Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-08-09
SnpSrille WtGkly Chronicle.
WEDNESDAY, .... AUGUST Q, 1871.
The New York Disaster.


We give the following particulars OF the
terrible explosion at New York on Sunday,
which we take from special dispatch to
the COuriCr-JOuT9idt:
The conclusion was terrific, SCATTERING
the forward part of the boat and killing
and scaldng great number of people.
The hurricane deck was carried overheard,
and fell over large number of persons in
the water who We're drowned.
The scene was beyond description. Men
were struck dumb with their loss of wives
and little ones, and women were distracted
at having lost their husbands and children,
while the little children are crying fortheir
parents who are lost.
The front end of the boiler was suddenly
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.
AS an eyewitness expressed it, " The
forward part of the boat was lifted fifty
feet into the air, the smoke-stack fell, and
then everything was buried III the hold.
Passengers chairs, stools, horses, benches
and life preservers dropped into the hold
fronting the huge boiler, which poured out
n deadly volume of steam. Many persons
were blown overheard. y 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
escaped the force of the explosion, would
have been safe for the uniniurcd, but they
were papic-stricken and leaped overheard
without regard to consequences.
Capt. Ullman, Of the New-street police,
hearing the explosion, was promptly OH
hand. The fire alarm was sounded.
Dr. Shine was at the scene of the disas-
ter within ten minutes, well provided with
medicines and bandages, cool and calcula-
L, oil 1.
dence.
Within twenty minutes Inspector Jam
isOn was on the ground, directing the ef
forts Oft the police and keeping back the
multitude.
Many persons were drowned. The har-
Dor police boat came to the rescue, and
gentlemen who were in a row-boat near
the Battery saved several lives. The fire
men also went to the rescue, and right
bravely did they work
The debris in the fore part of the hold
was first removed. The cries of the poor,
halfboiled victims were heard rendlng the
air. Stmulant was given them as they
struggled beneath the beams, and oil was
poured upon their burns. As fast as the
wounded recovered they were borne to the
deck of another ferry boat moored along
side, where they were tcnderly cared for
by DR.. Shine.
Within twenty minutes ambulances from
the Centre street Hospital were at White
hall The scalded victims were placed in
the ambulances and driven to the hospital
at full speed. Private carriages and OK
press wagons were also brought into requi-
stion. The insurance patrol wagon bore
several loads Of moaning human beings t.
the hospital,
Some died on the way; others became
delrious with pain. One ambulance was
filled with children whose eyes were clOseC
and their whole face sweled beyond al
recognition. Their little feet and legs wer
cooked and their tender muscles laid bare
By 4 O'Clock over seventy wounded per
sons had been received in the Centre stree
Hospital. Five of them died within al
hour. The scenes were heart-rending
Twelve dead bodies were removed from
the boat.
Over 1900 persons gathered at the bat
terry within an hour after the explosion.
John Mayer, the pilot, was thrown iron
the forward pilot house twenty feet in tn
air, falling on the boat and escaping with
out a scratch. John Freeland was captain
of the boat and Harry Robinson engineer
The latter is a colored man, and the indig
nation of the Passengers a6aiust him
tremendous, though his friends claim h
is not to blame. The boiler was inspccte
by John II. Mathews, United States boie
Inspector, ON the 18th Of June, and pro
nounced safe.