The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-06-29
Last Nights Dispatches.

| ANoTEER TARRIaLE DISASTER.
The Steamer seawanahaka Burns and
Fifty Lives Lost.
COLLEGE POINT, L. |. June % The
steamer Seawanahaka burned to the
waters edge off College Point at P. n
The Osseo saved a majority OF the pas
seEgers. About forty were lost. The
Seawanahaka is quite large steamer and
leaves New York daily for Roslyn, L. l..
and intermediate points. She usually
carried large number OF passengers.
NEW YORK. June 2S.-The steamboat
| Seawanahaka. which ran from Peck slip
up the Sound to Glen Cove, Long Island,
took fire at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon,
| while off Randall Island, East River.
The fire was caused by an explosion in the
engine room. and the middle of the steam
boat was soon in flames. The pilot,
Charles Smith, emained at his post until
he was nearly burned to death and suc-
ceeded in Bleaching the vessel on sunken
sons sprang overheard and were drowned.
| Many others in the stern Of the vessel
could not get off and we're burned. to death.
Vt 500 persons supposed to be on board
| hfty are believed to have perished. The
bodies OF about thirty dead persons have
been recovered. Only those of DIR. De-
boise. a wealthy gentleman. residence
| unknown, and of Mary Reed, a young
| woman were identified Among the saved
are =. A. Dana, editor OF the San; s. L..
| M. Barlow, Col. w. Il. Chase, and x. III.
Rochester, treasurer of the Western
Union Telegraph Company. The vessel
burned to the waters edge.
Another account by q passenger says
there were about $50 aboard. All went
we'll until He'll Gate was passed. when the
fire alarm rang out and the flames were
discovered. Tho officers and crew assured
the passengers that there was no danger
and headed the boat for Randall's Island
She grounded on bar about 200 feet
| from shore. The steamer Granite State,
of the Hartford Line, passing at the time.
picked up thirteen passengers and one
dead body which landed at Whitestone.
| The steamer Osseo rescued majority of
the passengers and proceeded with them
| to College point. Those without life pre-
servers saved themselves by clipging to
guards, paddles and others sheltered
parts of the boat. The body of Abe Skid
more, of the we'll known Long Island
family was recovered and is now in this
city. The Seawanabaka left the city this
afternoon after the close of business hours
for various places of popular resort along
the Sound, and many we'll known citizens
| sailed in her every day for the summer
resorts. Charles Abel, one of the fire.
men of the boat, was found on the pier at
the foot of Peck slip. from which the Sea-
wanahaka went this afternoon. He said:
We made the landing at the foot of
Thirty third street at 4:30 and il was
about fifteen minutes latter when we
reached little He'll gate. l was sitting on
the wing or port gangway, after having
started the bilge pump, when l heard q
noise, and on looking around saw the fire
po2ring out of the fire room, but the
flames were too much for me. We were
Just off Randalfs Island, and running for
ward | called to the captain, who was at
the wheel, TO head for shore, but he
shouted back that he could not, l then
ran into the cabin and urged the steward
and passengers to save themselves. They
did not Inspect that the vessel was on fire
then, as no smoke or flames was blown in
that direction. At that time the wood
work of the vessel about the centre was
burning like tinder, and the flames were
making their way towards both ends Of
| the boat. There were possibly 300 per
sons on board, Men were jumping flom
| the hurricane deck into the water and q
large number of terrified women and
children were hudded nearsthe stern Of
the boat. climbed over the rail near the
bow and several men also jumped on ne
before | took TO the water to save myself.
| found life preserver floating near me
and was going to put it on. when q man
clutched it, and /, knowing could swim
and thinking he could not, let him have it
aud swan towards the island, which L
reached, and then helped many boat
and assisted in picking up passengers 10 the
beached on Randall Island, but soon
burnt to tho waters edge. Captain
| Charles Z. Smith was at the wheel and
stuck to his post to the last. His
face and body were badly burned.
Small boats came to the rescue from
every direction. The steamboats, Granite
State, bound for Hartford, the O5seo,
Minnahauock and Sylvan Glen, had boats
manned and sent TO our assistance. The
clothing of many children on board took
fire and some of them were severely
burned. Engineer Weeks put on full
head of steam, | am told, in response to q
signal from the Captain, and then climbed
up among the machinery and was seen
standing on the upper deck trying to raise
the valves so that the steam could escape
and an explosion be averted. We never
carried over thirty six pounds cf steam.
The only membe Of the crew. | under
stand, who are missing. are Josiah Has.
brouck, the cook. and his grandson, Charles
Hasbrouck, who was employed on the
boat. We had crew of four deck hands,
one deck boy, an engineer, two hremen,
caftair. clerk. superintendent. wheelDan
Isupe:i7tendeDt's clerk. porter, steward
aud cook The crew did .their duty like
u,eu ap ! few Of them iost their presence
OF mind. You can imagine how cool they
were when the clerk, who was collecting
flares, as soon as he realized that the boat
Twas on fire, returned to his Office and
secured all the money he had left there.
/ Among our passengers were Chas. Dana,
/ Richard O'Gorman, s. l.. Barlow, one or
two of the Harpers publishers, and 6
number of other gentlemen whose names |
cannot recolleot. but who were in the habit
of going to their homes along the Island
shore By our boat. All of the gentlemen
[ have named, understand escaped. The
vessel burned like powder after once the
flames started and was a terrible scene.
| Shrieking women and children huddled
aft until their clothing caught fire and
those in the forward part Of the boat were
men who were cut off from communicating