The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-09
BOILER EXPLOSION
RENDS CRAFT WITH
zoo MEN ON BOARD
81 Bodies Recovered in Two
Hours and SO More Are
unaccounted For
INJURED NUMBER SCORES
Ancient Ferryboat Was Only Is
Feet From Shore When
Blast Occurred
INJURED NUMBER SCORES


ers Island penitentiary In the East
River was blown to bits by a boiler
explosion Friday, killing dozens and
1nJurtng many more.
Within an hour Is bodies had been
recovered and an hour later the num-
Der had risen to 81. Halt a hundred
were still unaccounted for and practi.
cally all the rest were injured.
1t was the worst river tragedy here
since 1926 when So men were killed
as work launch crushed In the ice
choked Hudson.
The ferry, the 92-foot wooden
steamer Observation" had already
made one trip to the island from the
l35th street dock and had just started
with its second load when the explo-
sion occurred.
The Observation, built in 1883, was
about Is feet from the pier when peo-
pie ashore were stunned by terrific
roar. The ferry disappeared In q
dense cloud Of smoke from which
catapulted bodies and fragments Of
wood and iron.
Only Debris Left
When the smoke cleared there was
notning left OF the boat but debris
floating on the oily water.
Police. coast guard Snd commercial
boats flocked to the sc>sle and Joined
IN saving the injured and transporting
the dead to shore.
Priests came to the ferry house and.
kneeling among the rows Of dead, adj
mtntStered last rites.
Police Commissioner Edward p.
Mulrooney and Bronx District Attor-
ney Charles Mclaughlin were on the
scene and directed rescue work.
One workman, Ted Maureau. WAS
saved BY hardness. He arrived at the
dock just q minute too late to make
the ferry and was, standing watchins
It when it exploded. He helped in the
rescue Of his fellow workers.
Gives Graphic Account
Joseph Rogers. captain Of the mu-
nictpal ferry Greenwich Village. Rave
a graphic account of the explosion.
Il heard blast and saw the boat
blown to smithereens." he said. when
the clouds Of smoke and steam had
cleared away we could see the pas
sengers struggling in the water over
q large area. Our ferryboat was in
Its slip at east 134th street at the
time. Just two blocks from the pier
where the Observation had backed
out into the water.
I'VE lowered our lifeboats and
cruised about among the wreckage.
We picked up four bodies and ten
injured persons. Other people were
putting out in small boats and they
also picked up bodies and the In
tured."
Commissioner Mulrooney COM
mented 1t was at this same ferry dock
in 1904 that he arrested the captain
OF the excursion steamer General Slo-
cum, which sank In He'll Gate with q
loss OF 1,021 lives.
All witnesses Of the explosion Of
the Observation were taken to near
by police stations for questioning.
Bodies Tossed 50 Feet
When the explosion occurred two
bodies were tossed so feet into the air
and landed on the roof Of a building
near the waterfront.
More than three hours after the
explosion police said investigation In
dicated there were l65 men ON tho
Observation. The number Of dead
still was 81.
The Observation was at one time In
sightseeing service for carrying tour
lists around Manhattan Island. +
sank at its pier at Kearney. N. J..
about year ago, but was raised ana
|recommissioned.
Its last inspection by the United
States steamboat inspection service
LOT the department Of commerce was
last April and at that time 1t was
marked %. K" for one year. The
inspection included life preservers.
boiler and hull.
The Alexander avenue station re-
ported to police headquarters that
Alexander Forsythe, captain and CO.
owner Of the Observation, under de-
tention in Lincoln hospital, had died
Of his injuries.
E. G. Wallenstik, 81, Of Yonkers. a
survivor, said:
II was sitting on the top deck with
six Of my companions after the boat
had backed out Suddenly there was
q terrific explosion and We were all
hurled high into the air. I came
down in the water. saw that the boat
had been blown to bits. and grabbed
q life preserver. could not see any
of my companions except one man
named John Bailey. We both swan
ashore where somebody lifted Us up
and we were taken to the hospital"
Wallenstik's injuries included two
|cuts on each arm and q discolored
eye.
After surveying the situation ct the
scene District Attorney Mclaughlin
ordered all witnesses to his office,
which he said would be headquarters
for the inquiry.