Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-09-06
The Boiler of a Steamer Ex-
plodes with Terrific
Force.
The Vessel Sinking Unless than
Five Minutes.
Some of the Victims Horribly Scalded
and Their Lives Despaired or



York and Haverstraw on the Hudson.
left her dock at the foot of Harrison
street, North river, and steamed rapid
ly up the stream. The boat was to
have touched at the loot of Twenty
third street for more passengers and
her course was laid about 800 yards
from the New York shore. When
between Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets her boiler exploded with ter
rife force, killing three persons and
woundimg eight others Some were
blown into the air and others were
compelled to jump into the river to
avoid the scalding steam which filled
the vessel. After the explosion the
boat drifted up to the foot of Sixteenth
street and there sunk The explosion
was seen by few river men and tug
crews who were watching the boat
when the accident occurred. There
was loud report. the smoke stack,
pilot-house, and the body of man
was seen flying through the air, and
then clouds of escaping steam hid the
wreck from view. People along the
shore went to the steamer in row
boats and tugs, and the police officers
were informed of the accident. The
Office of Charities and Corrections was
notified by telephone of the explosion
and all the city ambulances were sent
to the foot of Sixteenth street. The
widest and most exaggerated reports
were circulated, and the number of
killed and wounded were placed at
upward of fifty. The river front in
the vicinity was thronged with peo-
pie, and the work of
REsoUING THE INJURED
was begun at once The Riverdale,
when she left the Harrison street
landing, was well loaded, and many
of the passengers were on the after
deck. After the explosion, scenes of
the widest confusion ensued The
Captain j. +. Smith, who was unin-
jured, rushed to the after part of the
boat and told the half frantic people
that if they would only keep quiet
they would all be rescued. The steam
err was observed to be setting forward
and it was evident that hole had
been torn in her bottom and that she
would sink. The gang-plank was run
out into the river, and half dozen /
men jumped upon it, sinking it below
the water. They were quickly trans /
ferred to the numerous row-boats /
which by this time had reached the |
wreck. The tug Zophar Mills was one /
Of the first boats to run alongside. /
She and another tug took on board |
the greater number of the passengers. (
The body of a man about 70 years of |
age was found crushed between the f.
reil and pile of debris on the for
ward deck He had evidently been (
instantly killed. The body was not /
The body of an elderly
lady, identified as Mrs. Isabella Sisson !
of Tarrytown was also taken from
the forward deck.
Fireman Chas Dymes was hurled
by the force of the explosion through
the side of the boat and out into the
water. He was horribly scalded, and
when picked up,
SKIN PEELED IN sHREDS
from his head, neck and arm. He
was conscious and his sutferings were
intense, He was taken to the New
York Hospital and it is believed he
Will die. Policeman Michal Killilea,
of Charles Street Station, was the
first to help the wounded fireman on
shore from the boat at the foot of
Twelfth street. 1 never saw a man
in such suffering" said the officer,
land hope | may not witness such
sight again. The poor fell
low squirmed and his flesh was peel
ing off in blisters. | called at once
on the ambulance driver nearest me
and had the unfortunate man sent to
st. Vincent's Hosp tai. | then went
in search of other injured persons,
and when | came to the foot Of -Four
teenth street | saw a man pulling
rapidly toward the wharf, This boat
contained the body of "a woman whose
legs were broken. She must have
been crushed by the falling timbers
while sitting on the deck and was
then blown overheard.
Pilot John Magee was hurled
thirty feet from the pilot-house in the
river. When lie was picked up it
was found that his legs were broken.
John Sahaire, the mate, stood
directly over the boiler when it eX-
ploded. He was thrown into to river
and sustained simple fracture Of the
thigh.
Howard Gardner, the evangelist, of
Williamsburg, who was ON his way
to Yonkers to conduct a revival meet
ing, was badly scalded and it is feared
that he will die.
VIM. II Henney, aged Is the oiler,
Was scalded but his injuries are not
serious.
Thomas Saul, Of Brooklyn, pas
sengcr. was scalded around the neck
and feet. but it is thought he will re
cover.
Edward Tallman, the engineer
was severely but not fatally scalded.
NO ACCURATE IDEA
can at present be gained as to the
number of passengers on board or the
number of lives certainly lost. Ac-
counts of the number of passengers