New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-17
DESTRUCTION OF THE STEAMER MAY
QUEEN BY FIRE-l,30O PASSENGERS ON
BOARDING. LIVES WERE LOST.

The steamer May Queen burned to the waters
edge YESTERDAY afternoon, at abou o'clock, while
turning from al excursion and when OF Cedar Grove
ON the ocean side of Staten Island She had been
10 Keyport with two barges in tow, having on board
passengers to the number Of thirteen hundred, mem
bers of the brooklyn and Staten Island Young
Mems Catholic Association and their friends.
Everything passed off delightfully."- during the day,
up to the moment Of the csusualty. When
they were opposite Cedar Grove the steamer took fire in
the engne-oom and the cry of Fire rang through the
boat with terror and echoed frcm banchcd lips. fear
m panic seized those board and ndiscrbab confusion
ensued The memory of some of the fearful catastrophes
of the past two three years caused the oil many
To fail while il neryed those who composod greater
efforts The officers of the May Queen exerted the nelve'
nobly All on board of the steamer were hurried on to
the barges and the bGges were cut loose at point where
thew were driven ashore in four feet Of water which
abed them 20 land Station slind All of the small boats
on Staten Island in the vicinity of the burning
vessel Immediately put on, the OF those board
The steamers Norwak and Syph also went to her aid but
their assistance was net required The Norwak sent her
small boats their aid At the time the Norwak reached
her there were lees than 400 of the OF the
Nav Queen in the water making their way TO the shore
Fortur atey all of them saved and safely landed on
Staten Island whence they reached this City oy the ooa
of the Staten Island ferries.
has in her tho same engine which in the Trojan which
was burned about three years ago.
ANOTHER Account.
The Steamer May Queen, whichei this City and Brook
yn Yesterday morning with two barges on an excursion
Of the Staten leland and Brooklyn Young Mems Ald
Association to Keypor was burned to the water-edge
when about four miles from lg house on South Beach,
Staten Island
Nearly 900 passengers were on board all saved inc
proceeds Of the excursion was 10 be given toward ereen
a new Catholic Church at Clifton, Staten Island.
All proceeded safely Union Town, where they landed
a, ocock and ON their return, about o'clock, the fire
was discovered when 800 yards from shore The scene
that followed battles all description; women screamed
men rayed some Jumped overheard and was some time
before the CAPTAIN coud get any reason among them
Michael Riotdan. Engineer, discovered the frc first;
thinks was caused by the furnace door blowing open'
and SO rapd was tho flames that they had barely time to
Get the passengers board of the barses before inc
flames burst forth ell through the snip -, .
The barges Merchant and Irene were on eaen sue %
the steamer they were Immediately cut loose and dr'od
sh,s The steamer aso drifted ashore and luckily got
,,ound or she would have dred to one OF the bargs
and the less of life would have been dreadfu-ss 1t was
,,,xs,d of 900 iurnped overheard and Nam ashore.
The steamer is total wreck and her engines consider
obly DAMAGED. She was owned by Dursnt, Lahrop u
Co of South-st and supposed TO be fully insured
m steamer Norwalk from Coney Island, on her return
trim at O'clock discovered The fire. but owng 70 'ne
low tide could not 60 alongside Five OF the passengers
volunteered TO man the lfeboa. and rendered what as
distance thew could The following were the gentlemen;
Me.sys II. Connsock of New-York; George Leese' NO.
lss Wet Broadway; VIM. Kaney, No. lS9 oIange-sti
r r West. No $50 West l5thsi and Joseph g EoAns
Columbian Gardens No. 200 Bowery. They ro~sd 10 INC
r,ck and eded in getting off about $50 females ana
children They described the conduct OF the men Us mos
unorateu and vioen. in the extreme and Mr. Leo' VINO
was ON the barge handing the women into Tie ooai
h.b.d 6Oht with the men to prevent the" GROWING
The bost down One got into the water ana 'nrea
ep.d KIN any one that prevented him getting n'0 Tie
boat. .I.so ~
The If the steamer los, everything they had on
board Capt Quintan remains with the oarses' "ni1n
viii be ,owed up a. high water BY the s'ssn'0s iu'
which is laying alongside.
AbOu. 500 passengers up by the S'a'en i'''-''
boat at o'clock. - ,
The Port Richmond boat Staten Islander Capt stu"eh'
was dispatched especially by the Ferry Company ." "
o'clock last night to Townsends Dock, to bring up "nA'
passopcers reached there About 30 had walked from e
wreck distance of miles and up IL o'clock as'
NIGHT. The balance remain board the brges to DC
lowed up this forming.