New-York tribune., 1900-07-02
FIREBoAT SCENE OF HORROR.
LIEUTENANT MGINNIs SURE THERE WERE
PASSENGERS ON THE SAALE.

LIEUTENANT MGINNIs SURE THERE WERE
PASSENGERS ON THE sAALE
The hreboat Robert A. Van Wyck. which ar
rived on the scene first, presented picture of
horror and ghastliness as she lay at Grand-st,,
East River. yesterday morning. The decks were
covered with cotton saturated with the blood
OF the victims rescued by the brave men aboard.
The f1remen were at work cleaning the boat
and picking up the stained remnants of cloth
ing which were torn from the burning bodies
as they were pulled aboard the freboat from
the pit Of fire. Firemen are brave men. but
the stoutest of them gave way they worked
silently TO destroy and wash overheard every
evidence of the greatest struggle of their lives
to save human life and property. Every story
of the sad spectacle they related carried the
conviction of sincerity, and no attempt was
made at self-laudation. Lieutenant McGinnis
said yesterday:
Don't ask me to recall the scene. 1t was terrible.
torribe! l never want to see such scene again
n0r NOR 40 'HT Wa en he'll He'll for the poor %nforEnates
down in that prison of fire aboard the Saale, and
sSe sS tor to Svs S@SG thsm %9 ad @ see 'S pe'S anu u
We rescued thirty men from aboard the saale
and landed them on tusboats. | never stopped to
see who they were or ask them questions When
DUTY la 6eyond the saving of propSrty We pulled
out a burning scow ard started with her Tor mid
fered with our man9uyering so as to get to the
Saae's side when we learned there We're human
I shouted to the tugboats that. were throwing
of my way or would turn my most powerful
Tatersp03t on t9en ThicR c W1n'6 @ tuTn nm them Over
steered up alongside of the burning vessel. which
raging furnace by that time. We fought the
fire on the decks and worked way aboard
Yes I should say there were passengers aboard
the Saale. They looked like passengers and surely
were not members of the crew. They were locked
down in the hold OF the vessel as securely ever
a convict was imprisoned in a cell There was no
escape i0r mem aIteF Ule @ oe+Set neSah 10 take
allowed TO work from the decks. II then
a hundred arms, with the flesh torn from them.
and blackened with burns, protruded from the
diameter. Had those portfolios been larger suf-
ficient to admit the passage of human body the
$50 Wu Hb, ,haN vr ' q TIL i uIneS w more l9
numher IIhah tneS We're, ne cries OF agony and
despair that came from that hell of fire were some
to save them came in languages we did not under
stand We did not need to We we'll knew what
ravins maniacS when we got them aboard They
could not realize they had escaped the terrible
fore. In their delirium they fought each other
after they were rescued They as black as
coal and their burnt and charred flesh peeled off
The most agonizlns sight witnessed was that
face and arms she reached and got hand
full OF water with which she washed her face. seek
She never once uttered scream We passed
drank 1t. She could not speak English but muir
INJURED in foreign tongue and i'm which
Words Of cheer to her The boai gave a hiprnh hp%fe
water hlled the compartment which she was i'm
more
Lieutenant McGinnis said there were many
explosions heard aboard the saale during the
fire and they drove the firemen back. The small
portfolios the lieutenant said were responsible
for the great loss of life.