Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-08-05
ExPLOSION OF THE BOILER OF 4
NEW YORK FERRYBOAT.
Fifty Killed and One Hundred and
Twenty wounded,


NEW YORK, July 3O.--The Staten
Island ferryboat Westfield, while in
the slip at Whitehall, and crowded
with passengers, exploded her boilers
at 80 p. NJ. The c0ncussi0n was ter
rifle, SCATTERING the forward part of
the boat and killing and scalding
great number of people. The hurri-
cane-deck was carried overheard, and
fell over large number of persons in
the water, who were drowned.
A SCENE OF ANGUISH.
The scene was beyond description.
Men were struck dumb with their
loss of wives and little ones, and
women We're distracted at having lost
their husbands and children, while
the little children are crying for their
parents who are lost.
THE ACCIDENT.
The front end of the boiler was sud-
denly blown out, lodging on the bow,
thirty feet distant. The forward part
of the boat, upper cabin and all, was
instantly shivered and split into a
thousand pieces.
| ACCOUNT OF AN EYEWITNESS.
AS an eyewitness expressed it,
"Tne 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 pre-
servers dropped into the hold fronting
the huge boiler, which poured out a
deadly volume of steam. Many per-
sons were blown overheard. A father
and mother had their children blown
| f,.S In.
instant was alive with men, women
and children struggling for life"
FRENzIED WITH FRIGHT.
The after part of the boat, which
had escaped the force of the explosion,
would have been safe for the unin-
Ijured, but they were panic-stricken,
and leaped overheard without regard
to consequences.
MEASURES OF RELIEF.
Capt. Ullman, of the New-stree'
police, hearing the explosion, wa'
promptly on hand. The fire alarm
was sounded.
DIR. Shine was at the scene Of dis
astcr within ten minutes, well pro
vided with medicines and bandages
cool and calculating. He saved sew
eral lives by his prudence.
Within twenty minutes Inspector
! Janiison, was on the ground, direct
, ing the efforts of the police and keep
Ing back the multitude.
Many persons were drowned. TIT
: harbor-polica boat came to the rescue
{ and gentlemen who were in row
, boat near the Battery saved severa
+, Hives. The tiremen also went to tin
rescue, and right bravely did the,
work.
HALF-ROILED VICTIMS IN THE HOLD
, The debris In the fore part Of thu
;, hold was first removed. The cries @
the poor, half-boiled victims wer
heard rending the air. Stimulan
! was given them as they struggles
I beneath the beams, and oil was poure'
> upon their burns. AS fast "a tn
wounded recovered they were born
to the deck of another Jerry boa
: moored along side, where they wer
n ltenderly cared for by DIR. Shine.
. REMOVING THE suFFERERs.
y Wi hin twenty minutes ambulan
u ces from the Centre street Huspita
@ were Mt Whitehall The scalde
n victims were placed In the anbu
. ances and driven To the hospital a
luil Spttb. iTlNutt tttiIltStS hUu w
J. press wagons were also brought int
u requisition. The insurance pair,
r wagon bore several loads of moanin
- human beings to the hospital.
A WAGON LOAD OF CHILDREN.
Ir Some died on the way; others bs
c came delirious with pain. One am
a bulance was filed with cbIIdre
= whose eyes We're closed aud the
~ whole faces swelled beyond all r.
e cognltion. Their little feet aud lei
were cooked, and their tender muscle
laid bare.
THE DEAD AND WOUNDED.
n BY l o'clock over seventy wounde
:, persons had hecn received In III
l. Centrc-street Hospital. Five OF theI
l. died within an hour. The seen,
here were heartrendlng. Twel,
, dead bodies were removed from ti
# boat. -Four lave since been found !
nj the water, and Ave have died, maxim
! so Ear as known, twenty persoi
killed neatly outright. Many Of thos