The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-09-04
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
A Hudson River Steamer ExplOdes
Her Boilers.

TERRIBLE DISASTER.
A Hudson River Steamer ExplOdes
Her Boilers.
New YORK, August 2S,-At about ten
Fminutes OF o'clock this afternoon,
people who we're in the neighborhUod
Of the foot Of Fourteenth street and
North river. we're startled by the sound
of an explosion, coming from the direc-
lion of the river: Looking out in mil.
stream they saw the Huison steamer
Rlverdale enveloped in steam Lss
than ak minutes afterwards she keeled
to the side and capsizad opposite Six
teenth street, she having a,aied thai
!ar.. Instantly about fifteen different
tags steamed from this city to Hohoken
to where the sunken vessel lay. There
we're over one hundred passengers on
hoard the Riserjale when she left the
foot Of Harrison street. Some 1f these
sere hurled into the air aud then fell
back into the water Others were COM
PEELED to jump into the water to escape
the Kissing, scalding steam tiat had
filled all parts OF the vessel, or to avoid
going down with her. The cause OF the
disaster Was the explosion OF the b. iler,
which was amiisbiJ.. Whsn tue hoiler
burst the air was filled with q ling debiis
and broken wood work. sn'i the pilot
house snapped like q Lipe stem and top
Piled over into The ws'er.
or the passengers aboard the River
dale some were blown up with the ex.
pl,sion, but from the best account Oh.
taina5le the number was small, as there
were few in the cibins at the time. n,
exact ides can ct present be gained as
to the number OF passengers on board
or the number OF lives lost. Accounts
Of the Eumber Of passengers vary from
fly 70 two hundred, end OF the killed
from ten 10 filty. The m ,st trustworthy
accounts place the Number killed from
three to six. There is reason to believe
that nearly oh hsd chance 10 escspe.
At.the hour at which the exulosion oc-
cured, between 3 80 and As. the en-
glneer was about to enter the engine
house to slow up, as another Steamboat
was at th,ir lsnding. when an ominous
rumble vas heard proceeding from the
boiIer and 10 moment terrible ex.
plo.ion occurred. blowing ont the entire
inside Of the vessel sud leaving only q
helpless sinking hull. The force of the
explosion WAS downward, apparently
Tue rapidly with which the vessel sank
showed the bottom had been blown out
Hardly . minute elapsed between the
explosion and the sinking Of the hull in
a whirlpool. into which the struggling
swimmers were drawn. The river was
-trewn witt wrecki ixs, cabin doors,
beams, boards ani furniture, fl fl,a'ing
about and proving the force Of the ex-
plosion. Tugs and small. boats put out
in swarms from the New York and
jersey shores and began the work OF
rescuing the dro wning passengers and
crew The number saved show how ef-
Hcient th' Il work Was. Accounts OF the
manner of the explosion differ. Those
on the boat agree il was sudden and en-
t;reiy without warning. A policeman
Who had been bniler maker was, stand
ing at the foot OF Bloomington s,reer.
He state, his a,ten ion Was attracted by
9 sound OF escaping steam. Looking
out ON the river he saw the Riverdale
gning mp stresm, partly enveloped in
steam that escaped with Q loud roar
from her siie He saw people rush
| from the lower to the upper deck and
| make ready to throw themselves in the
river. The next moment the explosion
came. A boat vas near when the blow
up occurred and Immediately began the
work OF rescnins che drowning people.
Her crew drew nearly forty from the
water. Other steamers and tugS has.
tened to the scene. and so qaisklv did
they reach l. tbs, it is thought none o!
those who escaped injury by the explo-
sion had time to dtown. The steam
yachts OF Jay Gould and E. S. Jaffroy
were lying at the foot OF Twenty third
street at the time OF the explosion
Both Gould and Jaffroy had Jnst gone
ashore when the accident occurred
Upon hearing the explosion they in
mediatsiy turned about, and putting on,
to the scene of the wreck In their gigs
ordered their yachts to follow without
DELAY. Both engaged in the work oi
giving oil wherever needed wi b gres,
zeal and when their yachts appeared all
who we're, in sight we're either In the
wafer or had been picked up. Seversl
were taken ashore and sent to theiI
homes In this city or put on board the
steamer Christenniah for their dastina'
ton up the river.
The injured and dead were t.ken to
the foot OF Thirteenth street where the
ambulance force OF the CITY bad beer
summed. An unsuccessful effort wa,
made by the tugs to tow the wrecked
hull tc the Jersey shore, but it wa,
finally abandoned.