The good ship Hiawatha, the double decker steamer of the Sylvan Dell line, plying between the city and Sylvan Dell Park, went fast aground, near the latter point Friday night with members of the Faneul Hall Club and their friends aboard. The result was the entire party walked home.

Friday night was the night set for the club’s third, semi-monthly dance at Sylvan Dell Park, and a fair-sized party gathered at the Market Street wharf. There was some delay about starting. At first the boat’s rudder was reported missing. This was soon remedied and the regular pilot being under the weather, another pilot not so well acquainted with the river’s channels, logs and sand bars was secured.

A very fine start was made shortly after nine o’clock, and as the steamer proceeded downstream, a suspicious grating sound was audible from time to time. When about one-half mile this side of Sylvan Dell, the boat struck a sandbar or a log and stuck fast. Members of the crew jumped into the water to try and free the steamer and get it into deeper water, but the old Hiawatha was hard aground and not to be moved.

And while this was going the passengers on the upper deck were kept swaying to and fro by the strains of the Stopper and Fisk Orchestra.

A flat boat was procured after midnight and passengers were put ashore on the south side of the river.