Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-06-29

Hsion. is a type, caught fire yesterday
afternoon in East river, while crowded
with five hundred passengers, anh De-
fore she could be run ashore between
forty aud fifty persons we're eit''er
burned to death on board, or drowned
in their frantic endesyors to escape
from the iiames. Criminal carelessiess
must be- at the bottom oi these frequent
disasters, and the sooner an example N
made ui either officers or owners o'
both. the sooner the safety OF tho travel
ing public will be ensured.
TERRIBLE MARINB DISASTER
A steamboat with Five Hundred Passeh'
gers ON Board Burns To the Ws'ors
Edge. -,
CoLLEgE PoINr, l.. l., June 2s-lhe
steamer Seawanahaka burned to the
waters edge off College Point at T.. NJ
to-day. The Osseo saved a majority "i
the passengers. About forty were lost
TIE Seaw wanahaks is quite large steam
or and leaves New York daily at ir' h'
for Rosbyn, l.. |, and intermediate
points. She usually carries large mum
ber ol passengers.
Later Accounts
Nrw YoRg, Sune 2s. The steamboat
Seawanahaka, which run from ferNs''P
up the sound la Glencoe, l. IT, TOOK hie
st 30 this afternoon while oil Kan
dalIs Island, East River. The fire was
caused by AN explosion IN The en-
zine room, and the middle ol the boat
was soon in flames. Pilot ChaS, Sm'ih
remained at his post until he was near
ly burned to death, and succeeded IN
backing the vessel on asunkcn meadow
adjoining the Island. Many persons
spranR overheard, and were drowned.
MANY others in the stern 0i the vessel
could not get oil aud were
Burned To Death.
OF the five hundred persons supposed 10
have been on board, fifty are believed To
have pcrished. The bodies ol about
thirty dead persons have been recovered
ONLY those uf DR.. Beb0lsc, wealthy
gentleman, residence unknown, anu
Of Mary Reed, u young woman, were
identified. Among the saved are; Chas.
A. Dana, editor Of the S'm, \ J." NJ, bar'
low. Col. W. Il. Chase aud X. IL. Ro'
chester. treasurer Western Union Ieie'
vraph Company. The vessel burned to
the waters edge.
Statement ola Passenger.
Another account Of passenger says:
Th.r, were about $50 on board.
All went we'll until llellgate was
passrd. when an alarm at tire rang
ont. and flames were discovered
bursting through the pliot house. inc
officers aud crew asssUrod the passengers
that there was no danger and headed The
boat inr Randall's Island. She ground
cd on bar about POO yards from shore.
| The Steamer Granite state, Oi Hartford
line. passing at tho time picked up l5
passengcrs aud | dead body, which
rescued the majority Ot the
passengers and proceeded with Them
in College Point Those without
life - rcsrTysrs saved themselves
hv clinglng to the guards, paddles and
other sheltered parts of tho boat. The
| body ni Abe Skidmore, ola we'll known
| Long Island family, Was recovered and
il n,wat the Coleman House, IN this
city.
fhe Scawanahaks lett the city each
| afternoon after the close at business
hours for the various places ot popular
| amusement along the Sound, and many
| we'll known citizens sailed IN her every
| dav Tor taeir summer residences.
| Charles Abel, one oi the office men ul
the boat, was found on the pier at the
foot 0i Peck slip, from which the sea
wanahaka went this afternoon lie san.
We made our landing at the loot
| Thirty -Ihird street al i.3O o'clock, and ii
| was fifteen minutes later when We
Tea he'd Little He'll Gate. was sitting
| in the wIug ar port gsugway, after hAN.
ing started the bilgc pump, when /
heard noise, aui looging around saw
FIRE Pouring Out OF the Fire Room.
got up ani tired to make my way into
the tire room, hut the flames were too
much ior ne We were just oil Ran.
dal.s Island, and running forward |
| yelled Ia the captain, vino Was At the
| wheel. to head tor the shore, but he
| shouted back that lac could not
| | then ran into the cabins Tor
ward and urged the steward and
pas Q lgeTs Ia save themselves, Ihty
did not suspec the vessel Was on tire
then. Rs no smoke oT flames Was blown
ia that direCtiOn. At that time the
woodwork oi the vessel anu about her
centre Mas
Burning Like Tindsr,
and flames were making their way to-
wards both ends ui the boat. There
were probably about Br persons
| on board Men we're Jump.
ing from the hurricane deck into
the water, and large number ot tern.
hci women AMI children we're huddied
near the stern ~ the boat. ! climbed
over the rail near the bow, and several
men almost jumped upon me before ]
took ~ the water Ia save myself. !
| Iuulu lllt' 'VltsttNtE UoaNthk btaa "'l
and vas going tO pat 1t 0n, when a
man Clu,ched It, and knowing
| | could swim, and thinking he
could not, let him have II, aud sWsm
for Wards Island, which reached ana
then helped to mAn a boat and assist IN
picsing up passengers IN the water.
The SeaWAnahaks was finally beached on
RAndslls Island, but soon
Burned 10 the waters Bdss.
Captain Charles y. Smith, was Al the
wheel aud stood to his post to the last.
Ills face and body we're badly burned
Small boats came 10 the pscus
irom every direction, and the steamers
Granite, bound ior Hartford, Os.eo
MinnehannOrk snd Sylvan Glen had
boats manned and sent to our assistance
The clothing OF many Of the children on
board took fire aud some OF them were
severely burned. EngineeT Alexis pu'
on full head OF steam, am told, IN re
sponse 10 . sigma iron tie captain, and
then elinbsd up among the machinsry
and vss sssa ssandins On the aPps'