National Republican., 1880-06-29
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Passenger Steamer Burned in the
East River.
From Thirty to Fifty Lives Lost-Detnils o'
the eCatustrophc-Causoo OF tho Fire Un-
known The Boat Reached Two
Hundred Yards from Shore
List of Victims us Far as
Can be Ascertained.
A Repetition of tho Narrasansst, Horror


COLLEGE PoIST, j.. l., June 2s.--The
steamer SeawonhaSA was burned to tho waters
edge off College Point at 3 o'clock this after.
noon. The steamer Osseo saved the majority
of her passengers, but about forty were lost
The Seawanhaka plies between New York,
Sands Point and Roslyn.
The Seawanhaka took fire AT 4:30 o'clock
this afternoon, while of Randalps island,
East river Tho fro was caused by an explo-
sion in the engine-room and the middlB of tho
steamboat was soon in flames. Pilot Charles
Smith remained at his post until he was
nearly burned TO death, and succeeded in
bcachiup tho vessel on the sunken meadow
adjoining the island. Many persons sprang
overheard and were drowned. Many others
in the stern of the vessel could not get of and
were burned 10 death. OF the 500 persons
supposed to be on board, ffly are believed TO
have pcrished.
The bodies of about thirty dead persons
were recovered. Only those cf DE Beboise, q
wealthy gentleman whose residence is un-
known, and of Mary Reed. young woman,
were identified. Among the persons of prom
inence known to be on board were Charles A.
Dana, editor of the Sun; s. l.. N. Barlow Of
the World, and Il. II. Rochester of the West
ern Uunion telegraph company, and Colonel
w. r. Chase, all of whom were saved. The
vessel was burned to the waters edge, and
will be total loss. Tho steamer Granite
State rescued thirteen passengers, and the
Osseo q large number, who were taken TO Col
lege point
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
NEW YORK, Juno 2S.-Anotber account
from passenger says there were $50 passen-
gers on board. All went well until tho steamer
had passcd He'll Gate, when the fire alarm
rang out aud flames were discovered bursting
through the pilot-house. The officers and
crew assured the passengers that there was no
danger, aud the boat was headed for Randal's
island. She grounded on o bar 200 feet from
The shore Those of the passengers unpro-
vidcd with lle-prcservors were saved by cling
ing to the guards paddles and other portions
of the steamer. The body of Abe Skidmore,
n momber of AN old Long island family, has
been recovered and brought to the Coleman
house. in this city. This Information expresses
the belief that the less of lite is about thirty.
STATEMENT OF THE FIREMAN.
Charles Abeel, one Of the firemen Of the
boat makes the following statement: "We
made our landing at the foot of Thirty.third
street at 430 o'clock, and 1t was about fif-
teen minutes later when we reached Little
Hell Gate. / was sitting IN the wing or port
gangway after having started the blge pump,
when | heard a noise, and on looking around
saw FIRE pouring out of the fre-room. l got
up and tried to make my way into the fire.
room, but tho flames werc too much for me.
We were just OFT Randalfs island, aud running
forward, / yelled to tho captain, who was
at tho wheel, To head for shore, but he
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 that the vessel was on fro then,
rs no smoke or fame was blown in that di.
rection. At that timo the woodwork of the
vessel about her centre was burning like
tinder, and tho flames were making
their way toward both ends Of the boat.
There We're probably about 300 persons on
board. Men were jumping from the hurricane
deck into tho water and q large number OF
terrified children and women were huddled
near the stern of tho boat / climbed over
the rail noar the bow aud several men almost
jumped upon mo before l took to water to
save myself / found a lifo-prcserver floating
near me and was going to put it on when q
man cutched it, and | knowing could swim
and thinking he could not, let him have it
and swan for Wards island, which reached,
and then helped to man a bont and assisted In
picking up passengers in the water. The
Seawanhaka was finally beached OH Randai's
island, but she SOON burned to the waters
edge. Captain Charles p. Smith was ut the
wheel ard 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,
the Ossco, MinnohannOck and Sylvan
Glen had boats manned and sent
to our assistance. The clothing of many
children on board caught fire and some OF
them were severely burned. A lamp which
carried in my hand into the tank-roOn, which
is back of the tlre.Ioom and separated by q
board partition, wheic | changed my clothes
i brought back into the fre-rOom and sci
down. / am sure the fire could not have origi
mated from the lamp, as the oil would not OK
plode nor burn without a wick. You could
put some of the oil in saucer and II would no,
burn if you put n match TO it, Therefore
feel certain IL could not have caused the fire
and | cannot imagine what did. Engineer
Weeks put on full head of steam, l am told
in response to signal from the captain and
then climbed up among the machinery and was
seen standing on thG upper deck trying to raise
the valves so that the steam could escape and an
explosion DO avoided We never carried oven
thrty-four pounds Of steam.
Engineer Weeks sou was fireman on the
boat, and at the time the fro started was
watching the steam aud water Indicator. The
only members Of the crew understand miss
ing are Josiah HnsbrOuck cook and his grand.
son CHARLES llasbrouck, who was employed
on the boat. We had crew OF about four
deck hands, ono deck boy, engineer, two fire
men, captain, clerk, superintendent wheel
man, superintcndOnts clerk, porter steward
and cook. Tho crew did their duty like
men, aud few Of them lost their presence OF
mind You can imagine how cool they wero,
whom the clerk, who VAS collecting fares as
returned to his office, and secured all tho
money he had left there.
"Am0ng our passengers were Richard O'Gor-
man, two Of the Harpers, publishers, and o
number Of other gentlemen who are in the
habit of going TO thsr homes on the Long
Island shore by our boat, All of these bo-
lleve escaped with thoir lives The vessel
burned like powder after tho flames once
started, and il was terrible scene. Shroking
women and children were huddod aft until
some Of their clothes caught fire, and those on
the forward part Of tho boat We're men, some
OF whom bad been cut of from communicating
with or going 10 the rescue of thoir female rel
Rtiyes and friends by tho flames, which burnt
fGrcest about the centre OF the boat.
Mr.. Morris, our porter, saw n child lying on Its
back and was going tojump overheard TO savo
1t when frantic woman clutChed his
arm, saying, You als strong man aud q
woman without any friends on board For
Gods sake, help NO. The porter left tho
child 10 itself and saved the woman. The only
one OF the seaWnhaka's boats gotten out was
one which had u canvas fastened over IT,,
After the canvas was taken of the body of q
child, about two years old, was found lying in
some wafer in the bottom of tho beat No.
body seemed to know how ii got there. After
got on RandalPs island | WAS almost OK
bausted. A lady who fell into tho gangWay y