The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-08-29

We OOShSA luoI SSCu1ub W nave u
new shalt put in the engine.
Apart from the labor of the City
Of Trenton, there was no warning
OF the accident. The regular course
was being pursued. The boat in
40 feet OF water had just passed
the buoy tina! M arks the channel op.
posite the clubhouses, when those
on shore heard two odistlnct reports,
low, runlbling. muffled, like blast
in quarry, aud then great tor.
nado cloud OF steam, smoke and de.
brls-a cloud the size Of an ordin.
airy dwelling house-was throwr Is
yards into the air.
Without doubt, to one fortunate
circumstance alone do the survivors
owe their lives. Either the man at
the wheel had the presence OF mind
to head the boat for the shore, or
else the force OF the explosion did
that for HIM. AT any rate, the City
of Trenton was driven deep among
the rushes where the rescuers could
easily and speedily reach her.
Moreover. the explosion was from
the centre tow ard the stern, so that
those in the bow generally escaped
with only slight injuries.
The place, however. is rather IN.
accessible. 1t is halt a mile from
the nearest railroad station and
over a quarter mile from the trolley
line, so that some time had elapsed
before org anized help was at hand.
Nevertheless. the few people on the
shore went at once to the resc ue.
Lieutenant Joseph {. NJ. Dunlap,ol
the llolmesburg House OF Correc-
tion, was among them. He ran at
once 10 the House OF Correction aud
returned with Captain John J. Nc
Caffrey. Guards Burns and Macil-
vaine, DR.. George M. Robinson, 9
wagons and a squad of convicts.
These fell to work and the wounded
were Immediately conveyed to the
hospital ward Of the House of Cor
rection..
The neighboring houses Of Rich.
ard Wells and Albert Smith also
became temporary hospitals, tic
owner OF the former taking eight
persons from the water. Miss Jen.
ME Stops. OF Riverside, N. j., and
Henry Cliff. OF Holmesburg, whose
boat was close to the City Of Tren-
ton, rescued several others and the
officers and crew and two passen.
gers "a Mr.. Johnson, of Bristol,
and Michael Larkin-did cool and
gallant service, the captain being
the last man to leave the boat.
Captain Hamm and the policemen
OF the Frapktord, Belgrade Street
and Tacony Stations, together with
two engine companies, arrived soon
after and tine latter soon had the
fire under control.
1t was ten minutes after the cX-
plosion that the first rescue was
made and Is minutes later that the
boat caught fire.
Some idea OF the force OF the
shock may be gathered IRON the
fact that heavy piano was hurled
from the cabin through the deck Is
feet deep into the air and 80 feet
from the boat. The bodies of the
dead. too, were terribly torn and
that oil Lizzie Green was identified
only by her rings.
Nearly all the passengers we're
hurled into the air and many had
to wade ashore in water to their
chins. One party was on the bridge
Just over the boilers and their late
is in doubt.
CAPTAINS STORY.
Captain William A Worrel, who
commanded The City OF Trenton.
and who was the last mau to leave
the wreck. was III dOZed condition
when he finally came ashore, aud
was not clear as to the accident
and the events that immedla ately
preceded and followed it. TO his
bravery was largely due the safety
OF the surviv ors, butthe ordeal had
left its marks upon him and his
voice shook painfully when he talk.
ed. He said:
ii dou'trencmber much lust now
Everything was SO sudden and
without any warning. But | don't
think there was any trouble about
undue speed. though it may be true
that we were a little late.
lie would not talk further about
the causes of the accident
al don't know" he continued,
'just how many persons were
aboard. There is no way to tell.
There may have been a hundred.
do not think there we're under %.
We don't keep count. SO far as
could see, each officer and each
member Of the crew did his duty
up TO the last. "
DARING RESCTES.
Michael l. arkin, OF 22lS Kater
street, Philadelphia, paid his last
cent inr ticket to Trenton, on the
City OF Trenton yesterday alter
noon. When the explosion occurred
he was on the lower deck and was
thrown, uninjured, into the water
about 100 feet from the boat.
Near him he saw the body OF an
| UNCONSCIOUS woman. Halt way be.
tween them and the burning steam.
cr was LIE raft. Partly swim
ming and partly wadlng, Larkin
reached this raft with the woman 8
body. lie lifted her up on this and
started to shove II toward the shore
On the way he found another un.
| conscious woman whom he also
rescued. A fisherman boat came
| up and took the women of and Lar.