Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-06-30
DISPATCHES
rHE sEAwASHAKER HORROR.
Further Particulars = tlauses and
Incidents OF the Disaster Tho
filler Ropes Burned 0f-Horri'
ble Scenes.

III
Bile Scenes.
New YoRx, June 29.-Dr. A. A. Mo.
Donald, chief OF the medical staff Of the
Lunatis Asylum. Wards Island, said he
was sitting in his yesterday after.
noon about 4:30 when he saw the
steamer come up the river all on Are.
Az the steamer passed the island he saw
Il was the ~Ssawanhaka. The FIRE ap.
pesrsd to DO Just forward OF the paddle
wheels, and the steamer turned in a. II
10 land on the island, but suddenly
turned out again. She was going at
full speed. Hs started out to follow her.
At that time there were about 600
patients in the grounds. and most OF
thsm had seen the burning steamer.
and they made q rush for the river
front and fell In line to witness the sight.
The ordsrlies Of the institution were
sent out and al the insane persons were
safely placed In their rooms. DR.. Nc.
Donald ordered all the necessary articles
from the apothecsry and at once went to
the sosns Of the accident. By this time
the steamer had been run upon the
sunksn meadows and was all ablaze.
Men, women and children were jump
Ing from the burning vessel. The Doc.
tor ordered his private boat out, and sv.
erythinR possible was done 10 relieve the
passengers on board the unfortunate
steamer.
II Ia reported that about fifteen bodies
are ON Randall's Island and q number
ON Long Island shore. The body OF .
young man was picked up BY q rowboat
and moored to q stake. 1t Is known
that some OF the crew did not do their
duty, but jumped into the river and
swan ashore when the flames broke
out. The Seawanhaka was passing
through He'll Gate, but was run on until
nearly burned to the waters edge and
had entered Little He'll Gate.
Mr.. V. Lopes. q passenger who lives
ct Sea Cliff, but does business In the
| city. was rescued with 0 young lady
named Ida Belle Smith. Mr.. Lopes
said that the steamer left the dock, East
river, at AIS p. n. A stop was made at
| Thirty third street, where seventy.fve
or one hundred additional passengers
| were taken on board. just about He'll
Gate went forward to seek some
friends. As / looked back saw flames
coming up through the coal hole. just
under the pilot.houss. made my way
70 the bow OF the steamer and held out
a. long a. I could, and then, In company
with Miss Smith, jumped overheard,
after furnishing her with q life prsserver.
The lifeboats Of the Ssawanhaka were
not lowered, because II was impossible
to lower them. The captain Of the
steamer stood at his post until the last
moment. saw him turn his head
while ct the wheel to avoid the smoke
and flames. He would have run the
boat into Wards Island. but the ropes
connecting with the ruddsr were burned
of.
Charles Smith. Captain OF the steamer
S~eawanhaka, was found In the hospital
on Randall's Island, suffering from So.
we're burns about the arms and face. He
said: About 4:30 I heard o low, dull
report or explosion. Quick as thought
I turned 10 see what was the matter,
when I saw the vessel In flames about
midships. I saw the steamer Granite
State ON my %starboard side. and finding
that my steamer was ON FIRE I imme.
diately headed her for the sunken mead.
ows with . full head OF steam. Although
the engineer had been driven from his
post I landed her about forty feet upon
the meadows. Most Of the passengers
were ON the bow OF tho vessel and those
on the stern were ct the mercy OF
the flames, az all passages to the
bow OF the vessel were cut Oh.
Many jumped on the land. while others
jumped into the water. I stood at the
wheel till the last minute and then
jumped overheard and was picked up BY
o small boat. We had no freight on
board, and I don't know what caused
tho explosion. The steamer could not {
have been beached sooner. No doubt
more bodies, II not picked up by boats. I
will be found or Long Island shore
tomorrow morning, as the wind was
blowing In that direction. II the catas-
trops had occurred even an hour later
the loss OF life must have been frightiul.
Il occurred just at the time when the
Sound steamers and the Harlem and ,
local boats were In the immediate neigh.
borhood. The Seawanhaka was about
fourteen years old. She was q regular
day boat between New York and Ros.
Ign, Long Island, calling at Whitsstone,
Great Neck, Sands Point and Glen. ,
wood. She arrives In this city about o
A. n. and leaves on her return Ut 4:l5.
The passengers on her are generally
bankers, business and literary men, who
live on Long Island and come to the
city In the morning. returning in the
afternoon. Frequently the lady mem.
bers OF their families and servants 90.
company them. No regular company
managed the boat, but II Is said she Was
run In the interest OF owners whose
names are @. A. Dana, L. 8. II. Barlow.
NJ. Kirk Of Glencovs, and Mr.. Endie Of
Great Neck. Some Of the owners had
special rooms In the steamer.
The Seawsnhaks can carry 1900 per.
sons, but Monday 10 generally Q dull
day, and We had only about $50 or 800
on board. The engineer Of the steamer.
Frank Weeks, and his son Edward, who
was fireman IN the steamer. were ct
their posts at the time Of the fire. The
fireman explains that some OF the small
tubes OF the boiler must have burstsd,
throwing the furnace door open and
scattering hot Goals around, which set
hrs 10 the vessel. he, like bis father,
was driven from bis post by tho flames.
Both escaped with q severe burning. The
number Of lives lost cannot DO learned,
al the steamer being merely q day trans.
port, no register was kept. i is not
likely that tho List Of the lost will mum.
Der more than Fifty. At midnight
eleven bodies OF adults, y child and