The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-24
4 TUG BLoWN TO PIECES
Three Men Killed and POuSibiy Four-Fhe'
Bailey Blown Through the Air.

bailey blown Ihr0uEn tue <AFs
The tugboat Alice D.. Grove, while lying at
Boards stores. at the foot OF Van Brunt street
in the Erie Basin. yesterday morning. was
blown to pieces by the explosion OF the boiler
and three members OF the crew were killed.
The victims were Capt. Oscar W. Sduires,
James Rogers, the cook, and a fireman called
Dutch. Tho explosion occurred about $40
o'clock, and was overheard all over Red HOOK
Point 1t not only shivered the substantial
boat to pieces but completely wrecked the Dig
ballast scow. Lima Rock. to which 1t had been
made fast. Pieces OF the boiler were whirled
to distances OF 800 and 400 feet 4OO-pound
piece struck Boards stores, moro than 100 ieet
distant and tore a gan In the roof and an
other almost as big landed on the pier on the
opposite side OF the stores, moro than 400 feet
away. Many OF the windows In the stores were
shattered. and several iron doors and shutters
were torn from their hinges. , ~.
ker and was used by the Boston Towing Com
owned by 9 Thomas HsS and John oDTcn brothors
of ~ South street: She was 50 feet long, ana
the boiler feet long and a. "A u inches oil Of
and rebuilt in BROOKLYN In 1882. On sunday
in her to tho Fishing Banks and on her return
che was taken to the Erie basin; The crew CON
Cook James Rogers, Engineer John Coughlin,
me lreman; called DulSh and deck hand;
went to their homes on sunday night after
receiving instructions from the Captain to re-
take take another another excursion party 10 the Fishing
Banks, yesterday. When Engineer, ConghIin
took his deparnre Spouy e ar Good n orn ls
The CAPTAIN went to sleep in his bunk in the
pilot house, tho cook in his bed 10 tue kitchen,
o'clock Pilot Bailey got back to the bont, and.
after giving orders to tho .fiieman 20 haul down
he'd in tho after cabin He was still asleep
whom the explosion occurred, and, Rwoke TO
find himselfin the water. entangled in roEes;
aboard the ship James Nesmith, which lay on
the other side Of the scow He escaped with
removed to his home ut lis Richard street in
en-. d. 6s wv Eli bod bad 5 sF
was lound on the edge Of The scow low par,ly, in
Spt oSf trn @SS Of Hls BODY could seoyersg
He was but, 80 years, old and lived in West
Twenty-hfth street 1t was also reported that
the deck GOP Jm
drowned. but Pilot hartley says he went ashore
On Sunday night, The fact however; that he
been heard of since the explosion makes II not
unlikely that he also was killed. Pilot Bailey
gave tnlS account OF 1lS experiences:
when got on board, about Az o'clock.
told the fireman to draw the fire and get up
steam. ] then went to the cabin for sleep.
The first knew WAS sailing through the air.
and q moment later found myself in the
water. l must have been blown fifty feet in
the air and remember, touching bottom when
enough to swim and keep myself atoat until
rescued"
Carpenter Abramson OF the Nesmith says he
was doing IN his hunk when no was startled
by hearing, ter life ripping ,tearing sound;
and then there WAS noise like o thousand
skyrockets. accompanied by q dun booming
and quick flash. which lighted up his bunk.
Then pieces OF wood and iron fell in a shower
on tho deck. He hurried on deck but there
was then no trace OF the tugboat.
Capt Squires was As years old and he leaves
a wife and several children ut Shi phand Point.
Conn. Rogers rs 80 years old and was unmar-
red. The OErien brothers estimate their loss
at $l0,nnO They had no insurance on the
boat. The oXact cause OF the explosion is not
known. Boiler Superintendent Powers of Brook
Ign said:
water 10 get low in the boiler and then let cold
water ia on the red-hOt metal with the natural
result d"