New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-31
END OF ONE INVESTIGATION.

begin until about 1O30 yesterday The nrst Wit
ness Edward Abeel the fireman OF the seawanhsks,
who lives at Bayve. l.. /. His testimony rs fol-
lows:
81 not in the tre-room, but in the midshp gang
way on the port side whom the fire broke out heard
q Of umb ng noise and then the sound ~ escaping
steam. then noticed the flames coming mp around the
boiler and In the engine-room was near tbe frero0m
door, The engineer said something TO lis the other
fireman, who watching the steam and water. As
soon as the FIRE was discovered started for the Are
room, hut the flames hot tbat couldn't 90
down. then hurried forward, and calling the steward
told him that the boat all in flames. Then went
deck and found the mate trying to uoloose horse.
told him do that the horse, II loose. might
kill some of the passengers. think 1t was five minutes
from tie time 1 the fire 10 the time the boat was
beached. 1t might have been more or less. Jumped
overheard before she struck. had all could do 10
get ashore myself and did not help anyone else.
have been fireman for twelve or fourteen years,
the d. X. Martin, and Arrowsmth and the seawan"
haka had been the last steamer about five years
1 think that hole blown in a tube or the crown
Of the boiler and that the steam then forced tho
fire through the crate into the fre-room. was COM
peed jump overheard on account OF the
heat. Some Of the people had life-prcseryers,
and some did not. when left The ireroom
half full OF water had not been ont ~ the Brer0om
lowed to carry forty POUNDS OF steam The engineer
however never allowed US to carry over thItyfonr
thrty-fou pounds. Toe boat was very fast-running
sixteen or eighteen miles an hour"
To juryman the witness said that there were two
nremen-hlmself aud Francis II. Weeks, the son Of the
engineer. They aternaled In the work oi ong and OK
the witness was watching the when the fire
discovered. We put fresh coal the hre at Thirty
gas to explode for were too far from me last
landing. The heat Of the fire vas what we eau White
came up between the engine and 1rerocms When
came OF the re-room there was water in the ash
Had you received any orders as to your duties
in case OF Il fire any other accidentP
In case Of fire was expected TO do al could TO
save life had received orders but under
6Sey SGGa na5 s c Was always
length OF hose fastened to the donkey pump for use In
to run the boat ashore. shouted to nm: For Gods
sake Captain run her ashore The boats all On hre"
81 see that Captain Smith denied also that 'boss'
Weeks told him 70 beach her; m think she n, might
don't know how she steered, and may be mistaken IL
this opinion"
COULD THE BOAT HAVE BEEN BEACHED SOONER
Charles A. then called. and said that he hved
in Cove In to questions by The Coroner and
jurymen he told the following story OF the disasters
"Inever a stakeholder or part owner Ia the Sea-
wauhaka for thought that the stock was worth
anything 90 the afternoon the boat took fire. was
sitting In cabin the saloon deck, aft the wheel
the port side. Mr.. Barlow, Mr.. Hitchcock and Mr.
owens were there and Mr.. Barlow and were playing
cards On glaneing out OF the window some
light smoke il from burning wood aOating out over
He'll Gate said that there was fire. but Mr. Barlow
said that he didnt think We got up and on going
out fire licking the woodwork OF the case-
ment around the boiler. After that Mr. Barlow was the
only one ofthe three whom again before reaching
the shore.
began to tear down the Stats that held up the life
preservers while Mr. Barlow told the people TO keep
quiet for there danger. gave one TO young
lady w.o put 1t on wrong aud then faasteDed IL on
her. then took lfc-preseryer on my arm ard wens
down stairs 10 the after part the port side Of the boat
outside OF railing Presently crowd Of people came
climbing down from the saloon deck aud rushed QUO
into tho ladies cabin several persons whom
1 knew, and among them was the young lady upon
whom I had fastened the life preserver upstairs-s
Miss Ward.
Mr. Daus what Is to be done now, she asked
"I told her to get as far forward along the rail-
water Then would have only a short distance
10 Jump. That the last saw OF her stayed on the
bo,t mil abe beached and nearly a.. The bad
gore When gong by the end OF Wards Island
an immense number jumped of the boat and as far as
tho water easily, and found 1t hard swimming. Tho
paddle wheels were s going aud the irr had reached
Tals all occurred rapidly that It was hard to do or
saw or think deal. We were beaclcd ~ not over
four minutes after discovered. aud In two
minutes more al The PASSENGERS were on OF the oo"s
"Do you thi'k the boat could have been beIehcd be-
fore she was ?" asked.
1T would have been impractcdble. think. At
time Thought Captain smith going to Try 10 beach
her on the end of Wards Island. We were In
shallow near the shore and the boat careeneda
good deal. The OF bleaching the boat was very
complicated by the presence IN the river o. other
possible thing to do Mr. Hitchcock didn't have To SWIM
al all and some only got their legs wet
"The sound Of the explosion or whatever was was
not loud enough 20 attract my notice Tie boat was
we'll zed. and the men we're well They
knew eir business aud worthy OF all confidence.
have been riding back aud forth on the boat Tor long
time aud dont know man Of the oicers and crew Of
whom can't speak In terms OF praise. There wa
time for assistance from the nrcpparatus The hre
pnnp or water could have pat In four minutes
we we're oeached aud In twenty-five minutes more tn
boat a wreck" - a.,
Have you any explanation OF the cause OF the fire -
None unless gust OF wind caused hack dIaughi In
boiler can't how the wheels OF the boz could con-
tnue working even after she stopped on the meaows
mluv eaped from the pOr;sde OF the boat especially
as she passing the end OF Wards Isatd The only
way 10 guard against such accident is 10 nave no
wood work exposed anywhere near the furnaces ana
boilers"
WHAT WAS DONE FOR THE RESCUED.
DR. f. Macdonald " no Is IN charge OF the AsylumoN
Wards Island. was the third witness 81 was IN Ey
room," be said " when heard shouting that
steamer was fire. Jumped up. for 1 abed NJ
the time. dressed aud ran down stairs l called the
Police Central Office, ordered the TO get the neces
sary supplies. and went down TO the beach while was
| dressing, could see people jumping on when she
passed the point she careened she touched the bot
After that didn't see much OF what was going on.
because aud my physciaDs had all we could DO to AZ
tend to the injured and partially drowned was gtad
10 see that CAPITA Smith did not try TO beach tne non
| on Wards Island. He would have been Obliged 70
swerve around to beach her head o. ana tne
dsrance would been longer than tue distance 70
the Meadows don't think there was any need Oh ,he
loss Of single life II people hadn't Jumped overheard
until she as grounded Then there were Others siso
whe were dszed that they couldn't leave the ooss
aWers there any thieves around. as has been rs-
pOrtedr T. 49,. ., ,,,, ,,,,s,.,sn.
took on his SHIRT 20 20 In the water ad when no came
| hack the shirt and studs were stolen.
one OF the saserooms when he saw light SMOKE out.
.das Ar the same time" he continued, heard Q
I'm, exnloson ike the ba sting OF paper bag Whats
that said. IT'S nothing said Mr. Barlow We scoa
saw n VAS and began 10 take down the hfe pre-
ssr,ers Then went down stairs ana asked the clerk
| a. Eie,a what WAS 10 be done, aBd he re