The Newtown bee., 1880-07-07
Narratives of Survivors

MT. Mitchell Cook, of 59 Broadway, was badly scalded about the neck, face and hands. MT. Cook is quiet, unas- suming, determined looking man. He said: "We left Peck slip at 4:I5. In our party was Mrs. Thorpe, of Glen wood, and $. W. Norris, of this city. The Seawanhaka made good time to aboard q number of passengers. Among them was tall, fine-looking old gen. tleman, who was being led by his daughter. We left Thirty-third street on time, and everything seemed to be go> ing along quietly, until, all Of a sudden, the Seawanhaka gave series of low groanings, followed by thuds. The passengers noticed these, and everybody seemed to ask the other: Whats thatP' l was at the time sitting in the main cabin. l at once walked out to the bow of the boat, and l then saw Captin Smith standing in the pilot-house. He was blowing alarm signals. l knew they were alarm signals, from my knowledge of steam CTS. Suspecting at once that there was danger threatened 1 return, d to nv friends. As 1 passed directly amid ships saw smoke issuing through the cracks of the main saloon leading from the engine-room to the pilot-house. I then knew that the boat was afire. and rushed to the Long Island side of the boat to see what chances there were for saving my friends if the worse came to the worse. I noticed that the cap- tain was steering the Seawanhaka to the Granite City which was coming up, and was lying to. At the same moment, saw . thin, long, white tongue of flame shoot up to the upper decks. I knew then that the Granite City could not assist us. The Granite City evil dently guessed as much, for she turned around, and the Seawanhaka was gone. l sprang to the New York side of the boat. This was at the moment the Seawanhaka wss just between Randall's Island and Wards Island. At that very moment the flames shot upward, and the boat was afire. d great number ot male passengers at this very moment came running up to the bow Cf the beat. Many of them seemed frantic, and all had lite-preservers on. At that time the men passengers who had life-pre- servers began jumping into the water, and swimming to shore. They kept steering the boat to the bar opposite Randall's Island. There the water is low, and the bar is covered with grass. As the Seawanhaka touched the bar the
 
 before I knew 1t l was surrounded by hre. Then it was that sprang over- board. Just as l did 50, an old lady, the mother of the freight clerk, ran up to gentleman and exclaimed: For God s sake, sir; help me. am old, and can- not save myself The gentleman pushed her back, saying: This is not moment to save; it is every one for himself,' and he leaped overheard. called out to the old lady: If you will jump overheard l will save you.' Her dress at that mement was afire. She jumped into the water at the very moment did, and caught her. l was swimming to shore with her when one of the officers of the boat came toward me and we landed her safely. After resting few minutes, being good swimmer, l took off my clothes and, with two life preservers, I swan back to the boat. When I got there saw q young lady standing with her father on the burning steamer It was the same one we had noticed com ing aboard leading him. She was shrieking: Save my fatheri Save my poor tather.' She had her arm around his neck, but he seemed to cling firmly to 9 pillar. It was the most heartrend- ing gight ever witnessed. The old man clung to the post. while his daughter tried all she could to drag him away. At that very moment she seemed to be surrounded by fire, and the old mans clothing was burning. He seemed paralyzed and unable to move. I and others called to the girl to jump into the water, that we would save both. She did not seem to know what to do, until at last her dress caught fire. She sprang at her father, kissed him, and a moment after she struck the side of the boat, and fell limp in the water. I caught her by the hair and struck out. I got assist ance, but as we turned to the boat we saw the poor old man still there. The man who was assisting me threw up his hands and went down. I got the young lady ashore, and she was at once taken to the Randall's Island hospital. She did not see her father disappear. swan again to the boat. This time l found lady throwing up her hands, and caught hold of her, and. with assistance, took her to shore. Dr. Carroll, of Randall's Island, swam out and picked up child. The poor little thing was dead and terribly burned. Among the first l saw die were two little children, who were running in the