Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1893 — ALMOST FOUND SAFETY. [ARTICLE]

ALMOST FOUND SAFETY.

Nine Men Drowsed In New York Bay Within 400 Feet of Shore. Nine lives were lost by the capsizing of a yawl in the lower bay of New York. Twenty-two mechanics and laborers employed by the contractors who are working cn the new buildings on Hoffman island embarked in a thir-ty-foot yawl shortly after noon to return to their homes. The sea in the bay was running very high, but the yawl, with a doub’e-reefed sail, successfully battled with the waves until within 400 feet of the long dock at South Beach, where the men were to disembark. The sail had just been lowered when a sudden squall struck the boat. By quick work the yawl was kept from overturning, but the sea

washed completely over the craft «eveveral times. For a few minutes they were successful in keeping the yawl afloat, but a large wave struck the boat and filled her completely. The yawl sank, leaving the twenty-two men struggling in the watdr. The catastrophe was witnessed by people on the shore at South Beach. Small boats were hurriedly manned and sent out to rescue the workmen. Almost at the same time a naphtha launch was sent out from Hoffman Island on the same mission. Before the rescuers could reach the spot where the men were struggling in the water nine of the men had gone down for the last time. The other men were picked up by the small boats and the launch and were landed at South Beach.