New-York tribune., 1901-06-06
HURT IN A YACHT EXPLOSION
STEWARD, BADLY BURNED, SAVED By
BRAVE CAPTAIN-CREW SWIM
FROM HANAN BOAT.

Tho racing sloop AstriId one Of the finest yachts
of her class. blown up at 3 o'clock yesterday
morning by a naphtha explosion just off the sum
mer home of her owner, Wilmer Hanan, AT Port
Chester on Long Island Sound. She is
complete wreck. The explosion occurred while the
steward William Fl. Mcleod. was cooking break
in the galley for the crew OF eight swedish ana
Norwegian sailors. McElced was nearly burned 10
death and the crew. who were asleep in the fore
castle had narrow escapes Without waiting TO
put on their clothing they rushed on deck The
yacht was then ahame. Waiting only long enough
10 help Captain Petersen pick up the unconscious
steward I'D put him in a Hfeboat, the sailors
sprang overheard and swan to other boats in the
harbor.
The Astrild was about eighty feet over all. and
was built at GreenOCk in Scotland. for MIR. Hanan
about a year ago by Watson. the English de-
sgner OF racing yachts She was rival or ths
yacht IsoIda The yacht was luxuriously ntted
up and is said to have cost her owner S2aVo.
Mr.. Hanan is a member of the Larchmont Ameri-
can and Indian Harbor clubs. and had already en-
tered the Astrild in number OF this seasons
crack races.
The Astrild was only recently put in commits
sion and on Tuesday her owner came up to Fort
Chester and took her out for a sail stretching
He took a run down the Sound 10 Larchmont.
and then got of at the clubhouse and went back
10 New-York by train. The yacht then put back
10 Port Chester. and the crew. after furlins the
sails and making everything snug, turned IN Tor
the night.
N-O
first man up yesterday morning, and he started TO
get breakfast He was doing the cooking on
gasolene stove in the galley. just back of the fore
castle According to a statement made by one of
the crew a galvanized tank containing several gal
Ions of naphtha had been put aboard at Port Ches-
the night before. and the steward was using IL
In the stove lie had joined the galvanized tank TO
the tank OF the by a pipe connection. but
after filling the tank Of the stove had forgotten TO
shut the valve connecting il with the larger port
able tank This caused fluid TO feed too freely.
and the steward touched a match TO the
burners of the both tanks let loose, with an
explosion that was heard in Port Chester and
Greenwich. several miles away; The concusslon
that it shattered the WINDOWS IN
of the big houses that overlook the sound
The white pine deck was torn entlTeN on aha sent
skyward and the masts and rigging took hre at
once and Durned like tinder
Captain Petersen the first man to get up the
matches, and it through his bravery that the
steward rescued from the burning galley,
where he was lying unconscious ana covered oy
flames. The skipper smothered the flames. and
the wreckage and put him In a boat. He was ter
ribly burned about the face and body. and Is now
in the Port Chester Hospital in a critical condt-
ton
on some small yachts which were lying short
distance away the crew were supplied WIN com com
ing. and Captain Petersen, whose arms and hands
were burned in rescuing the steward, received at
tention.
The AstriId continued to burn fercely until her
sails and rigging entirely consumed. Then
she burned to the waterline and finally sank. She
now lies in about fifteen feet of a low tide,
with only her blackened toprlast and spreaders In
sight The sailors left behind them IN the sunken
forecastle their savings amounting to several
jewelry, besides their clothing Mr.. Hanan took
the crew to the stores in the neighboring towns
shoes, and paid him half months salary in adj
vance The burned yacht will tse raised by
build her she viii be stripped OF her brass and
metal work and abandoned She is so feet long