie ferryboat would have to
pass astern of him. After having wait
ed few moments Capt. Lewis again
blew a single blast.
But. instead of answering the sig
nails with one blast, the ferryboat
crossed signals answering with two
blasts, which indicated that the Chau-
tauqua wanted the Grand Republic to
pass her on her starboard side. It was
then that Capt Lewis ordered his
steamboats, engine reversed and sig
nailed with three blasts OF the whistle
to indicate that fact
Mr. McAllister said the big steam
boat had gone to Sherwin's drydock at
the foot Of Twenty-seventh street
Brooklyn. under her own power. where
she would undergo survey by insurance
company representatives. Her collision
bulkhead held tight he said. though
more than twenty feet of her bows had
been torn away. Capt. Lewis remained
on board to supervise drydocking. He
will make a full report later to the
local steamboat inspectors.
An insurance survey also Is being
made of the Chautauqua, which was
taken to the Tietjen & Lang repair yard
in Brooklyn. NJ. MCGOWAN. quarter
master on duty at the wheel of the
Chautauqua, will make his official state-
ment only to the Erie mana cement He
said five persons had been thrown from
the decks OF the Grand Republic to the
deck of the ferryboat.
The Grand Republic was built in 1878.
She is 2s2 feet long. 41.6 feet beam and
of 1.760 gross tons register For years
she was famous as the largest sidewheel
excursion boat that piled New York
waters. She was licensed to carry $500
passengers, and in her long career
millions of pleasure seekers have
thronged her decks. While plying be-
tween New York and Rockaway Beach
In 1910 she caught fire while entering
the Narrows. homeward bound. after
discharging 1900 passengers at the sea-
shore resort. Only about fifty passengers
were aboard. She put into the pier OF
the Crescent Athletic Club. at Bay Ridge.
where club members helped to save her
from burning. The steamboat now is
operated by the Highlands Navigation
Company for the Palisades Interstate
Park Commission.
Among her passengers yesterday were
eighty-five boys on their way to Camp
Hayes. near Bear Mountain. which is
managed by the Catholic Charities Or
ganization. ia East Forty-scventh
street. They were on the deck aft and