Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-06-29
EASTERN DISPATCH rs
ANofHRR CALAMITY.
Burning OF . steamer-Fifty Lives
Lost-Particulars Of the Disas.

waters edge Oh College OIL 81 D p. n
The Osseo saved the majority OF hei
passengers. but about forty were lost
The seawanhaka Is quite q large steamer
and leaves New York daily at 4 P. NJ. fol
Roslyn, Long Island, and intermediate
points. She usually carried q large
number OF passengers. -.
The steamboat Seawanhaks. which
ran from Peak Slip up the Sound "a
Glen Cove, took Are at 4:30 this after.
noon, while of Randall's Island, East
river. The Are was caused by an sIplo.
sion In the engins.room, and the middle
of the boat wal soon in flames.
Pilot Charles Smith remained at bis
post until nearly burned to death, and
succeeded in Bleaching the vessel on q
sunken meadow adjoining the Island.
MANY persops sprang overheard and
were drowned. Many others In the
stern Of the vessel could not get Of and
were burned to death. OF 500 persons
supposed to DO on board. fifty are sup.
posed to have persisted. The bodies OF
about thirty dead persons have been
removed. Only those OF DR.. Bsboise. .
wealthy gentleman, residence unknown,
and OF Mary Reed. q young woman.
were identified. Among the saved are
Charles A. Dana, editor Of the Sun; 3.
L. Barlow. Colonel w. r. Chase. and
R. II. Rochester, Treasurer Of the West.
ern Union Telegraph Company. The
vessel burned to the waters edge.
Another account, by q passenger, says
there were about $50 on board. All
went we'll till He'll Gate was passed,
when q Are alarm rang out, and the
flames were discovered bursting through
the pilot house. The officers and crew
assured the passengers there was no
danger and headed the boat for Ran.
dali's Island. She grounded on a bar
about 200 feet from shore. The steamer
Granite State. passing ct the time.
picked up thirteen passengers and one
dead body. which landed ct Whitestons.
The steamer Osseo rescued o majority
Of the passengers and proceeded with
them 10 College Point. Those without
life prsssrvsrs saved themselves by cling.
ing To the guards, paddles and other
sheltered parts OF the boat. The body
OF Abe Skidmors. OF the well.known
Long Island family, was recovered and
10 now at the Coleman House. In this
city. The Seawanhaka left the city each
afternoon after tho closing Of business
hours for various places OF popular 70.
sort on the Sound, and many well.known
citizens sailed in her every day for their
summer residence.
Charles Abel, one OF the fremen OF
the boat, was found on o pier ct the foot
OF Peak Slip, from which the Seawan.
haka went this afternoon He said: We
made . landing at the foot Of Twenty.
third street ut 80 o'clock. II was ten
minutes later when We reached Little
He'll Gate. was sitting In the wing or
port gangvay. after starting q bilge
pump, when ! heard O noise. and on
looking around saw q FIRE puring out Of
the Areroom. I got up and tried to
make my way into the freroom. but the
were too much for me. We were
Just Of Randall's Island, and running
forward I yelled to the captain. who was
the wheel. TO head for the shore. but
be shouted back that he could not; !
then ran into the cabin forward and
urged the steward and passengers to
save themselves. They did not suspect
the vessel was on FIRE then. as no smoke
or flame was blowing In that direction.
At that time the wood work OF the yes.
sci about the center was burning like
and the flames were making their
way toward both ends Of the boat.
There were probably about 800 persons
on board. Men were jumping from the
hurricane deck into the water and Q
large number OF terrified women and
children were huddled near the bow, and
men almost jumped upon me
I took to the water. found .
pressrvsr near me and was going to
put Il on when q man clutched 1t, and /
I could swim and thinking hs
could not, let him have II, and swam for
Island, which ] reached, and
hen helped to man q boat and assisted
in picking up passengers in the water.
The Ssawanhaka was finally beached on
Island, but soon burned to
he waters edge. /
Captain Charles P. Smith wal at
The wheel and stuck to his post to the
His face and body were badly
Small boats came to the rescue
rom every direction. Tho steamboats,
Granite State, bound for Hartford, the
Osseo, Minnesnock and Sylvan Glen
had boats manned and sent to our assis.
.ance. The clothing Of many children
IN board took FIRE and some OF them
Wsrs severely burned. Engineer Weeks
put ON q full head Of steam. I told him
respond to the signal from the Cap.
.ain and then climbed up among the
and was standing on the up.
per deck trying to raise the valves so the
steam could escape and an explosion be
We never carry over thirty.four
Of steam. The only members OF
he crew. ! understand. who are missing
ire Josiah Hasbroutk, the cook, and his
grandson, Charles Hasbrouck, who was
Employed on the boat. We had a crew
four deck hands. q deck boy. an
engineer and two frsmen. the captain,
clerk, superintendent, supsrintsndsnt's
,lsrk, wheslman, Q porter, steward and
,ook. The crew did their duty like
men, and few OF them lost their pres
,noe Of mind. You can imagine how
,ool they were when the clerk. who was
collecting his fares. as soon as DO found
hat the boat was on ire. returned to
bis Office and secured all the money no
had left there.
Among the passengers were Chaflsa
4. Dana, Richard O'Gorman, 8. L. N.
Barlow, one or two Of the Harpers' pub.
and o number OF other gentle.
men whose names ! can't recollsct, but
Rho were In the habit OF going to their
,omss along the island shore BY our
boat. All Of the gentlemen / have
I understood, escaped. The
rssssl burned like powder after once the
lanes started, and It was q terrible
Icens. Shrieking women and children
aft until their clothes caught
Ire and those on the forward part Of the
,oat were men who were cut of from
IL. decentralization -ttk ~ ootnn a.