The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-03
Il HUMAN HOLOCd EST.

~" -hohN"S thc SkCdIllCf CCa"Unlln
ka was burned to the waters edge il
New York harbor. The fire, suppos
ell to have been caused by an cxplo
sion Of gas III the furnace, burst out il
mid channel and tho flames wrapped
tho vessel before she could be beaclict
on Sunken Meadows. The passengers
and crew consisted Of about three
hundred, Of whom more than thirty
were destroyed by fire or by water
The most narrowing accounts were
given Of the accident, Of which the
following are specimens.
William Smith, one of the Scawan.
haka's crew was found on The 2Stl1
lust, and gave the following: "Iwas
walking about on the bow Of the steam
CT when the fire broke out, and first
noticed flames and smoke coming
through the doors of the forward cab
in. An instant later
HEARD a FEARFUL SHREK,
and all the passengers began to rush
forward. Then noticed that The fire
was spreading all over the boat.
There was Il regular panic among all
except tic deck hands, who began to
yell out to the passengers to prevent
them from jumping over board. Then
as the flames reached tho upper deck
the scene became horrible. The air
was filled with the shricks and plead
ings OF the women, while the men
rushed madly about in terror, not
knowing what to do. Hundreds of
life preservers were torn from their
places and thrown into the crowd on
deck. which seemed too much para
lyzed to net. The fire was lcaping up
to the promenade deck aud the passeli-
gcrs flung themselves away lIcadlong
to tho main deck, in some cases being
stunned by the fall. The deck hands
were as cool as though we were mere
~ making q landing. Suddenly the
steamer Granite State steamed up and
a great cheer went up from the pas
sengcrs who rushed to the side Of the
Seawanhaka and began to bcckon and
scream for help. But the fire had
spread so much that it would have
been mere madness tor the other
steamer 10 come near us, so she stop
ped for minute and thon passed OH.
THEN THE SITUATION BECAME DREAD
Full,
A few men deliberately stripped
themselves of all clothing and, plung-
Ing into the river, swan for the Ran
dall's Island shore. AS soon as the
rest saw this they began to jump over
board Notwithstanding the effort Of the
effort Of the crew to Keep them from
doing so. AS the flame spread every
man who wore the blue shirt Of q deck
hand was surrounded by Il crowd who
begged tor their lives as though we
could save them all. / was driven
right out on the extreme end of the
bow, and from this position I saw
sight which made me stagger. One
after another the frightened people
leaped into the water, some without
life prescrvers, while others stood
among the flames as motionless rs
statues. / think they must have been
sTUrEr1ED BY FRIGHT
and rendered unable to stir. One wo-
man saw with baby in her arms
right in tho midst Of the fire. She did
not do anything but scream. although
the flames swept around her like SO
many waves. She was being burned
slowly, and fell OH her knees with her
face turned upward and her hands
claspcd around her infant as though in
desperation. The unfortunate wo-
man must have been burned to q cin-
der, for the place where she Law was
literally licked by the fire, which was
driven with increased fury by the
wind cause by the tremendous speed
OF the steamer, which was heading for
RandalPs Island. l saw n stout man
hanging from the iron rod which runs
from the masthead to the bow. His
legs were dangling in the fire. but he
would not let go his hold on the rod.
bis wife stood beside him cncascd in Il
life Prcserver, and as she tried to pull
her husband down to Il place could
sec him shake his head as if refusing
to move. Finally tho woman had to
jump overheard, to save her own life
aud LETT her husband hanging in the
fire like dead man. The flames
twincd around his limbs, which began
to shrlvel and burn under the terrible
agony. The board was burned from
the mars thcc, but still he held on I'M
til ilalmost
ALL Ills CLOTHING WAS IN cINpERs.
Then he dropped upon the deck and
his body was burst open with the force
of The fall. When we struck Randalps
Island the decks were SO hot that cot
outside of the railing and clung to the
jackstaff on the bow. There were two
women who stood bcsid, me, and
when / told them to jump ,hry held on
to the rail all the harder. | then tore
them to jump into tho water, and
swan or waded ashore with them.
Then tho scenes were appalling, |
could hear the drowning mcm's voices
calling for the small boats to pick
them up, and few passengers could
still be seen Drawing The fire and smoke
on the Scawanhakn. On the shore the
passengers crowded around the dead
and those who had been saved. Encl
one wanted to do something to he'll
his ncighb0r, but the confusion was sc
great that few succeeded in doing any.
thing useful. think the loss Of lilt
must be great, for saw several pco
pie who jumped into the river struck
by the paddle wheel. There were be-
! sides large number who nnr;Shol 4,