The New York herald., 1878-03-24
DISASTER ON THE HUDSON.
Bursting Of the Steam Chimney
Of the Magenta.
A SCENE OF HORROR
Three Men Killed and Seven
Wounded.
Testimony Of the Captain
and the Boat Hands.
is ANYBODY TO BLAME THIS TIME ?

| disastrous steamboat explosion occurred yester-
DAY. This time tho Hudson River, just ttlo south
| OF Sing Sing. tho Of the "accidcuI." and
the Magenta, large river boat, plying between Haver
straw and New York, the l-atct vessel. Two pas
scngers, out OF nearly hundred who werc board,
wero instantly killed; boy Is missing. and is be-
ievcd 10 have boen blown overboard and four tive
| others were scaded and otherwise injured,
fatally The crow, with exception. escaped un-
scathed being down at breakfast at tho time OF the
explosion.
| THE EXPLOSION.
Tho Magenta loft havcrstraw for Now York yester-
day morning, at twenty minutes to seven o'clock, that
being her advertised time OF starting. His estimated
that she had board when leaving about thirty pas
scngers. Sing Sing, tho hrst stopping place,
reached about ten minutes past AT this place
the boat took about sixty passengers, composed
| for tho most part OF small housokecpers, who
tako advantage OF tho cheap iare by
TO do their weekly marketing in tho
city. After leaving Sing Sing tho steamboat
continued ON her course southward, until sho had
passed the prison aud arrived opposite point known
| as Mount Maury, situated about equi-distant from
Sing Sing and Scarborough, when terrific explosion
occurred on board. Tho saloon and hurricane decks
seemed 10 DO lifted up, steam and boiling water
rushed In all directions in the forward portion OF tho
boat and tho iew terrified passengers who wore not
then tho after part Of the steamer rushed there pro-
| cpitatcly for safety.
Tho boat has two engines, woll forward 1t was the
outside 'iinng" OF tho large upright pip. through
| which tho steam from The boiler tho s,arboard
side passes 10 the engine that exploded. The iron of
| which this lining composed originally
threeeIghths OF an u inch In thickness,
| and was fastened TO tho smokcpips which
| is within the steam leader, by ssaybos
aoou, two inches In diameter. Tho hole left by tho
explosion Is about three feet long-runuing up and
down tho ppe--and about two feot The guam
tity Of steam that shot through this aperture with
appalling iorce was enormous. The dig toat was
| shaken from stem 10 stern. jarring and alarming
every board 90 rightiuy that tho OF
stant and violent death was upon them Tor several
minutes Tho heplessncss OF the situation which Tor
the time thought to be far graver than It proved
| contributed to prevent panic. No one seemed to
| know just what had occurred.
| INJURED.
Mingled with tho shrek OF the hissing steam and
| mates who had been struck by living missiles aud
scaldod by the escaping vapor, which some inhaled
with horrible consequences. A fireman In charge
OF the engine when tho explosion occurred, the en-
| stnecr being At breakfast BY fortunate chance
only oi the many women on board was injured
Tho report OF the explosion, which, according to
| some or those board, sounded like the discharge
Of a cannon, was not heard by any of tho people on
shore, owing perhaps 10 tho distance tho boat
TERRIBLE srGIT.
As as tho steam had cleared away horrible
sight presented tsciL Two mon lay doad on the main
deck forward having been literally boiled alive their
faces ana hands puing shockngIy swollen eyes closed
and flesh presenting the appearance OF cooked meat
Several others lay around wrhng In agony, some of
them having evidootly Inhaled tho fatal steam while
others agan scalded portions OF their
bodies, some OF hcm being beyond hope OF recovery
Fortunately tho female passengers, numbering abou,
nity, escaped injury, with the exception OF young
| woman, who was slightly scsded in the face AZ
| might naturally be expected they were frightened
gnftf pf
terror through fear tnnt the boat going
| to sink. Through tho efforts OF Captain Smith, who
| boa', where the iomale passengers had assembled,
iheir npprchcnsons OF further danger dispelod
| by being assured that the explosion had done It's
| worst.
portion Of OF the boilers had blown out carry
Ing away fifteen feet Of the light joiner
| work on tho main dock forward, knocking down
stanchIons, and IN its ascent making large hole
| the hurricane deck. boy named Hammond, who
stood near whcrc the explosion occurred was missed
immediately aterward ana has sinco boon found.
| 1t is believed hat he was blown overheard
Tho following Is list OF tho killed and Injured
|
ALFRED REYNOLDS, aged sixty, carpenter, who
lived Ia South Malcolm street, Sing Sing, who was
| formerly u keeper In tho State Prison
STEPHEN WRIGHT, aged forty, who resided in
WILLIAM HAMMOND. aged fourteen, whose
parents live Mt PIcasantvc, blown overheard and
not seen nterward
RICHARD LOWE, aged sixty.eight, residing in
South Malcolm street. Sing sing. and engaged as
|
YORK terribly scalded about the head and body Is not
| expected to survive.
| Vile; frightlu!ly scaidei all over. HIS injuries arc
pronounced fatal ,, 6y me doctor who attends him
Plcasantve badly scalded about tho head and body.
| He may recover.
| WILLIAM FLEMING, aged twcnty 1.-Two, living at
| Crotonvilio, seriously scaldcd lie is now in Sing
| Sing.
JAMES BRUNDIGE. aged thirty. five, living at Sing
Miss BAILEY, aged seventeen, scaded badly on tho
hands and arms Sho was taken 10 her home
| WILLIAM TAYLOR, resident OF Newark, night
wa,chman Of the boat. scaldcd, not very seriously.
DAMAGE To THE BOAT.
Tho apparent damage TO the very slight The
owners say II could DO repaired for outlay OF 500
II tho local inspectors OF steam engines not insist
upon radical ovcrhaulng oil tho boat than re-
pairing tho mere injury done
FROM THE ALIENS.
Shortly after the explosion occurred tho steamer
Alexis Of the opposition line, came promptly TO tho
assistance OF the disabled boat, when the passengers
The Thomas p. Way, the sister boat OF the Magenta
arrived soon after on tho scene anu took
sing sing and lanasa snem there Ve% Captain
Smith accompanied the injured, and on arriving
~. dS sna
porary relici was Afforded them, aitcr which they
were conveyed TO the american Hotel rheaucnuon
shown by Captain smith 20 the sufferers ELECTED much
praise from the people OF sing Sing.
EPISODES.
IL appears that Ira Bailey, MISS Bailey this sister,
William Powers and Tho poor boy william Hammond
lcit Peasantville together early In the morning
| tho purpose oil gong TO New York the steamer
Magenta. Hammond when last soon, was stand
| ing forward the immediate vicinity OF
| wncre tho explosion occurred. All scarcn on
| board the boat aitcrward 1ailed TO fnd him.
HIS relatives buscd themselves throughout the day
both at sing sing aud in New York in yain cnieayor
10 discover Glow bis Whereabouts. The officers
on board the Alexis assert that no boy answering his
| description was taken OIL the Magenta by them. Asa
| consequence his friends hnve gwen him up Tor lost
William Taylor had been sleeping In his borth aud
was startled by the NOISE OF tho explosion In his
fright he rushed on deck with bare eot into tho
scaiding water. lie was brought TO New York on tho
| Thomas I. Way and is now in tue New York Hospital
DISTRESS FRIENDS
| Owing to tho confusion winch occurred after the
accident aud the hasty manner In which the passcn-
| ooSt