The daily gazette., 1880-06-29
'lHIRD EDITION
Another Steamboat Disaster.
LONG ISLAND STEAMER BURNED
ABOUT FORTY LIVES LOST.

The steamer SeaWanhaka was Durn-
ed to the waters edge off College
Point, at 5 O'Clock this afternoon.
About fifty lives were lost. The
Seawanhaka plies between New
York, Sands Point and Roslyn.
The Seawanhaka took fire at 4:3O
o'clock this afternoon while off RAN
dall's Island, East river. The fire
was caused by an explosion in the
engine room, and the middle of the
steamboat was soon in flames.
Pilot Charles Smith remained at
his post until he was nearly burned
to death, and succeeded i'll beaching
the vessel on the sunken meadow
adjoining the island. Many persons
sprang overheard and were drowned,
many others in the stern of the YES
sci could not get off and were burn
ed to death. OF 500 persons sup
posed to be on board so are believed
to have perished. The bodies of
about 80 dead persons were recover
ed. Only those of DeBoise, a
wealthy gentleman, whose residence
is unknown, and of Mary Reed, a
young woman, were Unidentified.
Among the persons of prominence
known to be on board were Charles
A. Dana, editor of the Sun; S. L. NJ.
Barlow, of the World, and X. III.
Rochester, of the Western Union
Telegraph Co., all of whom were
saved; Col. w. r. Chase.
The vessel was burned to the
waters edge and will be total loss.
The steamer Granite State rescued
13 passengers and the Osseo large
number, who were taken to College
Point.
Another account from passenger
says there were $50 passengers on
board. All went we'll until the
steamer had passed He'll Gate, when
the fire alarm rang out and flames
were discovered bursting through the
plot house. The officers and crew
assured the passengers that there
was no danger and the boat was
headed for Randall's Island. She
grounded on a bar, 200 feet from the
shore. Those Of the passengers un-
provided with life preservers were
saved by clinging to the guards, pad
dies and other portions of the
steamer. The body of Abe Skid
more, a member of an old Long
Island family, has been recovered
and brought to the Coleman House
in this city. This informant ex-
presses the belief that the loss of
life is about 30.
STATEMENT OF A FIREMAN.
Charles Abeel, one of the lirement of
the boat, made the following statement:
We made our landing at the foot of
Thltty-third street at 4 80 o'clock, aud
it was about 10 minutes later when we
reached Little He'll Gate. was sitting
on the wing or port gaugway, after hav-
ing started the bilge pump, when |
heard noise, and, on looking around.
saw FIRE pouring out of the fire room. |
got up aud tried TO make my way into
the fiTe-roOm, but the flames were too
much for me. We were lust of Ran
dalPs Island, and running forward
yelled TO the captain, who was a. the
wheel to head for shore, but he shouted
back that he could not. | then ran
into the cabins forward and urged the
steward and passengers to save them
selves. They did not suspect that the
vessel was on tire then, as no smoke or
flame was blown in that dil ectiou, At
that time the wood work of the vessel
about her centre was burning like tin
der and the flames were making their
way towards both ends of the boat,
There were probably about 300 persons
ou board. Men were jumping from the
hurrican deck into the water. and a
large number of terrified children and
women were huddled near the stern OF
the boat. l ciimued over the rail near
the bow, ,and several men almost iumped
upon me before L took to the water 10
save myself. found a life prescryer
noatinS near me, and was going to put it
on, when man clutched at it, and |,
knowing could swim, aud thinking he
could not, let him have 1t, and SWAIN fol
Wards Island, whicn | reached. ant
then helped TO man boat and assiste,
in picking up passengers in the water
The Seawanhaka was finally beachec
on Randall's Island, but she sool
burned TO the waters edge. Can't. Cbas
r. Smith was at the wheel, and stuck tt
his posi- to the last. HIS face and bod,
We're badly burned. Small boats cam,
TO the rescue from every direction. Th,
eeS~h'"No'o vi oilOC OIdJt NUOunu 10
HarI ford), the Osten, Einnehannocl
and Sylvan Glen had boats manned an,
sent to our assistance. The clothing {
many children OH board caught fire, an
some of them were severely burned.
lamp which | carried in my land int
the tank room, which is back of the fiji
room, and separated by board part
tion, where / changed my clothes,
brought back into the fire room and s,
it down.
am sure the fire could not ha,
originated from the lamp, as the O
would not explode nor burn without
wick. You could put some of the q
in a saucer, and it would not burn
you put a match to it. Therefore
feel certain it could not have cause
the fire, and / cannot imagine VIII;
did. Engineer Weeks put on a fl
head of steam, in response to a sign
from the Captain, and then climbed l
among the machinery, and was set
standing on the upper deck trying
raise the valve so that the steam con
escape and an explosion be avoide,
We never carried over thirty-fo,
pounds of steam. Engineer Week
son was fireman on the boat, and {
the time the fire started was watchin
the steam and water indicator. I'll
only members of the crew, l unde
stand, missing are Josiah Hasbroucl
cook, and his grandson, Charles Ha
brouck, who was employed on IL
boat We had a orau Of aho,+ e.,