Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-09-06
A Steamboat Explosion on
North River Hurries
Many People into
Eternity.
Others Manned, Boiled and
Scalded till Death is
Prayed for.
FEARFUL CALAMITY.

minutes past four this afternoon the
vicinity of 18th and 10th streets on
North river heard loud explosion
from the direction of the river At
tention was turned to the river. The
Hudson river steamer Riverdale was
seen enveloped in a dense cloud of
steam. In five minutes after she keel
ed to one side and capsized, having
flOated to opposite 10Th street. In
stantly a dozen or more tugs steamed
out to the place where she sank.
There were over
ONE HUNDRED PASSENGERS ABOARD
when she left the foot of Harrison
street. Some were hurled into the
air by the explosion and then fell
from heights into the water 9th
ers were compelled to jump into
the water to escape the sissing and
scalding steam which had filled all
parts of the boat or to avoid going
down with her. The cause of the eX-
plosion was the bursting of the boiler
amid ships. It tore through the YES
sci sending a mass of flying wood
work The pilot house snapped off
like a pipe stem and toppled over into
the water. 1t is believed
OVER FIFTY LIVES WERE LOST.
Some were blown at once into the
water and were sucked into the whirl-
pool caused by the sinking of the YES
sci. Scores were picked up, who were
swimming about in the river, by the
tugs and row boats which put out to
assist them.
RUSHING TO ASSISTANCE.
A company of fremen and engi-
neers near by were called out to assist
the sufferers, as were also a squad Of
policemen. Poor Drives was got
ashore among the first. He writhed
in agony and his flesh was literally
boiled and peeled off in hideous
masses. His sutferings almost I'M
manned those who saw him.
Among the sufferers picked up and
brought ashore was a woman whose
leg was broken by the explosion be-
fore she was hurled into the water.
The sights and scenes witnessed in
bringing to the shore the wounded,
manned, boiled and scalded victims
and sending them to the city hospital,
were sufficient to make the stoutest
heart quail.
OF passengers aboard the Riverdale,
some were blown up with the eXplo-
sion, but from the best accounts OBJ
tainable the number was small, as
there were few in the cabins at the
time. No exact idea can at present be
gained as to the number of passengers
on board or the number of lives lost.
Accounts of the number of passen-
gers vary from SO to 300, and of killed
from 10 to so. Other accounts place
the number of killed as low as from 3
to 6. There is reason to believe that
many had chance to escape. The
hour at which the explosion occurred
was between $3.50 and 3:45. The en-
gineer was about entering the engine
room to slow up, and another steam
boat was at their landing, when an
ominous rumble was heard proceeding
from the boiler, and a terrific explosion
occurred, blowing up the entire inside
of the vessel and leaving only the
helpless, sinking hull The force of
the explosion was downward appa-
rently. The rapidity with which the
vessel sank showing that the bottom
was blown out. Hardly a minute
elapsed between the explosion and the
sinking of the shattered hull in
! q whirlpool into which the struggling
swimmers were drawn. The river
strewn with wreckage, cabins,
beams, boards and furniture was
floating about and proving the
force of the explosion. Tugs and
small boats put out in swarms from
the New York and Jersey shores and
/ began to work reScuing the drowning
passengers and crew. The number
saved shows how efficient their work
was. The accounts of the manner of
the explosion differ. Those ON board
agree it was sudden and entirely with
out warning. A policeman who had
! been a boilermaker was standing at the
foot of Bloomfield St., states that his
attention attracted by the sound Of
escaping steam. Looking out on the
river they saw the Riverdale going up
stream, partly enveloped in steam
that escaped with a loud roar from
t her side, and saw the people rush
from the lower to the upper deck and
make ready to throw themselves into
! the river. The next moment the ex-
| plosion came. The Reliance, a coal
tar boat, was near the Riverdale when
she blew up, and Immediately began
/ the work of rescuing the drown
! ing people. Her crew drew nearly
forty from the water. Other steamers
and a tug FASTENED to the scene and
quickly did they reach it. Few of
those who escaped injury by the ex-
plosion had time to drown. The
steam yachts of Jay Gould and E. S.
Jaffery were lying at the foot of 23d
street, both Gould and Jaffery
had just gone ashore when the acct
dent occurred. Upon hearing the ex-
plosion they Immediately turned
about, and putting out to the scene of
the wreck in their gigs, ordered their
yachts to follow without delay, and
wherever needed with great
zeal when their yachts appeared
all who were in sight in the water had
been picked up. The rescued were
taken to the cit y and put on board a
steamer for their destination. The