New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-04


break I'm the pipe was examined by an expert
in the manufacture of steam boilers. and he
gave II as his opinion that In testing the boilers
the pipe was strained and 1t was only a ques-
ton Of time when the accident would have hap
pened.
THE DEAD.
The list OF the dead Is follows:
FARRELL, Frank. oiier
FARRELL. Patrick. oller
MAHON Frank. fireman.
MHTGH. Thomas. oiler.
MURPHY. Peter. second assistant engineer
RYAN John. coal-passer.
THE INJURED.
SLOVENIAN John thirty years old. electrician. steer
age passenger taken 70 the Hudson street hosptal;
slightly scalded face and hands
Little is known OF the history Of the dead men.
1t is said that the Farrells were brothers. and
that several OF the men married. 1t Is be-
leved that all of the men killed had homes In
this city
The main pipe from the engine to the boiler
became loose by nange being wrenched out
OF place by the force Of the steam flowing
through the PIPE. The broken part Of the pipe
was some distance from the ground. At the
time the fange was wrenched out OF place.
opening the pipe and letting the full draught
Of steam into the hreroom. the steam gauge reg
istered eighty pounds. The pressure could with
safety be one hundred pounds. and at the GOV
ernment's test the steam gauge registered 100
pounds Since the official examination or the
machinery. the engine and boilers had been
closely inspected by the men In the engine ana
boiler rooms and no imperfection In any part OF
the machinery was detected. Everything seemed
TO be in good working order and the thought Of
a possible accident was far from the MINDS or
the ships crew.
A little after o'clock last night the vessel
was ready 10 start on her first trip south since
the close OF her service Government trans
port There was a heavy cargo on Dcard.
There were also about thirty passengers most
Of whom were hrst-class. The signal had been
given to the working below decks TO ne
prepared to start at a moments notice. In the
engine room were the six men who were des-
tined to meet with an awful death. They had
given no word that anything was amss In their
quarter. and It is believed that they received
no warning of the accident.
5-~ TRIED To RESCUE THE MEN.
About 7:3O o'clock Captain George p. Hix
signaled up with the lines and was just
about TO give the word for the men In the en-
eine-room to start the machinery when he was
startled by Il loud Kissing sound. and looking
toward the door leading to the fire and engine
He shouted to the deckhands that something
was wrong below decks. and he and they made
strenuous efforts to rescue the men in the
gine-room The captain and Chief Engineer
Canning worked vigorously and bravely to shut
off the steam pipes as quickly as possible. and
every member OF the crew that was able to re-
spond TO the cry for assistance did likewise.
1t was fully ten minutes before the steam in
the boilers was nearly exhausted and
could grope his way to the floor of the engine
room. When one Of the men got TO the floor he
shut off the pipes and then looked
about for the six men who had been at work
in the room when the accident happened. He
behed a CHASTITY sight. In heap, almost at the
foot Of the ladder lay six bodies. frghtfully dis
torted and mutllated lie could hardly recog-
nize some of the faces of the dead. The men
had been literally boiled alive. and by the ap-
pearance OF their twisted arms they had not
been killed instantly. but had died in great
agony With the aid Of a number Of the crew
deck, the bodies were removed TO the main
deck. where they few hours later ex-
amined by Coroner Bausch.
The original list Of the dead did not contain
the name Of Frank Farrell. as it was thought
that one Of the bodies that Of L. Connell n
coal -passer. This mistake showed how dstort-
ed were the features Of some Of the men, Stone
man, the only person injured. lives at No -
First ST. Albany. He standing near the
door leading TO the engine and boiler rooms at
the time OF the accident and was una BILE to get
to a safe place in time. He blinded by the
escaping steam for a few moments. Chief En-
gineer Canning and his first assistant r. Robin
son. were slightly scaded on the face and hands.
but their injuries were not very painful.
Chief Engineer Canning was unable to say
what caused the accident. Mr.. johnson, his
first assistant. also retcent regarding the
breaking Of the main pipe He had no opinion
to offer on the subject.
HAD NO CHANCE TO ESCAPE
In speaking OF the accident. Captain Hlx said
that the men in the engine room did not have a
chance TO escape lie added that a moment be
fore the accident he signaed TO them 10 look
out for his bell to start" and knew that they
all at their posts when the nange flew
loose and the steam escaped in great clouds
under forced draught. Continuing he said that
the passengers were exceedingly calm under the
circumstances.
on learning the nature of the accident. Coro-
ner Bausch decided to have an expert examine
the machinery Of the vessel without delay Ac-
cordingly be took with him 20 the ship Frcder-
lex Heipershausen. Of the firm Of Heipershausen |
Brothers. boilermakers at No. 22 TOmpkins-
ST. Mr.. Heipershausen. after examining the |
wrench hange and the broken pipe. came to
the conclusion according to the Coroner that |
the pipe had been strained by the Government
officials, and that. as the strain not de- |
tected the accident the natural result
Coroner Bausch said that he would admit the
chief engineer to bail 10 await the result OF the
inquest.
The Alamo was built in 1883 at the shIpyard
OF John Roach Son. Chester Penn for |
Charles H. Mallory & Co. Her dimensions are:
Length. 80 feet depth Of hold 2l5 feet and
breadth 400 feet. She is 20i3 gross and cc37 /