The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-30
To the Rescne-Heartrending Scene..
Excurs,on Steamer Blown HIM.

Excursion Steamer Blown Uns
NEW YORK, Aug. 28 "A dispatch says
the excursion steamer Riverdale has blown
up at Twenty-second street, North river,
All the ambuances in the city were calle
for. 1t is said fifty lives were lost.
About $3.50 this afternoon, the people who
were in the neighborhood of the foot of
Fourteenth street and North river were
startled by sound of explosion coming
from the direction Of the river. Looking
out in md-stream, they saw the Hudson
steamer Riverdale enveloped in steam, and i,
in less than six minutes atterward she
keeled to one side and capsized, opposite
Sixteenth street, having foated that far.
About fifteen different tugs. from
this city and Hoboken, hurried to where
the vessel lay. There were over 100 passen-
gers on board when she lett the foot of
Harrison street for Hayerstraw. Some of
these were hurled into the air and fell back
into the water, Others we're compelled to
jump into the river to escape the kissing
steam that nlled all parts OF the vessel, or
30 avoid going down with her. The cause
OF the disaster was the explosion of the
boiler, which was amidships, When
the boiler burst, the air was filled
with flying debris and broken woodwork.
The pile, house was snapped like pipe
stem and topped over into the water.
About fifty people were killed, some blown
into eternity aud Others met their fate by
being drawn down with the whirlpool
caused by the sinking vessel. Those who
were floating or swimming in the river were
picked up by tugs and row-boats that came
to their rescue. Three dead bodies were also
NJ Iybf n hu 80
Tarrytown, New Yo K, an unknown man
whose body was taken to the morgue; q
boy whose identity has not been ascer-
tained was also taken to the morgue. The
injured are: Howard Gardner, the evan
gellst of Yonkers, New York; John Kelly
deck hand, arms broken: John Moran,
deck hand. legs and side crushed; Thomas
Soul, passenger, OF Brooklyn, scalded j ohm
Si.alr, mate, left tuigh badly crushed; John
Giles, of New York, badly SC ,lded
and externally critical; George A. Davis,
fireman of the boat, badly scslded.
The firemen, several engines and hook
and ladder company stationed nearest to
the scene of disaster, were called out with
out their apparatus, and did good service,
as did also mem oers OF the steamboats, and
policemen. Michael Kilean, OF the Charles
street station, was the first to belp the
wounded fireman, George A. Dimes, on
shore. II never saw man in such suffer-
ing" said the officer, land hope L
NAV never witness such sight
again. The poor fellow squirmed
lnd his flesh was falling off IN busters; L
called at once on the ambulance driver
nearest, and had the unfortunate sent to
81 Vincent's hosptal, and then went in
8 ssarch of other injured persons, and when L
c lme to the foot of Fourteenth street saw
man pulling rapidly to the wharf; his
boat contained the body of a woman whose
legs were evidently brokeD she must have
been crushed by the falling timbers, while
s ting on deck and then blown overheard.
NEw YORK. Aug. 2S OF rhe PASSENGERS
aboard the Riverdale, some were blown
up with the explosion, but from the best
accounts obtainable the nam nerw WAS small,
as there were some few in the cabins at the
time. NO exact estimate can at present be
| gained as 10 the number OF passengers on
board or the rumher OLIVES lost The ac-
counts OF the number Of passengers vary
from $50 to 2oO, and the
killed from ten 70 fry. The most
| stwUrhy account places TIE nun ber
killed from three b. siG There /, reason to
believe thai nearly all had a chance 10 es-
cape. The hoRr NJ which the eXplosiOn oc-
CURED, betweun 33O aud 3:ij p. M, the en-
glneer WAS about - enter tho engine room
t. slow u, Is another steamboat was at
their lauulnP. when an ominous rum ole was
heard proceeding from the boiler, and in
| n moment teTrioia explosion occurred, ,
| blowing ont the entire side Of the We e'sel,
and leaving only a heli less. sinking hull.
| The force Ot the exp 'osion was downward,
apparen ly. The rapidity with which the
| vessel sanE owed The bottom to be blown
out. Hardly a minute elapsed between
| the explosion and the sinking Of the shat
| tered hui in the whirlpool II 81
which the struggling and swimming were
drawn. The river is strewn with wr,ck-
age Of cabin doors. beams and boards.
Furniture is floating about. and proving
boats put out In swarms from the docks
and Jersey shores and began IN
work rescuing the drowning pas.
sengers and crew. The number saved
shows how efficient their work was. The
accounts Of the manner Of the explosion
differ. Those on the boat agree that Il wa'
hidden, rnd entirely without warning. A
policeman who had been a boiler maker
was standing al the foot Of Bloomfield
street. His attention was attracted
by the sound Of escaping sean; looking
ont on the river he saw the Riverdale going
up stream, partly enveloped in steam tha
escaped with a loud noise from be
side; saw the people rush from th,
lower TO the upper deck aDG
make ready 10 throw themselves int
the river. The next moment the erplosior
came. The Relisnce, q coal-tar boat, va
near when she blew up, ard Immediately
began the work OF rescuing the drosninl
people. Her crew drew nearly forty frcu
the water. Other steamers and tugs hsst
ened 20 the scene and 20 quickly dis
they reach IL that those Who escapt
injury BY the explosion bsd no time =
drown. The steam Vachts Of Jay Gould and
2. S. Jsftsy we're lying st the foot Of ve.
Tgsnty-SecOnd street ct the time. Boil
Gould and Jsfiray hsd Just zone ssbor
when the accident occurred. Upon bear
ing the explosion they turned sbout, put
. ting out TO the scene Of the vrecl
, in their gigs and ordered thai
. ysfchs 20 follow without delay. both e.
, gsged in the work OF giving aid vhsnevs
needed vith great zeal All vbO sere d
sight in the water hsd been picked NJ
The rescued were taken asb0re and seI
% their homes in this city =
net on board the stramer ChrisieDf
f1r their desfiration up the river The b.
. iured and the dead we're taEen 20 the sort (
rest ThIrteeth street. where The entil
smbrisnce force oi the city had been sun
muued. An uns1ccessiul ftO-t maze ;
the tugs 20 t1u he vrscket hul 20 q