The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-03
NEW YORK.

NEW YORK.
Fnghtfdl Steamboat Disaster -Explo.
. SION o. Boiler efNew Fork and Brook
ixn Ferry 400 Persons Killed ana
New York, July 80.
The Staten island ferry. boat West
field, while in the slip at Whitehall,
and crowded with passengers, eli.
plodcd her boiler at 1:2O this after.
noon The conclusion was terrific.
shattering the forward part of the
boat. and killing and scaldiDg great
number ct people. The hurricane
deck was carried overheard and fell
over a large number of persons in
the water, who wore drowned.
HEART-RENDINa SCENES.
The scene was beyond description.
Men were struck dunn at the loss of
their wives and little ones, and wo-
men were distracted 1T having lost
their husbands and children, while
little children wore crying for their
parents who were lost. 5f3s''
FEARFUL DEVASTATION.
The front of the boiler was sud-
denly blown out, landing in the bow
30 feet distant. The forward part
of the boat, upper cabin and all, was
instantly shivered and split into
thousand pieces. Az an eyewitness
expressed it, the forward part of the
boat was lifted so feet in the air, tho
smoke stack fell, and thon every
thing was buried in the hold. Pass
engers, chairs, tools, horses, benches,
and life.preservers dropped into the
hold fronting the huge boiler, which
poured out deadly volume Of steam.
IN THE WATER.
Many persons were blown over
board. 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 live. The after part
of the boat, which had escaped the
force of the explosion, would have
been safe for the uninjured, but they
we're panic-stricken, and leaped over
board without regard to conse-
quences. e
| ASSISTANCE.
Capt. Ullman, Of the new street
police, hearing the explosion, was
promptly on hand. A FIRE alarm
was sounded. DR.. Shine was at the
scene of the disaster within ten
minutes, we'll provided with medi.
cines and bandages. Cool and col
lected, he saved several lives by his
prudence. Within 20 minutes, In
spector Jamison was on the ground
directing the efforts of the police
and keeping back tho multitude.
Many persons were drowned. The
harbor police. boat came to the res
cue, and some gentlemen who were
in a row-boat near the Battery saved
some lives.
The filemen also went to the
rescue, and right bravely did they
work.
THE VICTIMS IN THE HOLD.
Debris in the fore part of the hold
was first removed. The cries of the
poor, halfboiled victims were heart,
rending. Stimulants were given
them as they struggled beneath the
beams, and oil was poured upon their
burns. As fast a. the wounded were
borne TO the deck. Another ferry
boat was moored along side, where
they were tenderly cared for by DR..
Shine.
CARRIED TO THE HOSPITAL.
Within twenty minutes, ambu.
lances from tho Centre street hospi
tai were at whitehall. The scalded
victims we're placed in ambulances
and driven to the hospital at full
speed. Private carriages and ex.
press 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 delir-
ious 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 four
O'Clock, over 20 wounded persons
had been received in the Centre
street hospital. Five of them died
within an hour. The scenes here
were heart-rendiDg.
THE KILLED.
Twelve dead bodies were removed
from the boat; four have since been
found in the watar, and five have
died, making, in all, so far as
known 81 persons killed nearly out
right. Many of those in the water
chung to tho piles until they were
rescued, but others sank before aid
could reach them. At least IS per.
sons must have been killed and
drowned, This is basing it on the
lowest estimate.
| THE WOUNDED.
will reach 100. Many of them were
placed in carriages and drawn to
their homes. The drug stores were
filled with them. Among the in
jured was Sheriff Madden, Of Brook.
lyn, who was driven to his residence.
SPECTATORS.
Over $4,000 persons gathered at
the Battery within an hour after the
explosion.
Mr.. Stevens, secretary of the Sta
ten Island Ferry Co., says there was
good safety valve attached to the
boiler. The collector, asserts posi-
lively that there could not have been
more than $50 persons on board the
boat, the Westfield being an extra
boat, and but few persons were aware
that it had been placed on the line.
He holds that it was not possible for
SO many to have been on her as
though she had been on a regular
trip.
Mayor Carroll, of Syracuse, says /
81 was standing on the main deck
In n 4