Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-21
PANIC ON A STEAMER.


PANIC ON A STEAMER.
SIX PASSENGERS BADLY JNJURED.
A u: oxen Cylinder Causes IN Early Morr-
Ing Scare ON One Of the Boats ON
the Hudson.
Shortly before two o'clock, Saturday /
as the steamer Kaaterskill, OF |
the New York and Catskill line, was
coming down the Hudson river and while |
in the Highlands her passengers were sud-
denly awakened from sleep by a tremen-
dous shock and the loud rattling of ma
followed by great rush and roar
Of escaping steam. People ran out of the
stateroOms in their night clothes. Men
shouted. women screamed and children
c.ied. The greatest excitement prevailed.
A cloud Of ho. vap0r filled the cabins and
tho saloon. The alarm of the people was
aggravated by the fact that the nature of
the accident was not fully understood.
Some Of the passengers thought that one
Of the boilers had exploded, and others
imagined that tho boat was sinking. Cap
tain James Stead and his subordinates did
all in their power to allsy the excitement,
and panic would have been prevented
had it not been for man among the pas
scngers who shouted "Put on your life
preservers rs soon as you can, for the
steamer is going to the bottom"
Many Of the people hastily dOnned life
prcservers and ono panic stricken woman
jumped overheard into the water. She
was rescued by a deck hand. In the
meau,ine some of the frantic ones among
the passengers requested the captain to
l.us t4,o 1iEo hnofc vnnnso1 ITO IN,
assured tho people that the life-boats were
iu readiness for use if required, but they
would not Ia needed, as the steamer was
not sinking. In the meantime tho cloud
of steam that enve!Oped the boat was be-
coming moro dense and for a time it
seemed that if the people remained on
hoard they would be scalded to death or
killed by inhaling the hot vapor. Under
the exciting circumstances the captain and
crew exhibited remarkable coOlness and
presence of mind. They attended to their
duties like heroes.
As soon as the confusion had iD a meas
ure subsided it was ascertaiDcd that the
walking beam had broken, causing tue
piston to strike the bottom Of the cyclinler
which was also broken, thus permitting the
escape of steam. As soon as possible the
engineer shut off the steam, 50 that it
could not como from the boilers to the
cylinder, and the rusn and roar of the
scaldiDg vapor ceased. The Kaaterskill,
at the time of the accident, was near
Kipp's Point in the Highlands. The night
was dark, there being no moon, and the
feeble light of the stars being obscured to
great extent by haze which hung over
the river. Tho steamer was subsequently
tOwed by the Rhinebeck and another tug
to Caldwell landing. The passengers
were landed at Caldwell, from which
place they were brought to New York by
the Coxsackie boat, William C. Rcdfield.
Captain Tremaine, Of the Redfield, told
this story of the accident. "The Kaa-
terskill," he said, "was some distance
ahead Of US When nearly opposite West
Point noticed her showing q signal Of
distress and Immediately steamed along.
side of her and found that she was an-
chOred. The walking beam had been
broken clean off near the connecting rod
saw one end of the break in the iror
myself, and it was as bright as a new silver
dollar: SO that there was no flaw in it
took all tie passengers, about ono hun
dred and fifty, and brought them will
their baggage to New York, leaving thu
Kaaterskill at anchor. could not learr
the names of all of the injured passen
gers"
The Kaatcrskill had on board about Isl
passengers and large load of freight
Six persons were injured as follows:
VincenzO Gales, an Italian labOrer, o
:55 Mulberry street, New York, is proba
bly, fatally injured, being scalded about
the head and body. He was brought t.
New York and is now in the Bellevue hos
pital.
Michael Garlai, an Italian laborer, ais,
Of No. 35 Mulberry street, both hands
scalded. Hc was treated at Chambers
street hospital and sent to his home.
Mrs. Samuel Greene, wife Of the loca,
freight agent of the steamboat line a
Batskill, was scalded about the face an,
shoulders by the escaping steam. Sh
was sent from Caldwell to her home il
Casskill. Her injuries: though serious
are not dangerous.
Miss Mary Hinmau, sister of Mrs. Greer
of Catskill, injured by inhaling steam
She was sent to her home. Her condition
WIS not considered precarious and her re
cOvery is almost certain.
Major A. 8. Russell, county warden o
Bellevue hospital, received internal injur
les, but is not considered in a dangerOu
condition. He was in his room at Belle
vue to-day, where he was attended by til
hospital physician.
An unknown man was slightly scalded