The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-06-30
rArne al 80 nslI

We mAue the lAnolng ~ The foot OF
Thirty-third street at 4:30; It was about
fifteen minutes later when we reached
Little Hall Gate. l was sitting in a
wing or part Of the gangway. after hav-
ing started the hilge pump. when {
beard . noise, and. on looking around.
saw fine pouring out Of ths fire room. I
got up and tried 10 make my way into
the fire noon, but the flames were too
much for ma. We were just on Ran
dall's island, and running forward. I
yelled TO the captain, who Was at the
wheel. 10 head for the shore. but lac
shouted back that he could not. Then
ran into the cabins forward and urged
the steward and Passengers To save
themselves They did not suspect the
vessel was OF FIRE then. rs nc smoke or
fame was blown in that direction. At
that time the woodwork Of the vessel
about her center was burning like tin
der and the flames were making their
way towards both ends Of the boat.
There were probably about 800 per-
sons ON board. Men were jumping into
the water from the hurricane deck, and
n large number Of terrified women aud
children were huddled together near
the stern Of the boat. climbed over
the rail near n boat and several men
almost jumped upon me before I took
TO the water 10 ave myself. found n
life preserve floating near me, and was
going TO put II on, when q man named
Charles Hasbrouck, who was employed
on the boat, elutched IT. and I, know
ing that l could swim and thinking he
could not, LET him have IL and swan for
Wards island. which I reached, and
then helped 10 man n boat and assisted
In picking up the passengers In tho
water.
The Seawanhaka was finally beached
On Randall's island, but soon burned TO
the waters edge. Capt. Charles p.
Smith was ut 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. Osseo, Mlnnehannock and
Sylvan Glen had boats manned and sent
10 u assistance.
"The clothing Of many Of the chill
dren on board took fire, and some OF
them were severely burned. Engineer
Weeks put on q full head Of steam, l
am told. in response 10 q signal from
the captain, and then climbed up
among the machinery and was seen
standing on the upper deck trying 10
raise the valves SO that the steam could
escape and an explosion he avoided. He
never carried over thirty-four pounds OF
steam.
ave had n crew OF four deck hands,
one deck boy. engineer, two nremen,
captain, clerk, superintendent, wheels
man, superintendent's clerk, porter.
steward and cook. The crew did their
duty like men and few OF them lost
their presence Of mind. You a mag
inc how cool they were when the clerk,
who was collecting fares, rs soon as he
realized that the boat was on fire re-
turned to his Office and secured all the
money he had left there.
"Among u passengers were Charles
A. Dana, Richard o. German, 5. L. N.
Barlow, one or two Of the Harpsrs,
publishers, and a number Of other gen.
tlemen whose names / cannot ~recollect,
but who were in the habit Of going to
their homes along the island shore by
u boat. All the gentlemen I have
named. I understand, escaped.
"The vessel burned like powder after
once the flames started, and 1t was n
terrible scene. ~Shrieking women and
children huddled aft until their clothes
caught FIRE, and those on the forward
part OF the boat were men, who were
cut off from communicating with or
going to the rescue Of their female re-
latives and friends by the flames. which
burned fiercest about the center of the
boat. Mr.. Moires, our porter, saw n
child floating on its back, and was going
to jump overheard to save 1t, when n
frantic woman clutched his arm, say
ing: You r n strong man, and ] n
woman without any friends on board.
For Gods sake help me- The porter
left the child to itself and, I believe,
saved the woman.
"The only one OF the Seawanhaka's
boats got out was one which had can
vas fastened over 1t. The canvas was
got of, and the body Of child about two
years old was found lying In the water
in the bottom OF the boat. Nobody
seemed to know how It got there"
Charles Smith, captain Of the Sea-
wanhaka, was found In the hospital on
Randall's island, suffering from severe
burns about the arms and face. He
said:
about 4:30 / heard n low, dull re-
port or explosion. As quick as thought
| turned TO Q what was the matter,
when l saw the vessel was in flames
about amidships. l saw the steamer
Granite State on my starboard side and
a tow on my port side. On finding that
my steamer was on fire I Immediately
headed her for the sunken meadoys