New-York tribune., 1880-06-29


explosion preceded the flames. but the
&euse pt Il could not be assertained. There
Were ovot 800 passengers on board.
Dapfain Smith ran The boat ashore on o small
lSland called che Snnkan Meadows. Many
persons from the neiRhboring islands went
~ the assistance of the passengers on
HE burning boat, but It is feared tbat 6fty
lives were lost Sixteen bodies had been re-
stovcked 1T late hour last night.
HOW THE DISASTER OCCURRED.
~ UNExRLAISEp xxPL0sI0S OFF wARD's ISLAND
THE tEAwAkHAxA RUN ASHORE AT suNKEN
nRxppws IN gI-AMge-rERRoB OF THOSE ON
noA1p Bow soNE LIVES wxas SAVED
The stoAmboat Seawanhaka, running during the
nunafner months from Pscl-slp iu this city to Glen
cove. i. I. was steamink up the Fast River past
Wat1s Islnud at 4:30 p. NJ. yesterday when
s }As pereons on board were startled by
s skefps loud explosion under the lower deck
Z uear ttc engine toopa. The explosion was followed
. ln,ns<iistsly by u Gre. The flames broke ont be-
eath me pilot house aud spread with great rapidity
thfvesa tbs ssafsrooms in the middle part OF the
xpet Tbs greatest confusion prevailed among the
snssts and crew Of the boat. Persons who
vS16S S q the forward part of the bot at
~ i "a of che explosion crowded toward the bow
s. <66aps tho heat Of the flames, and those on the
taekWaxd Fart Aed to the stern. The panic was SO
I6foat 1ha& women and children were knocked down
Sn3 tfamplodon the decks, or were pushed over the
into the water Many Of jumped over
booxd. Homs Of them we're drowned; others swan
eshofs, or wero picked up by boats on the river.
The esswanhaks was under fun neadway at the
time Of the accident, and the iire dd
not decrease her speed at once. The en-
e5ucer, Edward Weeks fled from the en-
eine room altar the explosion with his garments
q 6ro hat ON seeing the condition of the weasel he
rUturncd to his poss for time and endeavored to
keen tie paddle wheels in motion The f&mes
eined the upper decks of the steamboat in so short
time that ii was impossible to lower any OF the
lifgboats The life-preservers were also stored IN
The sentral part OF the boat and most of them were
eoon beyond reach.
The captain Of the steamer. Charles p Smith.who
Acted as the pc4 showed the greatest GOODNESS and
! bravery daring the panic. He was IN the pilot
honse when the flames were FIRST discovered, and he
dsfermned 10 run the vessel ashore. He turned the
INV toward tine shore Of Wards Island.
s hut remembering that the shore there was
rocky ana tearing that the BOAT might strike and
rebound back again into the stream he changed his
course toward the Snnken Meadows small msrshy
island little to the north of Wards Island. The
flames crept up about the pilot house. but the cap
tain remained at his post and kept the vessel to its
coursc. The paddle-wheels stopped moving and
se boat drifted slowly with propelling force ex-
oeps it, own momentum. Captain Sraith's feee and
3s i1es 61isoersd BY the aazans- which erspt op
k1 mint bff 81 kset hold Of the wheel
~ ss1x a the sseamsr sfuek fast In the
10 the meantime the scene on the burning boat
hsti become appalling. The flames had shot up
sboye the upper decks. and the passengers were
swannipg over the bow and the stern. Inc e'o,n-
inc of many was on fire as they dropped into the
water Msny were struck motionless with fright,
anJ apparently were burned alive on the decks.
The All was filed with the screams OF the living ana
the greans Of the dying. ..
AZ scon as the boat reached the shore of the
sunkcf Meadow, the persons on the bow jumped
into the marsh and most Of them waded TO dry and'
lev who escaped alive from the steamboat. within
lew feet of the land, were trainped down 10 per
ian In tho weeds at the waters edge. NO
rbocs was left to the passengers in the stem OF the
s s,,at excsut to iamp into the water be burned
.a,ye. Hundreds of persons seen struggllngi In
x,n water. Those who were able TO swim made their
rav 20 The shore and many others were rescued by
7 fnats Assurance was given to the neip-
yrsss as soon as possible. The burning
stenmer had been sighted by the inmates
of fhc Insane Asylum, the Homeopathic Hospital,
ana the Emigration Hospital on Wards Island ana
~ persons on Randaips Island. BOATS nom sne
tv, lslands were dispatched quickly. Several row.
I,oass were near the mcsdow when the seawanhaks
3 - ran ashore, snd one or two Sound steamers
aeon ned "a lend assistance The rescuers worked
rim 4 win. and beatloads Of men. women and
,h.lslren were soon ON their way 10 tne hom1o-
r,athic Hospital ON Wards Island anf 70 the House
& 81 Refuge on Randsips Island.
III, a. y. Mcdonald, medical superintendent OF
tl.s juaane asylum had been lying LII all day from
q. attack or cholera morbus' out "hen
news Of the disaster reached MN no
.rt On hs clothes and bastcned to the burning Doa'
2 ia ordered ont supplies and apparatus ior
.Ss..,s- - s5e and eaw all she boats belong
90 - the Island properly manned for the
<sss,,,s He then examined the persons who were
,,sskea 10 from tife water, and WORKED
( Ss.1 : ~ 3 restore consciousness to them.
8 ~ sswm assisted in this work by Dr.
3ys,ii2mson. Of the Homeopathic Hospital
s,,a lbis staff aud DIR. seaman, Of the Emgrat'on
Deoartment. Many Of the fescued persons were
1ssrng from exhaustion or severe ouras inu 'ooy oo
S,ss,> ,snt "a the Homeopathic Hospital Nearly SOO
~ ~ nan we're on q meadow mt the northern ena
u Ward,s Il Island when the steamer was
z ..s.rhsd. They were greatly excited by tne
s.s~esele and many Of them ran 10
80 aaore within Q few hundred Ieet
q tfn burnsne boat As some OF the suryiVc's sven
t.vAsa tina island. the insane men helped .nelu
esore. often springug into the water In tne'r ea-
nnxuess 10 be Of service.
a snail sail boot which wss steered 70 ,ne soe"e
z tts disaster was capsiSed by . number on pr
,s yho endoayored TO climb IN IT from tne Mase. =.
5foet II the survivors who escaped without ~.
<syv 0ers taksn to ward's Island and tnsnce
q ~ city. Others crossed to the city
@,.ra Rsndalps Island In small boats. No
vsSe,d AZ count Of the persons saved could be
- ,rrSs Ara ft was impossible 70 estimate the
4 &s,r,n,er cf thoss who perished. II wac believed.
< syer. fh1& more than dfty perpons were either
{ SySsrrsd q buxned TO death. The ssteamboat
"A s rs wsters edge the flames from the