The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-28
The Steamboat G. H. Northam De-
strOyed in the East River.
THREE LIVES LOST.
Irresistible Flames and Deadly Smoke
What Was the Origin?

yesterday morning while lying at her wnter'E berth,
loot OF Seventh street. East River. Not only did tho
nre almost wipe out the palatal passenger vessel but
u caused the death OF three colorcd employees who
were suiiocated in their sleeping quarters.
Tho breaking of tho Northam's shaft during the
night OF Saturday, the 4th ins while coming to this
city caused her to DO withdrawn from the route OF
service and towcd 70 the berth who're she was do
slroyed. or tho men returned the majority
were old hands, and OF thirty or forty
found daily at work twelve remained ON board
Monday night. Chor Engineer Bawrhyppc, FIRST
Mate Martin Higgins Second Mate James Brennan,
four hrcmen, and william Wright, Jr., an oiler, slept
on tho upper deck amidshps; Isaac Freeman,
colored porter had his quarters the deck for
ward; George Jackson, Allen Hogan and Joseph H.
Smith bunked In glory hole that portion
In the lower hold otherwise known az the orecastle
and Thomas Tanning night Waterman. completes the
number What hour the mon on the upper deck
urned In, or retired has not been ascertaned but
II is pretty certain that tho men OF ''gory hole"
wore up until fifteen minutes past twelve o'clock.
Porter Freeman Is positive this point, and tho
Waterman is equally solemn In asserting that nothing
until "two haltpast O'Clock" when dense VOL
ume Of smoke was discovered issuing from the quar-
tors oil the colorcd men, forward.
FIRE DISCOVERED
Flames followed the dense and sulocating smoke 80
quickly that the night watch man was terrified. SO
he could gather his he called the porter
who asleep not three yards away, and the latter
instantly realizing the terrible fact that the boa.
was on fire bounded to the dock and
then up the dock TO Lewis street, where
Officer Brecn, OF tho Eleventh precinct was
found. At twenty minutes OF three o'clock the alarm
sent from Fro Headquarters, and q few minutes
nit I'd ho Ill m tha
disturbed the residents OF that Deghborhood Engine
No IL. housed In East Houston, between Columbia
and Cannon Streets was first 10 arrive Then came
truck No H. and IN rapid succession followed
Nos %, rs and Is and truck No. o.
The hremen found the smoke danes rolling out
tho forward companion way and at once making gang
pIanks Of Tho ladders and going on board, several
quarters where Jackson, Hogan aud Smith
were asleep The smell Of burning blankets
was 30 marked nj this juncture that the
fremen were subsequently very particular IN speak.
ing OF tho tuct While the nrst assault upon The tire
being made by the men Of ongne No. IL, others
cutting through the light joiner work running
down 10 the main deck, and numerous ragged gaps IN
tho side OF the craft afforded an opportunity OF using
more water, but 1t was OF little In five ma.
utes the brave nrcmen were driven away from
their positions forward, SO sitting was the smoke aud
turned their attention TO the alter part OF the
craft. Like shot," us ono Of the weary men
vessel 1t seethed and cracked through tho forward
bukhead, then along the dining room, eating up sho
un he whole Su'
was mass Of uncomfortable lire. More aid was
sought ana special alarm was sent out for engine
No. IT, The powerful ire boat William II. Havemeycr
(engine No. 43) had already arrived from Pike street.
ana her four s'xinch pumps were IN good time throw
ing eight streams OF water into the burning Northam
Again word despatched Tor the poiico boat Seneca
and she was hurried from the foot Of Seventeenth
DOOMED GRAFT.
Water wa3 OF but little service. The heavy deck
for time kept the flames confined below, but within
huf hAn ~ n ala.ss
through the companion ways aft, and Social Hall y
that part Of the craft where lady passengers without
beneath It's iorce Then shes.s Of flames
assaulted ''5tateroom Hail." the saloon on the
within thirty minutes more the 1885 rooms were IN
rains The port side oil The craft the first to
tumble from main TO spar deck and whom the body
OF IRE. waited BY the light south WINDS curied
S issrs ior the shppins there a~.sa ass
workers Engines Nos II, II and IS were despatched
10 that per and Tor six hours there ut work.
moving nearest the sf Suu .s,'S s,a
The Italian bark Iamaris ana the schooner
John Price were towod to tho middle OF tho
chusets, lying close by were not moved, the fire.
men felt conscious OF thor ability TO prevent them
taking fire. Tho MAssach usetts had just lott the Dry
Dock, after being put In floating condition since her
unfortunate wrocking of Orient Point
soon as the rst engine had rolled along Lewis stree!
TO the ire the denzens OF the neigh borhood turned
out by hundreds At daylight residents across the
river greatly increased the numbers OF lockers and
at this time The IRE was eating up the last remnant
Of hight wood work on the Eighth street side Of tho
vessel, the desire to the wreck intense
than ever, and Tho police for time had their hands
iull.
MASTERING THE HANDS
When something like order was restored and yet
while the nrcmcn were battling manfuly to Tho
costly NOrLham, First inato Higgins began tho work
OF mastering The hands that hau remained on board
Those that slept on the upper deck were found
and alter another answered to thor names the
great relief Of ali who knew Of tho matter. They
had heard the nrst alarm and easily escaped unIn-
Jurcd. Then Tanning. The watchman. responded, and
Freeman, tho porter, II was known, was sale, he
had been working IKE gan. under the eyes Of all
those that retired In the walters sleeping
quarters, and the most diligent search could not
find them. Freeman was the FIRST 10 whisper the
opinion that they must be lost. He told his ship
mates that IL was not possible, under the crcum-
stances, Tor the meu to be saved, ss the nro had
gained such Roadway before IL was discovered Il
must have been burning for long time. Until IL
was FOLLY to longer hope the mate chung 10
the idea that tho men would be found
alive and well at daylight The quel proved that
the porter was right the three colored that
Tho story OF the missing three passed from one
to another, ana at last the number of The lost
magnihed to seven.
DEAD IN s'GLoEr moLRv
When the flames had boon subdued sufficiently and
tho debris somewhat cooled gang Of men were set
al work searching Tor the bodies OF tho missing
For more than an hour planking and rubbish wcro
hshed up from the iorccastic, where the were
Alien S''' Hogan gan was found a. Srs. ''s tho
body could hardly DO distinguished from
a cnarred plank. Legs and arms had disappeared,
and had II not been for an abnormal growth OF lesh
the left side OF the neck recognition would have
been impossible. Hogan's remains had hardly been
placed on tho dock and covered with coarse canvas
wncn another mass Of burned flesh and bones was
found. This body said TO DO that
OF Joseph IL. Smith, a. q half.consumed shoe
which was recognized still renamed upon
his right loot The arms and left leg gone, and
what flesh there was remaining was ready to drop OF
tue bones Hogan was found standing with his more
than half consumed right stretched toward ono OF
the dead lights, ss seeking safety In that direction or
endcav oring 10 obtain AR, and smith discovered
near his own bunk Whether they realized the peril
they wero In before life extinct will never be
known. The body OF jackson had NOT boon recovered
up 10 a late hour.
THE WRECK.
The Northam Is badly burned. Her upper works.
excepting portion on the starboard side entirely
consumed Charred wood ana twisted iron In
masses all over the main deck. Tho engine remains
IN place, az do tho boilers and auxiliary
machinery, but there IS but little lett OF
the once magnificent passenger craft The
hull Is iull OF water duo TO the burning through OF
hor bottom Of four-inch oak and not 10 scuttng IL
Is said that her hull be repaired or rebuilt but
that is to DO asccraincd Fro never made cleaner