The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-29
ANOTHER SOUND DISASTER
AN EXCURSION STEAMER BURNED
TO THE WATER'S EDGE.
Finy Persons are Relieved to Have
PerIshed In the FLAMES, or Drown.
ed-rhIrty Dead Bodies he.
covered "A PiIot'a
HeroIsm.

New York, June 9s.-The steamboat
Seawanahaka, which ran from Peck'sS Slil
up the Sound to Glencove. L. l., took fire
at 4:S0 this afternoon while of Randall'i
Island, East river. The fire was caused
by an explosion in the engine room, and
the middle OF the steamboat was soon in
flames.
Pilot Charles Smith remained at his pos
until he was nearly burned to death, and
succeeded in Bleaching the vessel on q
sunken meadow adjoining the island
Many persons sprang overheard and were
drowned; many others in the stern Of the
vessel could not get off and were burned
to death. OF 500 persons supposed to have
been on board, fifty are believed to have
persisted.
The bodies Of about thirty dead per-
sons have been recovered. Only those OF
DR.. Beboise, wealthy gentleman, resi-
dence unknown, and OF Mary Reed, a
young woman, were identified. Among
the saved are Chas. A. Dana, editor OF the
San, S. L. NJ. Barlow, Col. W. R. Chase
and B. II. Rochester, Treasurer Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company.
The vessel burned to the waters edge.
Another account by passenger, who
says that there were about $50 persons on
board, and that all went well until He'll
gate vas passed, when an alarm OF fire
rang cut, and the flames were discovered
bursting through the pilot-house. The
officers and crew assured the passengers
that there was no danger, and headed the
boat for Randall's island. She grounded
on a lar about 200 yards from from shore.
The steamer Granite State, OF the Hart
ford line, passing at the time, picked up
thirteen passengers and one dead body,
which were landed at Whitestone. The
steamer 0sseo rescued majority OF the
passer gers and proceeded with them to
College Point. Those without life pre-
servers saved themselves by clinging to
the guards, paddles and other sheltered
parts Of the boat.
The body OF Allie Skidmore, OF we'll
known Long Island family, was recovered
and Ia now at the Coleman House this
city. The Seawanahaka left the city each
afternoon after the close OF business hours,
for various places and popular resorts
along;h Sound, and many well known
citizeLs sailed in her every day for their
summer residences.
Charles Abel, one OF the firemen Of the
boat, was found on the pier fIOt oil Peek
Slip, from which Seawanahake went this
afternoon. He said, we made our land
ing at foot OF rhirty.lhid street at 4:30
o'clock, and II was about 10 minutes
later when we reached Little He'll
Gate, was sitting in the wing or
port gsngsay, after having started the
biIye pump, whFn heard IA noise, aud on
looking around SAW fire pouring ont OF
the fire room. got up aud tried To make
my way into the lire room, but the tIames
were too much for me. We were just of
Randall's Island. aud running forward l
yelled to the Captain, who was at the
wheel, To head for shore, but he
shouted back Sthst 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 on tire then, NJ no smoke
or flames WIS blown in that direction. At
that time the woodwork o! the vessel in
and about her centre was bnrntng
like finder, and the flames
were msking their way toward
both ends Of the boat. There were pr0ba-
bly about tnreO hundred on board. Men
were Jumping from the hurricane deck
into tho water, and large number OF wo-
men and children were hnddlcd near the
stern OF the boat. climbed over the rail
near the bow, and several men almost
jumped upon me before took TO the
water to save myself.
I founda life preserver floating near me,
and was going to put 1t on when man
clutched It, and knowing | could swim,
and thinking he could not, let him have
Il, and swan for Wards Island, which l
reached and then helped TO man
the boat and assisted In picking mp the
passengers in the water. The Seawanallaka
was finally beached Oh Randalls island,
but soon burned TO the waters edge.
Capt, Chas. ?. Smith was at the wheal,
and stuck to his post 10 the last; his face
and body were burned.
|
every direction; and the steamers Granite,
bound for Hartford, Osseo, Minnehaunock
and Sylvan Glen had boats manned and
sent to our assistance.
Clothing OF many children on board the
boat was on fire, and some OF them were se-
verely burned. Engineer Aleeks put on
full head OF steam, am told, in response
to signal from the Captain, and then
climbed up among the machinery and was
seen standing on the upper deck trying TO
raise the valves 80 that the steam could
escape and an explosion be avoided, i.
We never carried over 81 pounds OF
steam. The only members ofthe crew l
understand are missing is Josiah Has
brouck, the cook, and his grandson Chas.
Hasbrouck, who was employed on the
boat. We had a crew OF four deck hands
on deck, boy, engineer, two hremen,-
captain, clerk, superintendent, wheelman,
superintendent's clerk, porter and steward
and cook. The crew did their duty like
men and few OF them lost their presence OF
mind.
You can imagiue how cool they were
when the clerk who was collecting fares as
soon as he realized that the boat was on
fire, returned to his office and secured all
the money he had left there.
Among the passengers were Charles A.
Dana, Richard 0'Gorman, S. L. N. Bar
low, one or two Of Harper's publishers,
aud number OF other gentlemen whose
names can not call, but who are in the
habit Of going to their homes along Long
Island shore by our boats. All
OF the gentlemen l have named,
l understood, escaped. The vessel
burned like powder after once the flames
started, and 1t was terrible scene.
Shrieking women and children huddled
aft until their clothes caught FIRE, and