TERRIBLE DISASTER TO A PLEASURE BARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 238, 7 October 1891, Page 5

TERRIBLE DISASTER TO A PLEASURE BARGE.

A Few York correspondent'of the" Times" gives the following accpunfc of a shocking mishap which happened at Long Island on August 12, by which 14- lives were lost:—. " A terrible accident occurred to-day on an excursion barjje off Longlsland. The bargfe was fastened to a dock at Coldspring Grove, a popular resort on Long Island/ About) 800 people were on board, the young folk dancing while their elders looked;on.' Soon" after 3 o'clock in the afternoon ttiere was a sudden change in the weather, which in the earlier portion of the day had been bright and sunny. The sky became rapidly covered by heavy clouds, which drove before a heavy squall. The boat bands, anticipating a sharp shower of rain, let down the canvas curtains attached to the fiurricane deck of the barge and fastened theia down to the porb side. This stopped the through draught of wind and exposed the barge to the lull violence of the/storm. Ab 3.45 a violent gust struck the barge, and almost befi.3 those on board could realise what was happening, the disaster had occurred. The squall lifted the starboard side ; ,pf;. the hurricane deck clear from its fastenings and supports, and forced the ■whole superstructnre, posts, partitions anti all, over to port. Under fu'islremendoua pressure the side of the hurricane deck nearest the dock, to which the barge was fastened, collapsed and fell down upon the hundreds of women and children who had crowded to that side of the barge in their effort to escape the wreckage. The air was immediately filled with the screams and agonising 'cries of the unfortunate creatures " who were being crushed and maimed by the falling woodwork. The officers and crew and the male passengers promptly set to work to clear the wreckage, and within 15 minutes the fallen deck had been raised sufficiently to allow those who were alive and uninjured to crawl out, and to permit of the injured being assisted from the barge. The lifeles3 bodies of 14 persons were found near the gunwale, all having been caught between the edge of the falling deck and the guard rails and there crushed to death. Among the killed was the barge's pilot. He was in the pilot house when the wind threw the deck over, and fell between it and the deck. ' Altogether six women, four children and two men lost their lives, while about 30 persons were injured, the majority seriously. - The supports of the deck are said to have been in a rotten condition."