Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-08-11
ANOTHER HORROR.


ExpIodes-The steamer Crowded with
Passeugers-Eighty Persons Known to
have been Killed and 100 WOunded-In-
describabIe Scenes of Horror and COnfu-
sion.
On Sunday afternoon New York city
was thrown into an intense excitement
by the report o. an explosion on one OF
the ferry boats. This rumor was soon
found to be correct. The Staten Island
ferry boat Westfeld, while in the slip
at Whitehall, crowded with passengers,
exploded her boiler. The conclusion
| was terrific, SCATTERING the forward part
of the boat, and killing and scalding a
great number of people. The hurricane
| deck was carried overheard and fell
over large number OF persons IN the
water, who were drowned.
The scene was beyond description.
Men were struck dumb at the loss OF
| their wives and little ones, and women
were distracted at having lost their
husbands and children, while little chill
dren were crying for their parents who
were lost. 4
The front of the boiler was suddenly
blown out, landing in the bow thirty
feet distant. The forward part of the
boat, upper cabin and all, was instantly
shivered and split into thousand
pieces. AS an eyewitness expressed 1T.
the forward part of the boat was lifted
| fifty feet in the air, the smoke-stack
fell, and then everything was buried IN
| the hold. Passengers. chairs, stools,
horses, benches, and life-preservers
dropped into the hold fronting the
huge boiler, which poured out deadly
volume of steam.
Many persons were blown overheard.
A father and mother had their children
blown from their arms. The water in
an instant was alive with men, women,
and children struggling for life. The
after part of the boat, which had es-
capped the force of the explosion, would
have been safe for the uninjured, but
they were panic-stricken, and leaped
overheard without regard to conse-
quences.
Capt Ullman, of the new street po-
lice, hearing the explosion, was prompt
ly on hand. A fire alarm was sounded.
DR.. Shine was at the scene of the disas-
ter within ten minutes, we'll provided
with medicines and bandages. Cool
and collected, he saved several lives by
his prudence. Within twenty minutes,
Inspector Jamison was on the ground
directing the efforts Of the police and
keeping back the multitude. Many
persons were drowned.
Debris in the fore part of the hold
was first removed. The cries of the
| poor, half-boiled victims were heart
rending. Stimulants were given them
as they struggled beneath the beams,
and oil was poured upon their burns.
AS fast as the wounded were recovered,
| they were borne to the deck. Another
| ferry boat was moored alongside, where
they were tenderly cared for by DR..
Shine.
Within twenty minutes, ambulances
from the Center Street Hospital were at
Whitehall. The scalded victims were
placed in ambulances and driven to the
hospital at full speed. Private carriages
and express wagons were also brought
into requisition. The insurance patrol
wagon bore several loads of moaning
| human beings to the hospital. Some
died on the way; others were delirious
with pain. One ambulance was filled
with children whose eyes were closed
and their whole faces swelled beyond
all recognition. Their little feet and
legs were cooked, and their tender
muscles laid bare. By 4 o'clock, over
seventy wounded persons had been re-
ceived in the Center Street Hospital.
Five of them died within an hour. The
scenes here were heart-rending.
The wounded will reach 100. Many
of them were placed in carriages and
drawn to their homes. The drug stores
in the neighborhood were filled with
them. Among the injured was Sheriff
Madden, of Brooklyn, who was driven
to his residence.
John Mayer, the pilot. was thrown
from forward of the pilot-house twenty
feet into the air, falling on the boat and
escaping without a scratch.
John Freeland was captain of the
boat and Harry Robinson engineer.
The latter is colored man, and the in
dignation of the passengers against him
is tremendous, though his friends claim
that he is not to blame.
The boiler was inspected by John II.
Mathews, United States boiler inspector,
on the 18th of June, and pronounced
safe.
THE ENGINEER STATEMENT.
Robinson, the engineer, makes the
following statements II live in Staple
ton, Staten Island; am about 40 years
of age have been an engineer for 20
years have been employed by this
company for l6 years | got q certificate
and passed an examination; | did not
bring my certificate to the company,
for the company did not require one on
this ferry; | had entire charge of the
| Westfeld the boat is q half-hour boat,
run on Sundays between the regular
trips; | was on the boat when the eX-
plosion took place had just come off
the dock it was then 25 minutes past
| o'clock | went down into the fire
room; one of the engineers, Patrick
Finnegan, was in the room; | said
Patrick, how is the water?' and he re
piled All right at this time [ APP
preached the boiler and tried the third
cock found that the water touched
the third cock the boiler has only
three cocks [ then went up to the en-
gine-room, and passing the door went
in; | found that the boiler carried 81
pounds of steam; | Their went on the
dock; two minutes after | went again
on the boat and into the pilot-house ;
the Captain was in there at the time :;
just as | was going down stairs into the
engine-room the explosion took place :;
from where | stood [ knew couldn't
get through the door, SO l opened the
trap-door; as did so | saw fireman,
Robert Crawson, coming up the trap !;
the boiler had been in use nine years ;
it was considered good boiler; | can