Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-08-29
Aancaster !3ntelligenccr.
'EDNEsDAY EVENING, AUG. 20, 1883,
ExrLOsiuN OF A bulLEk.


dale oS New YORK.
The boiler OF the steamboat Riverdale,
which plies between New York and Haver-
straw, exploded Tuesday afternoon while
the boat was near her wharf at the foot of
Sixteenth street, North river. On tho ar
rival of ambulances the body Of Mrs. Sis
SOD, OF Tarrytown, was brought ashore 10
. boat. Her grandson, whose name is Cha |
pin, had jumped from the upper deck and
was picked up bya tug boat. Captain
Smith, who was in command of the River |
low rumble, and Immediately the boilers |
blew up and tho vessel began to sink. He |
could not explain the cause of the explo- |
sion. Geo. A. Davis. fireman on the |
Riverdale, was terribly scalded by escap
ing steam. He was picked up by q tug.
The Riverdale was an old boat and ran up
tho river to Haverstraw and Cornwall. OF
the passengers aboard some were blown up
with the explosion; but from the best &C
counts Obtainable their number was small,
there being 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 tho number OF passengers on
board vary from fifty to two hundred.
The engineer was about to enter the en-
gine room to slow up, as another steamboat
was at their landing, when an Ominous
rumble was heard proceeding from the
boiler, and in moment terrible explO.
sion occurred, blowing out the entire
inside OF the boat and leaving only help
leD, sinking hull. The force OF the OK
plosion was downward, and apparently
the bottom was blown out, as the vessel
sank quite suddenly. Hardly minute
khn md
sinking, in q whirlpool, into which the
struggling swimmers were drawn. The
river was strewn with wreckage-
cabin doors, beams, boards and fur
niture floating about, and proving the
force of the explosion. Tugs and
small boats put out in swsrms from
the New York and Jersey shores and be-
gan the work of rescue. The number
saved shows how efficient their work was.
Accounts OF tho manner of the explosion
differ. Those on the boat agree that it
was sudden and entirely without warning.
A policeman, who has been boiler
maker, who was standing on shore. states
that his attention was attracted by the
sound of escaping steam. Looking out on
the river he saw the kiverdale going up
stream partly enveloped in steam that
escaped with a loud roar from her
side. He saw people rush from the
lower to the upper deck aud make
ready to throw themselves into
the river. The next moment the ex
plOeiOn came. Tue Reliance, coal tar
boat, was near the Riverdale when she
blew up. and began the work of rescuing
tho drowiug people. Other steamers and
tugs also FASTENED to the scene, and SO
quickly did they reach it that it is thought
none of those engaged injury by the ex-
plOsion had time to drown. The steam
yachts of Jay Gould and MIR. +. s. Jaffray
were lying at the foot of West Twenty
third street at the time. Both Mr..
Gould and Mr.. Jaffray had just
gone ashore when tre accident
occurred. Upon hearing the explosion
they Immediately turned about, and put
ting out to the scene of tho wreck in their
gigs ordered their yachts to follow without
delay. Both engaged in the work OF CIV
ing aid 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 ashore and sent
to their homes in New York or put aboard
the steamer Crytenah for their destination
up the river. The injured and dead were
taken to the foot of WestThirteenth street
where the entire ambulance force haC
been summoned. An unsuccessful effort
was made by tugs to tow the wreck to
Jersey City. Only three persons wer'
killed at the time of the accident seven
teen were wounded, of which several hav'
died.