Evening star., 1932-09-09

When the smoke cleared there was
nothing left of the beat but debris float
ing on the oily water.
Police, Coast Guard and commercial
boats f1ocked to the scene and joined
in saving the injured and transporting
the dead to shore.
Priests came to the ferry house and,
meeling amcng the rows of dead, ad-
ministered last rites to the dying.
Mulrooney on Scene.
Police Commissioner Edward P Null
rooney and Bronx District Attorney
Charles Mclaughlin directed the rescue
work
One workman, Ted Maureau, was
saved by tardiness. He arrived at the
dock just minute tco late to make the
ferry and was standing watching it
when 1t exploded. He helped in the
rescue of his follow workers.
Capt Joseph Rogers of the municipal
ferry Greenwich Village gave 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 passen-
gers struggling in the water over
large area. Our ferry boat was in its
slip at East 12Gth street at the time.
Just two blocks from the pier where
the Observations had backed out into
the water.
Picked Up Many.
I'VE lowered our lifeboats and
cruised about among the wreckage We
picked up bodies and 10 injured per-
sons. Other people were putting out
in small boats and they also picked up
bodies and the injured"
All witnesses of the explosion were
taken to nearby police stations for
questioning. Among them was Alex
ander Forsythe, captain and owner of
the boat.
THE boilers exploded" he repeated
over and over, and that was the only
explanation he had to offer. A short |
time later, the Alexander avenue station
reported to police headquarters that
Forsythe, who was under detention, was
near death. His father, co-owner Of
the boat, also was seriously hurt.
Mayor Joseph Mckee was told Of
the explosion at City Hall. He said he
would not go to the scene, but would
depend upon Mulrooney for report.
When the explosion occurred. the
body of one workman was tossed so feet
into the air and landed on the roof of a
building near the waterfront Another
body was hurled similar distance to
the roof of building of the New York
Edison Co.
Life Guard Aids Rescue.
Peter Collins. a life guard at a Sum-
mer camp, saw the explosion. He called
workers from a nearby power house and
ran to the waterfront to give aid.
Today was the workers regular week.
ly pay day and many had reported for
duty early.
Warden Morehead said that no city
employees were on the Observation, all
the men being employees of the con-
tracing firm which was building the
new penitentiary. Most of them were
iron workers.
AS soon as the Observation exploded
all men already at work en- the peni-
tentiary were sent home to reassure
their families and work was Suspended
for the day.
One diver was sent from the City
Department of Docks and two more
from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Commissioner Mulrooney commented
that It was at this same ferry dock that
in 1904 he arrested the captain of the
excursion steamer Gen. Slocum, which
sank in He'll Gate with loss of 1921
lives.
The Observation was at one time in
sightseeing service for carrying tourists
around Manhattan Island 1t sank at
its pier at Kearney, N. j., about a year
ago, but was raised and recommissioned
Its last inspection by the United States
Steamboat Inspection Service of the !
of Commerce was last April !