Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-31
Or 3ree press.
A STEAMER BLOWN UP.
Bursting of the Riyerdale's "
Boiler on the North River.
A Few Persons Killed and Many
Others Scalded and Crushed,
Prompt Rescue of Passengers Plunged
in the Water,

In the water,
NEW York, Aug. 2S.-lnspector Thorne
received despatch this afternoon stating
that the excursion steamer Riverdac had
blown up at the foot of Sixteenth street,
North River, and calling for all the am.
balances in the city. The Riverdale had
burst her boiler and yet uncertain number
of lives were lost. The Rivcrdale belongs
to Smiths line, and plies between New York
and llaverstruw, touching at the Palisades
Workers, Dobbs Ferry, 1arrytown and Sing
Sing. She stated up the Hudson on her
trip to ilaverstraw al 3 o'clock with 80
passengers she took aboard at Harrison
street. When opposite Thirteenth street ihr
boilers exploded. Eye Witnesses on the shore
saw what seemed to I've the whole of the in
side OF the vessel fly into he air with re-
port like a cannon. The shell of the hull
careencd over, but continued up stream
from the momentum of its own speed
until it went down, bow first, at the foot Of
18th street. About 20 passengers in
GLIDING everybody in the cabin were blown
NJ. The rest seized life prescrvcrs and
jumping over the rails into the RIVER, wer,
pick d up by boats that Immediately put ou
from New York aud the Jersey shore to thci
assistance. How many were saved and how
many drowned is yet unknown. The most
Conflicting reports Are in circulation. Not
over 10 lives are positively known to be lost.
Among those blown up and badly scalded is
SAID to be Gardner the Evangelist. On the
arrival of the ambu anCes the body of Mis-.
Siss III of Tarrytown, was brought ashore. Her
grandson, whose name is Chaplin, jumped
from the upper deck and was picked up
This was the only body recovered at 4
o'clock
Hal! an hour after the explosion Captain
Smith, commander of the Riverdalc, stated
that while on deck he heard Il low rumble and
Immediately the boilers blew up and the vessel
began to sink He could not explain the
cause of the explosion. Tugs are now cruis-
ing about the scene Geo. A. Davies fire
man, terribly scalded, was picked up by a
tug. The Rivcrdale was an old boat
Most of the passengers were residents of
towns along the Hudson and several New
York people stopping at Nyack, Palisades
Ioukers and Tarrytown. The Riverdale was
formerly called the p. g. Coffin and later the
Alexis. After being thoroughly overhauled
she was named the Riverdale. The
steamer Chrystenah took the unin-
jured passengers and proceeded up the
Hudson Captain Dean of the Chyslenah
aided the injured that were able to proceed to
their homes and furnished them with accom-
modations. Many willing hands assisted in
attending to the wants Of the sufferers. l.
was reported from police headquarters that
the number of lives lost was supposed to be
very large from the fact that number of
bodies were seen floating in the water
Capt Smith thinks only two we're killed.
NEW YORK, Aug. 2S.-t'rom the best &C
counts obtalrable it seems that the number
of persons killed was small, as there were
few in the cabins. No exact statement can
yet be gwen as to the number of passengers
ON boald Or the number of lives lost The
aCcounls of the number of passengers vdIy
from 30 To 200, and of the killed from 10 to
so. The most trustworthy accounts place
the number Of killed at 3 to 6. There is
reason to believe that nearly ali had a chance
to escape. The engineer was about TO enter
the englue room 10 slow up, another steam
boat being al their 22i street landing, when
the explosion occurred.
Tie force Of the explosion was downward
apparently, the rapdlt.; with which the YES
sci sank showing that her bottom was blown
out. Hardly minute elapsed between the
explosion and the sinking of the hull, causing
whirlpool, into which the struggling swim
mers were drawn. Tue river was strewn
with wrockagc. The cabin doors, beams,
boards, and furniture were floating about.
Tugs ard small boats put out in swarms from
New ok and the Jersey shore and began
rescuing the drowning passengers and crew.
The nuiHber saved shows how efficient their
Work was. The passengers say the eXplo.
sion was entirely without warning. The
crew Ot coal tar boat which was near res
cued 40 PERSONS. 1t is thought that none
who escaped injury had time to drown. The
steam yachts ut JAY Gonld and Il. 5. JalIray
Wee At, 23rd street aud Gould and Jatlriy
ordeicd them TO the scene Immediately and
gave aid wherever LeeGed.
The killed or.injultd so far as, known are:
MIS-. Julia Slsson Of Tarrytown, aged g.
She was seated ON the lower deck with her
husband and grandson. Mrs. Sisson was
thruwn into the water and drowned. Her
grandson jumped overheard and her h,s-
band was pulled through Il window of the
sinking boat by The crew OF tug. Thomas
Gregg, aged 81, of New York, was on his
way to Dobb's Ferry. Gregg was in compa
ny will eX-sea captain Voorhees,, who escap-
cd with difficulty. These are the only ones
positively known to be lost. John Crevet,
fireman, is missing and is believed to have
been killed. 1t is feared that others who have
not been reported are also lost, but their
number is not believed to be large George
a. Deym,s, Il fireman, was fearfuly scalded
and cannot live OrvIlle Gardner, an Evan
gelist of Brooklyn, was sca!ded all over his
body. lie was on his way to join his family
in 1Onker'. HIS injuries are not believed to
he fatal. Thomas j Sauls of Brooklyn was
badly scalded. Nicholas Salair of Haver-
straw had his thigh broken. William Henry
had his hands and feet burned. Israel Lazarus
was badly bruised. James Tobln of Yonkers
and Nelson McGee, a pilot of Yonk ers, were
scalded and John Moran was injured.
Tomorrow the wreck will be raised and
thorough examination made. The officers
do not believe that any more bodies will be
found in it, but there is no certainty that this
belief is well founded. The engineer says he
cannot explain the cause of the accident
The boilers were new four years ago. The
explosion was apparently the result of hid
den defect. moment previous the steam
gauge registered 90 pounds. Her allowance
was 80. While the steamer bore the name
of Alexis she received the machinery and fit
tings of the old broadway that was blown
up in 1868 within 100 yards of where the
present explosion occurred.
Telegram extra says: The steamer
Riverdale, sank six minutes after the eX-
plosion. Instantly 25 tugs steamed to the
scene from New York and Hobokcn. There
were 100 passengers aboard when the steamer
left Harrison street, and a greater number
was to be taken on at 22nd street. Scalding
steam Immediately filled all parts of the
vessel, and those not blown up were COM
PEELED to jump into the water. The fremen
were called out, and with police did good
service. A woman was brought ashore with
her two legs broken. She must have been
crushed by falling timbers while sitting on
the deck and blown overheard. Capt Smith
describes the scene as terrible. The River.
dale blew out drumhead of her steam chest
a year ago. The iron of which the drum
was composed was almost completely oxi-
died. She was repaired and resumed her
trip.
4 DOubIe Murder aud Suicide nj In.