New-York tribune., 1880-01-17
DETAILS OF TINE DISASTER.

ship Compauys Line, from London, reached
her dock at HobOSen yesterday about half
pat 3 o'clock the afternoon The
eleven Grst-class passengers had been taken of
about o'clock in the morning rs tho steamer ay ont
m waiting until the tide should be favorable
for her 10 90 10 her dock. At tho time OF the ex-
posion the stcerage passengers numbering 12l were
going board barge TO be conveyed to Castle
Garden.
The officers and crew Of tho steamer engaged in
making her fast, and numerous longShofemen had
come on board to engage In unloading the
cargo Two OF their number, Patrick Dunn aud George
Wclch were removing the lower hatch which closed
compartment containing the steamers supply OF soft
coal. when a loud report and flying debris created
scene confusion The bodies OF these two men, VINO
were In the hatchway, were blown into the rigging
one ~ them falling the top OF the cbarthouse ana
bounding from thence to the main deck. The other
descended straight: through the haichway and fell
upon the coal Several OF the matches were also sent
H,ing through the air. One Of them was
thrown into the water over the SIDE OF the
vessel several fell upon the roof Of the dock house ana
one or two came down with a crash the main deck OF
the steamer. 4 trimmer. thrown above the main
stay OF the mast and coming down on ITS
end penetrated tho deck, end a smoking piece
Of tarpaulin. catching in its fight on the stay
OF the main topnast. was famed into q flame dense
volume OF smoke issued from the hatchway
and concealed the place OF the accident for
several moments from the view Of the
spectators. number OF men rushing from
the door leading TO tho deck below indicated that
the explosion had produced serious effects. They
had been work In tho hold ant several
of them had received burns and otner injuries. Com
ing through the door they fled IN terror toward
the st,rn OF the vessel The stecrage passen-
rcrs. who were hcag transferred to The barge
mamie ca considerable fear but were kept quiet by the
officers. Tho supcrnt ndcut OF tne dock and several
others took refuge behind ,nr eboa's hanging on the
ships sides Captain P,arco WIS in the chart room.
As foon a. tie officers and crew had re-
covered from the Grs shock, the ships hose
were taken out nad put TO throwing water
into tlc hold. IN alarm Of fire bad been
sounded IN fobohon and within three or four minutes
after fhs c,plosou occurred tre engine was on the
flcr s. uohluc bad .aacn Gre but the sheet OF tar
pauu l1u-ne ou the wiro sty Of the mast. the work
~ On, nr,m.n was .ooE accomplished.
Thcrop.rt of tnc explosion which was heard form
considerable distance and the rushing OF the engine 90
the per attracted great trowd to the spot
T. - uo uuul several hou.s bad pas cd away that the
crowd Was willing to .pr-o, aud even long after da
curious thIoue uuccirI around the gates o. tlc
p.,r Tile hrlris of thc h}-taulrr' were touched
lr tle appearance. of c wife ot ooc OF tHe men ted
she nal hurried from NcwYo. on ihc first news of ihe
lr.drlt. anU was franur with -rrf
Iuc r,n.n. OF tlc dead men wore pres
,-ty removed The b.1. OF Patrick Dunn
burned aul bruised aud cor.rcd only with she DIS
ood uaa 1eeu scattered aorut on hc roof o tc CHART
house aud oa ih, adjoining voot work. ana had formed
20 pools urnu tie Ao'r onc OF b'on''
lr-s Va- hrDHcn. Tie h"r vas 'i,..g on ui-
Tll, p... .lo 20. cuis on hD mead. aud Dis shul
M.'n. vuo va. l1'rr so tho hold upop The
co.I r,c-enr.l stu moro app11ns spectacle.
Ilr Top of h- 7tuI was h'"u on @Nl .i,
hands, which were hi4c.aned hf tnc flames 1Ae ony
pa.it "' - o-'-' hoi ''"i.,, .'' &" '"''"' "'' "'
u.l FI d 10 H- I
% }. tnourat froil thc way pa witch his body wls
nafilt.d tl1t Wclcn va- lno -tooplng ro-iron when
tpi-uc io await tlc Inquest curious crowd erHic-.d
b, place ourng th' afternoon "ud evening uniii i"le
Hw'. Io-iiiIcly 4ioted by muny OF tho spectators.
aud even hf como Or ih' per IONS ID '-wte OF i.r
force of 'orgshorcncn, that the men Who
s.r ,n- 10 me- .a a' o h' mia T' oaS aSS'' ap,c @
go tnDr handle An or'uon prevailed fhHt snc' ian-t
ln-. D. sA. cut. rtly 1n ovniu-lHu OF gtS
Ihr regular doc, ofh Nauona I'm" :" a. !lic foot e
ia, docs a ilobotcu tor tho Use ot tie steamers irn
CAUSE OF rur rXfLo~loV.
Eahrrt WALL. lo ciucf engineer of the steamer vhcn
asked hv q Trtur>E reporter 20 what cause he at
tr.hutcI tho explosion, replied quickly ana eu-
pbatlralv: "-pou'aueous combustion, caused
by tue generation OF C-cs.' lie said that De
bad uo Information % give b1t ONLY his opinion -
had seen Welsh ami Dunn thi,c iour minutes before
cc,uo.ion and hal hcari them say they wrrr going
dow, ~ Il., the hat trhrs ffom hod 10 Toy hsa no
u.nt ti.i. aud Dee dd not think they carried i-ht
down ul,h th.m mo 'lne % the explosion he was
standing 10 a, .oIn and .et tlc shock very severely
TALK VIII IHE CNPtAiN.
Wi a,l P,.rc.. captain of tlc Greece, made tr fo-
loWins statement toa rrHryI reporter .a-t evening":
We left London o hc LIT CAV of janu.ry with eleven
ca1lnanl I-i STORAGE ra sru-er. on board. We a.-
rived at sIuUy .Iooa about Lal'pa't O'Clock ta.s
morning. put dad not rcuyh th9 dock uatd obout
half.t.r3D,o. fhi. af ciHoou We hai jus, .rn
docS,d. un, te st'r- passengers Nts' S'luH oF ihe
side. When the explosion occurred II L. N" custom
when ,llp arliycsiu ths por' Tor 'one-hor"mcn TO
open the hocaud suppose o transfer th' col Q" bunk
cr Tor nee thc lrfuIu voyage The two men Whoar"
dead went down. ia accordance with ms custom. 10 ltt
thc lljcic- OF nol SO. .. and HE cXplcsion followed
almost nmcdlutely They were the only men actually
present ON the spot tnodgn th,rc were othcr7 standing
/ was standing on thr bridge. but had
know uothlug about the causes OF the cxplo'ion AID
do no feel Justified In expressing an opinion IN so
grave an Hhair until iucr ihItsuSA,.oon nus "''it
made. There b. uo doubt that the "Npo.ion W. ol
gases generated from the coal IN hoid 80 q. IuiS
coal WIS from the e0dth 81 NW',; " M"' t. Hua.
aud not u'orc liable to generate gas man any oher
voyage but the hrd hot IN remained closed All the lhe
" Al the moment of the accident tho steerage ptssen
gers were all IN the after part of the SNIP aud dd NOT
receive much Of the shock dii not pay any attention
to them. having my duty elsewhere, and cannot say
how they behaved. None Of the passengers were nun
and AL OF the crew es9aped injury eAGepo lTn' m t
aim ia very tralng and will come much within $1,000
Captain PraIcc appeared 10 be greatly deprsssed M ~
the d9rstcr He has been captain ol the H,,v% H,,,, i
two wears and half and mover before had an accident
board.
WHAT THE INJURED MES SAY.
Robert Richards quArtcrmaster OF the greece one
Of those injured BY the explosion related MS experience
follows;
"Thi, was nv second trip the Greece.
Before the explosion | had been working at the
bridge on the starboarl side. and had just
crossed the hatoay aud gone under the bridge on the
port side when the shocl came. lfct myself htted up
and my head struck the bridge When came down
must have struck the chain box for VIXEN came to my