New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-30
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE RIVERDALE DISASTER!
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION NOT KNOWN.

only slightly diminished yesterday, notwithstand-
ing the fact that it Is pretty well established that
there are more than three or four passengers al
most. who are not in some way accounted for To
the list of the dead published IN Yesterdays TRIB-
UNE must be added the name of George A. Deymees.
fireman on the Rverdale. who died at st. Vincenrs
Hospital No more bodies were found yesterday
that of Charles Sisson, of Tarrytown, being still
missing. Anumber of people who were supposed to
have been on the steamer and who had been anx-
iously inquired for, were found to be safe at homo
or with friends The cause of the accident is still
mystery on which neither the owner nor the
captain of the Riverdale could throw any
light. AS to tho amount of pressure al
the time of the explosion there is a serious dis
crepancy between the reported statement Of En-
gineer Tallman to the owner. and the ante-mortem
of the dead fireman, Deyme5. The former asserts
the pressure was only twenty-five of twenty-tbreo
pounds, while the latter placed it at thirty-fvo
pounds, or within five pounds of the maximum press
ure allowed. Arrangements are being made by thu
owners for the raising of the wreck, and an Official
investigation will be ordered
THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER.
score or more of rOw-boats of all sorts
and sizes, of West Sixteenth-st., yesterday marked
the spot where the RiverJac went down tweaty-
four hours before. The larger part OF
these seemingly yoraeious craft were filled with
the weaUher-beaten men aud rough boys who
lead an amphibious life along the river front.
and are variously known river pirates"
and "wharf rats" When the protection afforded
by guard-bOat was remOy ed at O'clock they Lad
things their own way ii two policemen extended
their beat and exerted their authority by means
of row-boat which they themselves
manned. Some of the boats near the scene of the
Iol - tho,a rba fbapa ana
of curiosity. while the surrounding piers, scoSs.
shipping and lumber piles commanding view
riverward were covered from daylight till dark
with crowd largely composed of that idle class
which In New-York is always ready TO gather
by the thousands at the slightest prOvocation-
1t was rather jolly and good-natured crowd. and
evidently enjoyed the occasion which had afforded
an excuse for coming together.
new industry was born of the disaster, and men
and boys Justify offered to row those who desired
to the wreck. "Take you out for quarter-irst
boat going" some of them yelled. And how much
to row me back 7" asked bystauder. Another
quarter" was the reply. in less blatant tones.
In the boat which ferried TRIBUNE reporter to
the wreck was the United States Inspectors framed
certificate to Nelson Magee pilot, No. Is. dated
July "a, 1888 which had just been taken from the
water. Tho wreck had settled so fast
that was visible above the water line was strip
of the port sde perhaps thirty feet in length, with
detached and crushed pieces of the woodwork aud
decks All those parts that could be slowed into
| boats or taken in tow were being re-
| moved by the selfappolnted wreekers, some
| of whom were nearly naked. There
was little 20 see Of the wreck, even when one Was
| right over it, II was stated that the men IN ons
! boat had secured the barkeepers money box. con-
tanning about S25.
At the head of the Harrison-st. pier this sign still
| remains.
st'm'r Rivdrdalc,
For Haverstraw. Sing Sing Mack by Ferrv Tarrys
town, Dobb's Ferry, Yonkers and Engewooi at p IN
The Chrystenah started at her usual time yester-
day afternoon with full list of passengers
and q good cargo On the pier was
pile of life preservers marked River
dale,D lot of bags boxes, barrels aud miscel-
laneous packages. all from the lost steamer
good deal OF private property and miscellaneous
freight which was picked up at different points ON
the river was taken to the nearest police stations
PREPARING TO RAISE THE VESSEL
Captalu Smith went down to the water front at
o'clock in the morning and looked out to where
t,s y hrelbouse of the RIverdale still stood above
TIN, tide A strong breeze was blowing and tho tide
WINS nj its height aud IS the Captain looked he saw
the wheelhouse slowly detach itself from the
broken frame and float up the river. The tug Ren-
der had kent watch all night by the wreck and its
crew had busy lime warning OF vessels In tue
night. During the forenoon q sharper Lookout
than ever was kept while Captain Smith was away
trying to make arrangements for raising the vessel
fol- tile river pirates came out in swarms from their
roots mong the wharves and would speedily have
made away with all the timbers tnat remained
aimee water if the tugs crew had not been there to
Il A. xua1 fnal C0uStste0
chiefly of benches and chairs. which they fshed for
| patiently for hours. Now and then mirror woald
| coms to the surface, or window FRAME anu %
ouickly seized as booty, while one man with line
oht,,ned q can of peaches and bag of coffee. Two
| man worked for O long time with graphing hooks
in the homes OF recovering bodies but their search
was uravailing. The Long Branch, Chrystenan
and other river boats that passed and repassed con-
tnualy. carried curious passengers who crowded 70
the edge to see the place of the wreck.
C,,tain Smith was unsuccessful in his search for
| . dsrriclS boat. The only derrick boats in New-
York of sufficient size for the purpose were tho
three owned by Mr.. Roach. MIR. Deamater ana tne
ci,v The Roach derrick boat was stationed in the
East River and could not get below the bfdse; Air'
| Dslamater's was engaged and tho city's was not
ova,Ioh,s The morning was spent in fruitless me-
ootiatons for the use of these boats until slack tide
NOS past and nothing could DO done. Finally }. U.
Raxters vrecklng establishment In West-st. was
called upon to take tho job in hand but 1t was too
| late to do anythlng yesterday. At O'Clock the
Reindeer was withdrawn from guard ana tne
pirates had it all their own way until p H. when
Mr. Baxter had a poDtoon towed To the wreck anu
uh,.d mn tu warn vessels. To-day the hrst at
,annt W nj bs male to raise the vessel The raising,
II ia thought, will be extremely diIcult, as que
opjnlon cf the experts IL that the wreck as setteo
nitb its beam ends iu the mud, the walking-beam
being mbedded and The port side uppermost Ito
hu is expected to be total loss, and the only nSpe
| s tn save some of the machinery. Poptoons WIN pe
nsed 10 perform the work, which 1t Is expected vii
occupy several days. Before 1t is begun divers viii
dsscend 10 ascertain the true position oil the poae
anT if possible tind out whether there are any