New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-19

within hearing rushed at once to the engine
room. where an appalling sight met their gaze.
The pIa filed with steam and 1t was some
minutes before tn men could fight their way In
and rescue their comrades. Five men lay dead
in the compartment and every man must nave
thrown himself face down wherever he happened
10 be when the explosion came. as each was FOUND
in that position. with hands extended and from
their appearance all must have died almost In
stantly They We're fearfully scalded. the hrst
men reached were Williams and McCallum, VINO
were found on the top Of the low pressure cyln-
der Manning was on the second platform, Camp
hell was wedged in the machinery back OF the
engine and Fawns vas lying near the bulkheao
within two yards of the death-deaing fracture.
Every man In the engine room was Kilieu
and all except two OF the hiteeh iieh
in the boiler room and eiectrlcai
compartment were badly injured. The TWO
who escaped without injury made their way
through the shaft alley to the afterpart ol the
Chin where there was ventilator
Edward Wishart, who was IN the eieo''i."'
compartment ami the nearest to the scehe Vi INV
accident except these actually IN the ehs'"e
room owed his .ife to his presence OF ihihu' ~
the first shock Of tie explosion ne s'ar'e" ~ '''
but the steam filled the room quicker '''a'
taxes 70 tell Of it. and Wishart. who saw all av-
les
bInded bv tho steam grasped hose which had
been I'm use and quickly turned me stream upo''
himself. and thus saved himself until the steam
bod sutfcien,Iv cooled off TO allow him 70 escape
Steam was at once shut off from the ooiieiS'
and hurry calls for amhulances were sent INTO
,bo IIudeon-st Hospital. The dead were placed
under canvas on the after deck. and the badly III
iured were removed to the hospital. AhuIe"
Hoard was found partially hanging out OF a star
hoard porthoc he was alive, but MS recovery
is doubtful Three ambulances from the hospi'ai
Immediately responded to the calls. ana 'ne
wounds of the injured were dressed Dr. Hehoer-
son. in his haste fell from his ambulance anu
his ankle was badly sprained
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION UNKNOWN.
The exact cause of the accident will probably
never be known. az Ill those in the engine-room
at the time are dead. but Clement A. Griscom'
ir.. manager OF the line who fastened to the
nier as soon as he heard of the accident, Snd
beran a thorough examination, said yesterday
that if may have happened from one or TWO
causes-either from the formation OF water
hammer or the sudden closing OF valve. or
the opening of another. Mr.. Griscom said that
there was no evidence whatever OF nav III the
pipe. The who were I'm the enBihe-room
were engaged in warming up the machinery.
The first assistant engineer. who was in charge,
had Just finished inspection and found every
thing all right. and l30 pounds of steam, which
is much less than the normal pressure. was
turned into the oipe. and moment or two later
the explosion occurred The big engine-room
was at once filed with steam so that no human
being could breath: IN the atmosphere. The
shore crew OF machnsts and lot OF the regu-
lar crew were overlooking every part Of the ma
xItrAl
mirror-iike perfectness. Like "A cannon shot the
big l5-inch pipe snapped as If cut clean with
blow OF hammer and all WIS confusion.
Blinded by the volumes Of escaping steam. the
men III the adjoining boer-room fought TO
reach the fresh air deck. The shIteks OF
those scalded sounded above the uproar and II
was fifteen minutes after the steam was shut OH
before any one could venture into the room. Had
the accident happened at sea. said Mr.. Griscom.
there would have been tremendous loss OF HE,
but the steamer would have continued on her
way to port at about fourteen knots an hour