The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-07-02

Heavy Loss of Life on a Crowded Boat.
NEW York, June 29.-The steamer eawanhaka
which ran from Peck Slip up the Sound to Gler
Cove, l.. L. took fire at 430 O'Clock this afternoon
while off Randalls Island East River. The fire wal
caused by explos ion in the engine room, and the
middle of the steamboat was soon in flames.
COLLEGE POINT, L. l., June 29.-The steamer Sea-
wanhaka burned to the waters edge off College
Point at five y. m. The Osseo saved majority Of
the passengers. About forty lives were lost. The
Seawanhaka is quite large steamer and leaves New
York daily at p. m. for Resign, L. l., and inferno
date points She usually carried large number Of
passengers,
The pilot, Charles Smith, remained at his post IN.
III he nearly burned to death and succeeded in
Bleaching the vessel on a sunken meadow adjoining
the Island. Many persons sprang overheard and were
drowned. Many Others In the stern OF the vesse
could not get off and burned to death. OF SOC
persons supposed to have been on board, so be.
leyed TO have persisted The bodies of about thirty
dead persons have been recovered. Only those Of
DR.. Deboiser wealthy gentleman, residence un-
known, and Mary Reed, young woman, were iden-
tifed Among the saved are Charles A. Dana editor
of the Sun, s. L, Barlow. Col. w. Il. Chase and r.
II. Rochester, Treasurer of the Western Union Tele
graph Co. The vessel burned to the waters edge.
Another account by passenger says There were
about $50 persons on board. All went well until Hell
Gate was passed, when the fire alarm rang out and
the flames discovered bursting through The pi-
lot house. The officers and crew assured the passen
gers there was no danger an headed the boat for
Randalrs Island. She grounded on bar about ssC
feet from shore.
The steamer Granite State, of the Hartford line,
passing at the time and picked up ID passengers
and one dead body, which she landed at Whitestone.
The steamer Osseo rescued majority of the passen
gers and proceeded with them to College Point. These
without life preservers saved themselves by ciinging
to the guards paddles and other sheltered parts Of
the boat. The body of Abel skIdmore of a we'll
known Long Island family, recovered and is now
al the Coleman House, this city. . .. ..
The Seawanhaka left the city each afternoon after
the close of business hours for various places and
popular resorts along the Sound, and many we'll
known citizens sailed in her every day for their sum
mer residences. .. -.rr .
| Chales Abel. one of the fireman of the boat was
found IN the pier at the foot of Peck Slip, from
which tie seawanhaka sailed this afternoon. Ht
said I've made landing at the foot OF a3d street
at 40 o'cock this afternoon. 1t abe ut ten min
ute later 'hen we reached Little Hellgate. wal
sitting in tie wing, port gangway. After leaving
| we started tie bilge pump. heard a noise and or
looking aouad saw fire pouring ont of the areroom
| got uYand tried to make my way into the freroon
but thu flames were TOO much for me- We were just
| off Rndall's Island and runniny forward y6ed tC
the aptain. who was at the Wheel to head for shore
| buthe shouted back that he could not. then ran
| mo the cabins forward and urged the steward and
tassengers to save themselves. They did not suspect
the vessel was on fire, smoke or fame was blow
ing IN that direction at the time, and the woodwork
of the vessel about her centre burning like tin
der and the flames were making their way towards
both ends of the boat. There probably 800 per
sons on board. Men were jump Ing from the hurri
deck into the water and large number of terri
fed women and children were huddled near the stern
of the boat. l climbed over the rail near the bow
and several men almost jumped upon me before
took to the water to save myself" +aa..
Charles Hasbrouck, who was employed on the boat
says: 1--WE had a crew of four deck hands, one deck
boy, engineer, two remen, captain, clerk superin-
teRdent, wheelman, superintendent clerk, porter
steward and clerk. The did their duty like mer
and few lost presence of mind. The vessel burned
like powder after the flames started and it was ter
rible scene, shrieking women and children huddled
aft until their clothes caught fire and those on the
forward part of the boat were cut off from communl
cation with going to the rescue of their female Ic
aves and friends from the flames viii Oh burnt ercely
about the centre of the boat. ".
Mr. Moires, our porter, saw child eating on its
back and was going to limp overheard to save II
when a frantic female clutched his arm and said
For Gods sake, help eI'' The porter saved the
woman. Only one of the Seawanha ka's beats 20,
out One lady was climbing down thu ladder leading
from the promenade deck to the ma in deck, but
ladder is pretty hard thing for woman to get down
at any time, she fell into the gangway amid the
flames. Myself and about alf dozen others res
cued her from her perilons position saw butcher
who belongs to either Great Neck Sands Point grab
up large box and, before could stop him, jun ped
overheard with 1t. Iyeed Mt him not to jump or he
would be struck by the wheel. He did not heed me
and went over forward. The astI saw of him he was
going under the wheel. Several others who went ever
forward also went under the paddlebox. .f