SAD ACCIDENT.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4575, 3 September 1883, Page 2

SAD ACCIDENT.

Death, "by Drowaiag.

On Saturday afternoon a sad and fatal accident occurred in the harbor, resulting in the death by drowning of Henry Harris, engineer of the Harbor Board dredge. The melancholy occurrence appears to have been caused by a want of system in the arrangements connected, with piloting in the harbor. From what we can learn, the brigantine " Sea Bird" arrived about two o'clock, and requiring to be piloted up the Thames River, Capt. Bayldon, harbormaster, took measures to get on board. There waa no regular crew at hand, and those available were pressed into the service, the unfortunate Harris at once volunteered and with him, R. Wren, and a man known as Davie. A start was made in a small dingy belonging to the dredge, by the Harbormaster, for the vessel. Upon getting near her a line was thrown to the boat, and taken by Davie, who was told by Capt. Bayjdoa to take a turn around a thwart with it, this the man had some difficulty with, end Harris weofc to help him, the boat then sheered off, and was in danger of filling, so the Harbormaster gave the order to let go, which Davie did, but owing to Harris holding on, he was dragged overboard ; Captain Bayldon told him to hold on to the line. The vessel seemed to be decreasing her speed, and tho:e on board threw a life buoy to the deceased, but it fell without his reach. After Harris wasj pulled overboard it appears that, he j was towed along for over 200 yards. The j boat was pulled in the direction of the drowning man, but he went down before it reached him. Capt. Bayldon says he J did not attempt to swim, but we are informed be could ; probably the fact of bis being pulled through the water at the., end of the line stupified; or half drowned^ him, and he held on to it as long as he Badpower to do sW There is not the feojj&;": doubt that this unfortunate accident wajscaused by the most culpable neglect of tbe proper precautions to be taken in such cases. The vessel requiring a pilot should have been stopped to allow the safe boarding of that officer; instead of merely throwing a life«buoy to the man,* those on board should have lessened, the speed of the vessel, and have taken!'other' measures to save his life. The Harbormaster, seeing that he had an inexperienced crew, might have handled it with more caution, and nob have run the risk attached to boarding a vessel travelling at the rate the Sea Bird was going at. It would seem desirable that the Harbor Board provide an efficient orew for sach occasions, and not incur the liability of such accidents in the future. The deceased has not long been a resident on the Thames; he was appointed by tbe Harbor Board to work the dredge about two months ago, and since he undertook the duties of engineer he has given great satisfaction to his employers, and his urbanity and obliging disposition have made many friends for him. Tbe parents of the deceased live in Blenheim, Marlborough province, and we learn that he has a brother and sister in Nelson. He was a widower, and wai making preparations to enter the holy state again with the daughter of a resident at the Thames.

%Two boats* are out searching for the body. One is in charge of Captain Bayldon, with Captain Hnullain, of the Reliance, Constable Stapleton, and two of a crew on board, in the harbor ; and the other, under Mr Schofield, with;a crew, worked down the Thames river, searching along the /banks.