New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-11
THREE MEN HURLED BY
EXPLOSION FROM BOAT
Like Firebrands, Their Clothing
AbIaze from Gasoline, All
Are Shot Into River.
WOMAN'S CALL BRINGS HELP
Men Nearly Exhausted When
Dragged Into Boat by Her Son
old Ferryman Gets
Them to Hospital.

Three men who had been cruising in
the Hudson River narrowly escaped
death early last evening when the tank
of their gasolene launch exploded. set
ting fire to their clothing and at the
same time hurting them into the water.
The men were William II. Nicoiay, an
electrical engineer, of No. 35I Sd street,
Brooklyn: Edward O'Neil, real estate
dealer, of No. 521 9th street, Brooklyn.
and H A. Simons. an insurance broker,
of No. 1920 Beverly Road. Flatbush. All
were taken to the Washington Heights
Hospital. Nicolay was the only one
whose conditions was serious.
The men started on a pleasure trip on
Saturday, planning to spend three days
in cruising up and down the Hudson.
Yesterday morning they found their
little boat off the Peekskill shore. They
decided TO take in the sights of that
place and then start on their homeward
journey 1t was late in the afternoon
when they jumped into their launch and
started toward New York.
They made no haste to reach their
destination, but practically allowed the
boat TO drift along slowly. The ap-
proach of dusk warned them, however
that in order to arrive in New York at
the hour they had planned they must
send the launch at a faster pace.
The boat was then sent along at top
speed. and sped swiftly by Yonkers and
the suburban villages to the south, until
the men found themselves under the
shadow of the Palisades, about thou
sand feet from the Jersey shore and
directly opposite 2O5th street. Manhattan
At this place the tank on the launch
suddenly exploded and hurled the Occu-
pants of the boat into the water. To
their dfsmay, however. they found that
it was not alone a question of saving
themselves from drowning, for their
clothing was blazing and the water
seemed to have but little effect In
quenching the flames.
Nicolay was the only one of the men
who could swim at all well. SimOns was
good for only a short distance, while
O'Neil was absolutely helpless. The
burden of saving his companions first
from the flames and then from sinking
y,
ing exhaustion when the attention of
persons on the shore was attracted to
the mems plight.
At the foot of the Palisades. opposite,
was u little ferryhouse, which is in
charge of Mrs. Alice Gallagher. an aged
woman. and her son Thomas. The
woman was the first to see the blazing
boat and the men struggling in the
water. She hurried up the cliff. where
her son was working. and told him that
4 boat was on fire in the river, and that
some men were in danger of drowning.
The son hastily dragged a rowboat from
it's mornings and set out from the shore.
Gallagher. as soon as he neared the
men, recognized that O'Neil was in the
greatest danger, and that his attention
should first be given TO him. Reaching
the spot where O'Neil was fighting he
roically to saw himself from sinking.
Gallagher reached over the edge OF his
boat and finally succeeded in dragging
him aboard. Next he rescued Simons.
and then. although nearly overcome by
his exertions. pulled Nicolay into the
boat.
In the mean time Mrs. Gallagher had
hoisted three white lanterns over the
little ferry hose. This was a signal
arranged when an emergency arose TO
warn Richard Cox. an old sea captain
who ran the ferry during the summer
months. and who was stationed on the
New York shore.
Cox, after the signal had been raised
and lowered several times. noticed IT and
quickly started across i'm his launch.
When he landed on the other side he
found the three men under the care of
Mrs. Gallagher. who was vainly trying
To restore them 10 consciousness. With
the assistance of Thomas Gallagher, he
carried the men to his boat. on the
way over ne signalled and attracted the
attention OF patrolman, who summoned
an ambulance from the Washington
Heights Hospital