The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-08-11
ANOTHER HORROR.


WOunded-Indescribabl scenes Of Hor-
ror and Confusion.
On Sunday afternoon New York city
was thrown into an intense excitement
by the report of an explosion on one of
the ferry boats. This rumor was soon
found to be correct. The Staten Island
ferry boat Westfeld, while in the slip
at Whitehall crowded with passengers,
exploded her boiler. The conclusion
was terrific, SCATTERING the forward part
of the boat, and killing and scalding a
great number of people. The hurricane
deck was carried overheard and fell
over large number of persons in the
water, who were drowned.
The scene was beyond description.
Men were struck dumb at the loss eff
their wives and little ones, and women
were distracted at having lost their
dren were crying for their parents who
were lost.
The front of the boiler was suddenly
blown out, landing in the bow thirty
feet distant. The forward part of the
boat, upper cabin and all, was instantly
shivered and split into thousand
pieces. As an eyewitness 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 into the hold fronting the
huge boiler, which poured out deadly
volume of steam.
Many persons were blown overheard.
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 life. The
after part Of the boat, which had es-
capped the force of the explosion, would
have been safe for the uniniured, but
they were panic.stricken, and leaped
overheard without regard to conse-
quences.
Capt. Ullman, of the new street po-
lice, hearing the explosion, was prompt
ly on hand. A fire alarm was sounded.
DR.. Shine was at the scene Of the disas-
ter within ten minutes, we'll provided
with medicines and bandages. Cool
and collected, he saved several lives by
his prudence. Within twenty minutes,
Inspector Jamison was on the ground
directing the efforts of the police and
keeping back the multitude. Many
persons were drowned.
Debris in the fore part of the hold
was first removed. The cries of the
poor, half boiled victims was heart
rending. Stimulants were given them
as they struggled beneath the beams,
and oil was poured upon their burns.
As fast as the wounded were recovered,
they were borne to the deck. Another
ferry-boat was moored alongside, where
they were tenderly cared for b. DR..
Shine.
Within twenty minutes, ambulances
from the Center Street Hospital were at
Whitehall. The scalded victims were
placed in ambulances and driven to the
hospital at full speed. Private carriages
and express wagons were also brought
into requsition. The insurance patrol
wagon bore several loads of moaning
human beings to the hospital. Some
died on the way others were delirious
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 o'clock, over
seventy wounded persons had been re-
ceived in the Center Street Hospital.
Five of them died within an hour. The
scenes here were heart-rending.
The wounded will reach 100. Many
of them were placed in carriages and
drawn 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.
John Mayer, the pilot, was thrown
from forward of the pilot house twenty
feet into the air, falling on the boat and
escaping without a scratch.
John Freeland was captain of the
boat and Harry Robinson engineer.
The latter is colored man, and the in
dignation Of the passengers against him
is tremendous, though his friends claim
that he is not to blame.
The boiler was inspected by John III.
Mathews, United States boiler inspector,
on the 18th of June, and pronounced
safe.
THE ENGINEERS STATEMENT.
Robinson, the engineer, makes the
following statement i live in Staple
ton, Staten Island am about 40 years
of age have been an engineer for 20
years | got certificate and passed an
examination; did not bring my GER
tifcate to the company, for the COM
pany did not require one on this ferry
| had entire charge of the Westfeld;
the boat is half hour boat, run on Sun
days between the regular trips; | was
on the boat when the explosion took
place had just come off dock it was
then % minutes past | o'clock; | went
down into the fire. room; one of the en-
gineers, Patrick Finnegan, was in the
room; | said, Patrick, how is the wa
ter?' and he replied All right at 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 passing the door
wer in; found that the boiler carried
~ pounds of steam; | then went on
the dock two minutes after, went