Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1880 — SHOCKING CATASTROPHE. Sad Accident to an Excursion Parly. [ARTICLE]

SHOCKING CATASTROPHE.

Sad Accident to an Excursion Parly.

The steamer Mamie, containing a pleasure party belonging to the Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity, at Detroit, was run down by the steamer Garland, in the Detroit river, on the night of the 22d of July, and seventeen of the excursionists found a watery grave. Following are the particulars of the distressing accident, as furnished by the Detroit papers : The pastor of Trinity Roman Catholic Church, the Rev. Father Bleyenburgh. in accordance with his annual custom, took to Monroc, Mich., for a day’s pleasure, the acolytes and altar boys of bis church. There they spent a happy day, and, on their return, while coming up the Detroit river, at about 10 o’clock at night, at a point just below Grassy Island lighthouse, tho yacht was met by the steamer Garland, of Detroit, having on board the Molders’ Union and a large party of friends, when a collision took place, the Garland literally running the steam yacht down and almost running over her. The Mamie was cut in two, and immediately sank, taking down nearly all the twenty-four persons on board. Boats were immediately lowered and life-preservers thrown overboard, but with the strong, swift current at this point, where the. water is thirty-five feet deep, they were of little avail. Seventeen persons perished, with but little hope of their bodies being found for several days. The people on board the Garland, and also her wheelsman, say that both boats would have been all right had not the yacht suddenly changed her course and shot across the bows of the Garland. The captain of the Garland refused to give any particulars, but the wheelsman states that he saw a light, which he took to be an anchor-light, and no red or green lights. When about fifty feet from the light he heard a whistle from the Mamie, answered it, and backed the engines. He called to Capt. Wright to help on tho wheel. He thinks the Mamie must have tried to cross his bow. It is generaiiy admitted that there was a great lack of nerve and system in the matter of rescuing, so far as the officers of the Garland were concerned, and that the accident was the result of the greatest carelessness and most criminal neglect, as tho night was clear and moon shining brightly. Father Bleyenburgh, the priest who had charge of the boys on the yacht, has taken his acolytes on such excursions yearly. His sad experience in this case has completely broken him down, and it is feared the nervous shock may result in permanently injuring him. His parish is the largest in the city or State, and the grief is widespread.