Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-31
YERRIBLE DISASTER INNEwYosx

The BOILER OF . Steamer Bl~vn In.
killing Nearly One Hundred People
and severely Intur1ng as Many
the Explosion.
As the Staten Island boat westfeld was start
ing from her dock, at the foot OF Whitehall street.
New York, Yesterday, at half-past one O'Clock in
the afternoon, with q heavy load, composed
mainly Of the usual class Of Sunday excursion
lists, 20 the number Of about three hundred, her
boiler burst, with tremendous explosion, shiv-
ering The whole upper works Of the boat into a
thousand pieces, and laying open the whole for
ward part of the hull from the very keel The
spectacle of the Inflated vessel, subsequent 90
the explosion, rs beyond description. A great
yawning abyss stretched from abaft the engine
room close 10 the stern, and the deck seemed 20
have orened Ike sepulchre 20 swallow its load
OF human freight. In the dark hold beneath
TIE DEAD AND DYING
were lying about i'm every direction among the
debris Of broken timbers, spbnters. and heavy
boat presented a vast hold filed with fragments
OF spaTs, beams, flooring and bulwarks, and
fragments OF iron. Many persons, as in the case
blown bodily into the air, falling into the wafer
Some were hauled ont by boafmen with
hooks and otherwise, and a large party Is now
finding bodies. Among the dead Law a man with
the back Of his head absolutely blown or One
man, John Meager, the pilot, was thrown from
air, falling oii the boat, and escaping without
scratch.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
field, states that he tried the cocks in the boiler
few moments before the explosion, and found
the water at the upper cock. He states further,
and noticed that there were twenty-eeyen
pounds OF steam on her boiler. Also, that steam
was blowing on az the safety-valye, showing
s sn 1hs boiler was carving the fun extent
that the boiler was repaired last winter. The
eanse OF the explosion was probably the break
the boiler had been patched on the rear end
FRIGHTFUL SCENES.
Colonel Much, OF Staten Island formerly A
partner Of General Garibaldi, was fatally scaid-
ed Men, women, children, horses, wagons
boards and chairs were hurled I'm the air Moth
ing escaped that was on the forward PORTION of
the boat The passengers in the rear rushed for
the entrance en- masse, but very few escaped
without some injuries. The scene Was ffightfui,
and many tainted away FROM fear. Bodies de-
bris and portions Of the wreck fell among the
people fell in the river, and, being unable %
help themselves, were drowned The boiling
water was scattered in all directions, scalding
those who were unable 20 get out Of its reach.
THE BODIES OF THE INJURED
were taken TO the ark Hospital, TO the first pre-
inctstation-house, and to Bellevue. The greater
which was soon flIed, and they were forced DO
send the remainder 70 Bellevue. The screams of
the wounded were heartrending, and the hospital
ashore up to to-night
THE NUMBER OF INJURED
received at the hospitals and IN the ferry-house
Is about seventy, but the number Of slightly
injured, who were taken home by friends cannot
be known One Of the two fremen ON board the
Westheld, named Robert Cramson, was in the
hre-room at the time OF the explosion. He saws
fifteen minutes before the accidenth he was ON the
head-cylinder, wiping 1t of. Then he went into
one OF the cabins for drink of water, and thence
into the fre-room. While there he heard
Kissing NOISE
proceeding from the rear of the boiler, and went
TO see the cause He had gone but about n aIf
the length of the boiler when the steam became
so dense he could 90 no further, aud turned 20
come back, when he was struck in the face by a
flying splinter and knocked down.
THE DEAD IN BELLEVUE.
In Bellevue Hospital, at II O'Clock last night
there were twenty-four dead bodies in coli ms
and ten ON slabs, all presenting the appearance
OF having been frightfully aided, large patches
of skin being torn Oft in many places. The sur
geons at the different hospitals say the majority
OF those in then charge will die, An immense
crowd, estimated, at fifteen Thousand, was CON
gregated around Bellevue Hospital, and a like
crowd around the Park Hospital last night