The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-08-08
A TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
Four Hundred Persons Blown up-Elghty
Killed and Two Hundred Wounded.


as she was leaving the slip. There were
on board, as near as can be ascertained,
about four hundred passengers, many of
them women and children. In moment
nearly one half the passengers were flying
in the air, many falling into the water, and
many dropping back into the hold of the
boat, amid the wreck and escaping steam.
The fire alarm was at once given, and in
an incredible short space of time the fire.
men were at the scene Of the disaster. AS
soon as it was ascertained that there was no
danger of the boat taking fire, a portion of
them turned their attention to assisting the
wounded from the hold of the boat, while
the others assisted in getting the living out
Of the water. Many small boats were also
quickly brought to the assistance of the
unfortunates in the water, and in a very
short time all the bodies of the dead and
wounded were brought to shore.
A strong force of police and all the city
ambulances were then occupied in taking
the wounded to the hospitals, and in a short
time two of them were so badly crowded
that temporary accommodations had to be
prepared in the stables. The shrieks of the
victims were terrible to hear, many of them
being perfectly crazy with pain. A large
number of volunteer physicians and nur-
ses promptly offered their services, and
were soon busily employed in trying to al
lay the sufferings of the wounded. $50;
I>o1c ~ H.
was brought to the hospital, death began
to relieve some from their pain, and as fast
as possible the bodies were taken from the
rooms occupied by the living. .D'
During the afternoon and evening TWEEN
ty-five died, and were removed In short
time after the accident happened, there
were probably ten thousand people crowd
ing around the battery, at the lower end of
which the ferry slip was located. Many Of
them had friends and relations who they
knew had taken that boat, and as the bod
les were brought out from the boat or res
cued from the water the rush of such to
see if the unfortunate victim was that
friend or relation, was dreadful. y Am. .i ,
Very many narrow escapes and singular
instances are recorded, among which are
the following which we copy from a letter
received from friend, who was present at
the scene of the disaster five minutes after
the accident occurred: LIB fg..iI .r. -
"NEw YoRK, August 1st., 1871"
~ * was crossing the Ham
ilton Ferry from Brooklyn and the boat l
was on was just, entering her slip as saw
a portion Of the Staten Island boat lift up,
| and amid the steam which like heavy fog
for moment hung over that boat, could
see bodies of persons and pieces of lumber
which instantly disappeared many of the
bodies falling into the water. This was only
a momentary view, and was seen before the
sound reached us. IL was not more than
five minutes after the explosion before was
| there, and even then, the crowd was SO
dense that could hardly get near the
wreck. ] ran around the side of the slip to-
wards the Battery where a woman was
clinging TO one Of the piles holding child
about year old up from the water. BY
great exertion succeeded in reaching the
| child and placing it on the dock, but when
| / turned to aid the woman she had disap-
peared, and l saw her no more. Floating
near, was the bodyof a child which fire
man and myself succeeded in getting out
and had hardly placed on the dock before a
woman who had been frantically running
around searching for child who was blown
out of her arms, ran up and claimed it, and
carried 1t away, whether the child was dead
OF only insensible did not know. Many
sank before any aid could reach them and
there is no doubt but what some bodies
were floated out and will never be recover
ed. The saddest sight saw during the
three hours, remained was an ambulance
loaded with little ones none Of them over
12 or IA years of age, all of whom were
frightfully injured, some of them being
scalded so badly that even a mother could
not have recognized her own child except
by the clothing. The little things bore
their pains better than some of the adults
On the way to the hospital learn that one
or two of them died. Small boats were
busy all the time picking up those who were
not able to reach the piles to cling to, and
had 1t not been for their presence, many
more would have been drowned.
One young man who was floating on a
peice of wreck, was apparently but little
injured, yet we hardly got him safe to the
| dock before he laid down and in moment
was dead. Many of the wounded looked
like boiled meat the skin being peeled of
and the flesh all wrinkled up. / might tell
many more incidents, but am tired and
sick of thinking about them. 1t was ter
rble scene and God grant may never see
another such. At this time the number
known to have been killed ON that have
died from their injuries is over sixty and
probably many more will die. You will
probably get full particulars in the papers
of the inquest which will be held, which
may show who is to blame for this dreadful
sacrifice of life. Men are now engaged in