New-York tribune., 1880-06-29

lay tho ch4Tfed remains OF o man ana "ouon'
both unacceptable. The other bodies were those
of drowned men and women.
SCENES ON THE BURNING BOAT.
HOW THE PAssEwGERs BEHAvfD--srnRY OF THE
FrREMAN EDWARD ABEkIr-THE STRUGGLE FOR
q IfFR-PREsERvERs = RUNNING THE STEAMER
b AsaoRE-THE WATER BLACK WITH PEOPLE.
A tall sunburned man slowly walked down to-
ward Peck Slip at about half past last night.
His clothes were wet and dripping and his innameo
hands showed tho marks of scorcbing flames He
was the fireman of the Seawanhaka Edward Abeel.
Leaning against post with handkerchief wrap
ped around his painful hands he told this story;
(" We left Peck Slip about 4:15 and Thirty-third-
ct. about 4:30 for our regular trip to Roslyn ana
Glen Cove. The boat was crowded. should say
we had three hundred passengers. There was q
number of well-knowu city gentlemen on board.
AMONG them s. J.. H. Barlow, Charles A. Dana, Mr..
AppIeby, Richard OGorman. We left Thirty-third'
st. and the passengers were comfortably'setfleo.
Most of them were sitting aft, though gentlemen
were on the forward. Everything was going
on as nicely as could be- was oiling as it happen
ed, and young fellow was tending to the
steam. Edgar Weeks, the engineer was on duty
In the engine-room. The fre-room was directly
underneath the engne-room There was an iron
ladder leading down, and we usually had lighted
lamp hanging there because 1t was dark. On each
side were what we called tank-rooms where are
kept our clothes and other things. There was
good FIRE going in the furnaces, and the boat was
slipping ahead at the rate Of perhaps fifteen KNOTS
an hour. had oiled up the machinery pretty well,
and thought Pd take little rest. So came up the
ladder, walked out through what we call the mid
ships eaugway and sat down on the side looking at
the shore. We were then coming mp to RandaiPs
Island. Pretty soon saw that big building on
Randalps Island-the Soldiers Home 1t think its
called l sat quietly watching it, and then the
pier come int sight as we ranged along opposite.
Suddenly thought heard something-1 looked
around, and for o moment couldn't speak nor
move. MY Godl The flames were bursting up
from the fre-room into the engine-room. The fire
broke out nearly amidships, between the engine
and the boilers The thought struck me at once
that DOthing could save the boat, for knew that
she was as dry as tinder i sat there as though
couldn't move for moment, and saw the engineer
stsgger out of the engine-room holding his hanos
before his face, as to keep of .he flames. l
don't think he was able to 20 back there
after that. Then l started for the upper
deck inst then saw the mate rash on to the fore
deck and try to unite a horse The poor animal
was wild with terror, and was trembling like
leaf. The mate tried twice, but was driven off by
the flames and had to leave the horse 10 DIE ! ran
up to the forward gangway, calling to the steward,
who knew was down near the flames Pete for
Gods sake come out of there There were some
people sitting In the forward cabins and on the
deck forward. though most Of the passengers
were aft. When got up there l
shouted, Everyone get ON the deckp
The people there behaved well. On the forward
deck were mostly gentlemen, and there was no
panic. They got life-preserver and waited. Buta.
few got excited and wanted to jump overheard.
/, too. shouted Don't jump. if you do
you'll be crushed under the whool!
But one man got hald of an empty asparagus hx
sssd went cverbcsrd. The last IsaB Of him hewas
going directly under tho wheel ! doE't know bis
name, bnt be was butcher from Sands Point.
"I don't know what the reason was. but didn't
have mach time to think about it then. ran down
to my r0oin burst the door open and grabbed some
clothes. All this time the fire was gaining on us.
We couldn't do anything against it. No. don't
know that anything was tried, because 1t wouldn't
have been of any use. Then came up again, and
I didn't have any idea of the real con-
dtion of things till / saw the people on
the after deck. You see they were sitting up there
pleasantly and quietly, and when the fire was first
discovered, they had no idea Of It, Then the crew
began to sing out, There's no danger, keep your
seats Well, the passengers heard this shouting.
and did not know what il meant;til all of sudden
they sag the fire springing out. just before their
eyes. Then they all went crazy and there was no
stopping them. There were plenty of lIfe-pre-
servers, and those whoh any presence:of mind
took some But others jumped overheard at once.
There was a regular panic. Some OF the women
were in Mysteries and some of the men, too. for
that matter. One lady tainted as she was coming
down the companion Hay, and the last thing did
on the boat was to pick her up All this time the
throttles were wide open. and the boat was going
ahead full speed The captain steered her across
Little He'll Gate and ran her ashore op Wards
Island. But people were dropping off the boat on
all sides, and on deck they were crying
and taking on, and didn't seem to know
what to do. I took hfe-preserver. and was
getting ready to 90 overheard when l felt some
body seize my ife-preserver. l looked and there
was an elderly, nice looking man there who was
terribly excited and astrying to get my preserver
away from me. Iknew could swim SO gave 1t to
him. As started toward the side 1 passed Joe
Hasbrouck. the cook,s and Ben Kirke. They were
going TO Jump too. Then took dive. aud when
I'd got the salt water out Of my eyes 1 saw
Joe struggling in the water near me.
thought heard him call Edp Ed p but wasn't
sure. He was just going up and down, throwing
ont his hands, and trying to save himself I saw
him 90 under, and the tide took me away before
could help him, or see whether he came up again.
All around the water was black with people At
least two-thirds of those on the boat jumped into
the water.
81 struck out for Wards Island had my clothes
on and the tide was running very strong. 1t was O
tough pull but reached shore at last, pretty well
played out. Right ahead of us at the time the fire
broke ont was the steamer Granite State. Our cap
tain signalled her to come alongside, but she was
loaded with passengers and her Captain very pru-
IDENTIFY refused to run the risk She stopped her
engines and lowered boats that picked up some of
our passengers. There was one of our boats with
the mate and deck hands that did good services
didn't see but one: Then there was the
Government weasel Minnie Hancock. from Cover
nor's Island that rescued great many.
had seen iotsof other boats around nearly bfty,