The Newtown bee., 1880-07-07


 Some one threw them into the water, and I know they were lost.n
 James N. Hicks, of Sands Point, was found suffering from 9 severe attack of asthma in the Randalls Island hospital. 1t haA taken three hours to restore him to consciousness, after he was bought from Sunken Meadows. He said: z was in the after saloon. The first I knew, flames burst from the tore star women, for supposed the boat would be run ashore, but I think now the captain did not dare put her against the rocks which lined that part of the channel. The wind blew the heat and smoke aft, and we were finally forced to go over board. found rope, one end of which l threw overheard, and climbing down allowed myself to be lowed in the water This was some time before the vessel was grounded. l saw Mir. Dubois, of Sea Cliff, holding on one of the braces. Near him was MT. Post. of Great Neck. The boat burned like tirder. The flames completely divided the boat in two parts. I think there must have been four or five hundred on board, and it seems to me that l saw two or three hundred in the water altogether. Some had life-preservers and some had not. The crew and Captain Smith behaved nobly. A deckt.and called Dennis and l colored man named Nathan, and Mir. Field and Superintendent Kirk were es- pecially cool. The Granite State, 8 Hartford steamboat, lowered around as.n
 Charles Abeel, one of the f1remen of the boat. was found on the pier at the 1 foot of Peck slip, from which the Sea- wanhaka started at 4:l5 o'clock in the l afternoon. He said: "We made our | landing at the foot of Thirty third l street at 30 o'clock, and it was about fifteen minutes later when we reached Little Holl Gate. I was sitting in the
 wing or port gangway after having 1 started the bilge pump, when l heard noise, and on looking around saw flames l coming out of the fire-room. I got up and tried to make my way into the fire room, but the flames were too much for me. We were just off Randall's Island, and running forward l shouted to the | captain, who was at the wheel, to head 1 her for the shore, but he shouted back
 that he could not. then ran into the cabins forward and urged the steward and pas engers to save themselves. They did not suspect the vessel was on fire then, as no smoke or | flame was blown in that direc- tion. At that time the wood- work of the vessel about her center was l burning like finder, and the flames were spreading toward both ends of the boat. There were probably about three hundred persons on board. Men were | jumping from the hurricane deck into the water, and large number of fright ened children and women were huddled near the stern of the boat. I climbed over the rail near the bow, and several men almost jumped upon me before I took to the water to save myself. l found a liie-preserver floating near me, and was going to put it on when a man c!utohed it, and ], knowing 1 could lim have it and swan for Wards Island, which I reached, and then 1 helped men a boat and assisted in pick ing up the passengers In the water. l The Seawanhaka was finally beached, but socn burnt to the waters edge. Captain Charles P. Smith was at the wheel, and stuck to his rost to the last. His face and | hcdy were badly burned. Small boats came to tbe rescue from every direction. Tie steanboats Granite State, bound for Hartford. the Osseo, the Minnehan- mock and the Sylvan Glen had boats manned a"d sent to our assistance. Many of the children on board had their | clothing catch fire, and some of them were severely burned. A lamp which l carried in my hand into the tankroom, l which is back of the fre-room, and sep aratcd by 2 board partition, brought back into the fre-room and put it down. l am sure the fire could not have origi- hated from the lamp, as the oil would not explode nor burn without wick. l Engincer Weeks put on 8 full head of steam, I am told, in response to a signal from the captain, and then climbed up among the machinery and was seen standing on the upper deck trying to raise the valve so that the steam could escape and an explosion bs l averted. We never carried over thirty four pounds ofsteam. Engineer Weeks son was a fireman on the boat, and at | the time the fire started was watching 1 the steam and water indicators, The only membs rs of the crew I understand are Llissing is Josiah Hasbrouck. the cook, and his grandson, Charles Has, brouck, who was employed on the boat. l We had crew of about four deck hands, one deck-boy, m engineer, two | firemen, the captain, clerk a wheels man, ,a superintendent,a 8 porter, stewart and the cook. The crew did their duty and few of them lost their presence of mind. You can imagine how cool they l were when she clerk, who was collect l ing fafes, as soon as he realized the boat was on fire, returned to his office and secured all the money he had left there.
 AmoEg our passengers were Richard | O'Gorman and one or two of the Har- pers-I mean the publishers. The vessel burned like finder after once the flames started. Some of the sights
 were pitiful. Morris, our porter, saw l child lying on its back and was goinC to | n hnar rd tn bn,, o
 tic woman clutched his arm, and saying:
 You are strong man and l a woman without any friends on board. For Gods l sake help me-" He left the child to it's | fate, I believe, and saved the woman. The | only one of the Seawanhaka's boats got out was one which had canvas fast
 ened over 1t. After the canvas was got off, the body of a chill about two years old was found lying in some water in the bottom of the boat. Nobody seemed to know how it got tEere After most exhausted, but the doctors soon revived me by pouring some iiquor down my throat A lady was climb ing down a ladder leading from the promenade deck to the main deck, but as the ladder is a pretty hard thing for man to get down on at any time, she fell into the gangway amid. the | flames. Myself and about half 8 dozen others rescued her, and burnt my Land. I saw butcher who belongs either at Great Neck CT Sands Point jump overheard with an asparagus box. The last saw of him he was going under the wheel. Several others who went over forward also went under the paddle-wheels."
 Flower Fashions.