New-York tribune., 1913-06-28
Forty-eight Men and Wreckage
Hurled Into Bay as the 5000.
Ton Tank Steamer Mo-
hawk Blows Up.
SIX HURT; MANY MISSING
Heavy Smoke from Burning
Ship Handicaps Rescuers
in Accident Which
Occurs Off Staten
Island.

|
| hawk. belonging to the German-Amer-
lean Petroleum Company, subsidiary
Of the Standard Oil Company, blew up
mile off Stapleton, Staten Island, late
Yesterday afternoon, hurting most of
the crew of thirty men, together with
gang Of eighteen ironworkers who
were aboard making repairs, into the
| bay. Several Of the men were severely
| burned and at least one OF them fatal
| ~. while the fate of twelve Of them
was uncertain, as up TO a late hour last
] night they were reported missing II
was said that six of the missing men.
! including the fourth engineer, were
dead IN the wreck
At a late hour three bodies were
found.
| The explosion was caused by the
ignition Of fuel tank. containing
1000 gallons Of crude oil for use in the
ships furnaces. Although no definite
cause could be found, it was thought
to be n lighted match, carelessly thrown
| either into or near the after tanks by
| one OF the steamhtters.
Engines a Mass Of Twisted Steel.
So great was the force Of the eXplo-
! sion that it was heard for ten miles.
/ The engines, together with the after
! decks and tanks Of the steamer were
! turned into "A mass Of twisted steel.
| The wreck Immediately took fire in
| LII.
volumes Of heavy black smoke, which
settled over the surrounding bay and
nearby Staten Island
About fifty boats Of various descrip-
tions. many provided with fire fighting
apparatus, went 10 the aid OF the ship.
| They turned their streams upon her.
and late at night the vessel was re-
ported as settling heavily by the stern
from The tons Of water that had been
poured into her.
OF the men reported missing only
two were definitely known by name.
They were Edward Donohue, married.
-twenty-five years old, steamfitter.
employed by the Atlantic Basin Iron
Works and living at No. iSl Henry
street, Brooklyn. and John Donovan,
single, twenty-six, helper to Dono-
hue, living at No. 216 Van Brunt
street, Brooklyn.
The injured so far as could be
learned were Gustave Elmgren,
forty years old. pipefitter en-
ployed by the iron works. OF No. II
Dahlgren Place, Brooklyn, burned
about the head and body; John CANE,
a steamftter, twenty-five, Of No. 1Sj
ID street New York, slightly burned,
Philip LcpSic. an oiler, thirty
two, living on lie ship. burns on tho
face, head and body; Percy Payne, a
machnist thirty-one, OF Woodlawn
avenue. Woodhaven, Long Island,
burns, Third Engineer Vandergroff,
burns. and Herman Weisman. a ma
ch...ist. thirty-one. living on the ship,
skull fractured 10y a skylight which
was thrown fifty feet in the air, viii
probably die.
At a late hour the police added this
names Of Kramer a machinlst and
Larkin. a boilermaker, to the list Of
missing. Their first names and the ad-
dresses are not known.
The explosion came at sbot $50
O'Clock when the Staten Island ferries
were filed with passengers. They
heard the roar. and then saw men and
wreckage hurled into the air TO fall
into the bay. Dense masses OF black
smoke welled up from the vessel as
the oil in her tanks took fire.
! The Mohawk piled between this p0rt
and Tampico. Mex. having carrying
capacity Of 10000 barrels OF oil she
arrived from Tampico three days ago.
going to the Standard oil Works At
Bayonne, where she discharged her
cargo.
Was to Sail This Morning.
| She left Bayonne yesterday morning
| in ballast and was towed 20 an anchor
| age of Tompkinsville. II was learned
| last night that all the way up from
| Tampico considerable trouble was ex-
perienced with her oil burners, which
| were new After she was anchored the
gang of men from the iron works were
sent aboard her in an endeavor to get
her ready TO sail this morning.
The men were in charge of John DON
ohue. the foreman. and had been on her
only a short time when the explosion
came.
The explosion and the clouds Of
smoke carried the alarm TO Tompkins-
Vile, Stapleton and New Brighton, as
well as New York and Brooklyn, and
Immediately a swarm Of small pleasure
craft. tugboats and freboats put OFF to
go To her assistance.
When they reached the ship they
found more than a score of men
fioundering or swimming about in the
water, many of whom were picked up.
Several of the rescue boats made fast
to the ship and took off the men WNo
were left aboard.
Twelve Fireboats FIGHT Flames.
After the work of rescue was carried
as far as it could be, twelve fire and
other boats fitted with fire-fighting an