Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-08-10
BOILER EXPLOSION.
staten Islam FerrybOat Bursts Her
Boiler-Fifty Killed OutrIght-Over
One Hundred md Twenty Wounded
Cause OF the Accident.

A staten Island FerrybOat Bursts Her
Boiler-Fifty Killed OutrIght-Over
One Hundred and Twenty Wounded
Cause OF the Accident.
The Staten Island ferry-boat West
field, exploded her boiler at 10 p. M,
July 30th, in the slip at Whitehall
street. The conclusion was terrific,
SCATTERING the forward part of the boat,
and killing and scalding great num-
Der of people. The hurricane deck
was carried overheard, and fell over a
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; women were distracted
at having lost husbands aud children !;
while little children were crying for
1 their parents who were lost. The boil
er was suddenly blown out, landing in
the bow thirty feet distant. The for
ward part of the boat, the upper cabin
and all, was instantly shivered and
split into Thousand pieces. AS an
| eye- witness expressed it, 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 in
to the hold fronting the huge boiler,
which poured ont a deadly vol
ume of steam. Many persons We're
| blown overheard 4 father and moth
er 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 uniniured, but they were panic
stricken, and leaped overheard without
regard to consequences.
Many persons were drowned. The
| harbor police boat came to the rescue,
and gentlemen who were in a row boat
near the battery saved several lives.
The tiremen also went to the rescue, and
bravely did they work. The debris
in the fore part of the hall was first re-
moved. The cries of the poor half-broil-
ed victims were heartrenuing. Stimu-
lants were given them as they struggled
beneath the beams, and oils poured on
| their burns. AS fast as the wounded
were recovered they were borne to the
deck of another ferry moored
alongside, where they were tenderly
cared for by DIR. Shine. Within 20
minutes ambulances from Central st.
Hospital were at Whitehall. The
scalded victims were placed in ambu-
lances and driven to the hospital at full
/ 70
wagons were also brought into reQuisi
ton, The insurance patrol wagon bore
several loads OF moaning human beings
to the hospital. Some died on the way,
and others were dehrious with pain.
! One ambulance was filed with children,
whose eyes were closed and their whole
faces swelled beyond recognition.
/ Their little feet and legs We're cooked
and their tender muscles laid bare.
I At least thirty-tive persons must have
I been killed and drowned. This is bas-
/ ing il on the lowest estimates.
The wounded will reach one hundred.
Many of them were placed III carriages
and driven 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. Over Is, 800
/ persons gathered at the battery within
an hour after the explosion.
/ The most reliable returns of the cas-
ualties by the disaster give a total
of killed fifty, and wounded one hun
bred and twenty
STATEMENT OF THE ENGINEER.
! Robinson, the engineer, makes the
/ following statement:
| live in Stapleton, Staten Island /;
am about 40 years of age; have been an
engineer for twenty years have been
employ ed by the Company for sixteen
years. l got certificate and passed
an examination. l did not brig my
certificate to the Company, for they
did not require one on this ferry.
| had entire charge of the Westtield
boat. II is q half-hour boat, run on
SUNDAYS between regular trips. | was
on the boat when the explosion took
place. had just come off the dock.
1t was then TWENTY-FIVE minutes past
one. | went down into the hre-room.
One of the engineers, Patrick
Fiunlgan, was IN the room. l
said. "Patrlck how is the
water and he replied, "All right. !"
Al this time | approached 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 engine room, and pass
ing the door, went in. | found that
the boiler carried rwentv-seven pounds
OF steam. then went on the dock two
minutes. went a-aiuon the boat and
into the pilot-hause The captain was
Iu there al the time lusta, | was go-