Year: 1871

until ! came to myself lying across the body OF a
horse on the lower deck. At first could think OF
nothing but my own safety but in moment the
thought OF my children rushed TO my mind.
looked around. but they were nowhere to be seen.
When at length l staggered to my feet the sight
that met my eyes was truly awful. The dead ana
dying lay around In all directions. Some
lay still and motioness, as II unconscious,
while others, in many cases struggling under frag
ments OF the wreck, were groanlng, writning and
endeavoring to get upon their feet. The number OF
people struggling IN the water appeared incalcula
bic. Among them were many children some or
whom foated about for considerable time before
sinking have not been able to get any trace Of
my little ones and am afraid they are lost"





Statement Of Mr.. John Styles.


Mr.. John styles, one of the Park police, makes
the following satement:-"I was standing close be-
side the liberty pole the Battery when the explo
sion took place. The noise was not as loud as one
would naturally expect and resembed very
much the sound made by the discharge OF firearms.
In common with all within hearing of the explosion
Immediately rushed to the spot The
sight was a frightful one. Tho whole forward part
OF the boat seemed TO be literally torn to pieces Not
alone was the timber smashed aud rven, but the
iron work lay scattered about and twisted and bent
in all kinds OF strange and fantastic shapes. The



listen to, and those who shouted and screamed were
not the wounded, but those who, though
unhurt. were absolutely wild with terror,
and appeared TO think they could
not escape without destruction. All those
on that part OF the deck which the eX rloslon had
spared rushed back and commenced leaping down
on the lower deck. Myself and number OF others,
the majority of whom were police officers stationed
ourselves below and caught the frightened people in
our arms as they Jumped down. good many soon
recovered from their panic, and the sense OF per-
sonal danger dlspelled began to make anxious IN
qurics ABOUT their friends and relatives. 1t was har.
rowing to see fathers and mothers rushing around
looking for their children, whom few moments
before they had In their arms, smiling and happy
The 1remen and police were on the spot in in.
credibly short time ana worked like men to extri-
cite the wounded. Several surgeons hastened to
the spot and did all in his power to alleviate the
sutrerings OF the wounded. Conspicuous among
them was DR.. Shine who did nobly. In fact, every
body did all in their power to mitigate the horrors
Of the occurrence


Statement of the Police Oniccv on Duty in


the Park.


Police Onlcer W. J. Colby, who was On duty at the
Battery, with Officers j. Styles and william Baldwin,
when the explosion occurred, makes the following
statement


was on duty in the Park on Sunday. happened
to be standing at the Staten island ferry house, in
conversation with detective officer, at the time of
the explosion The first thing knew OF 1t was this
heard dull, heavy SOUND and Immediately 1t struck
me what had happened and said to the detective,
"My God the boiler has burst on the ferryboat ~


ran to the ferryboat. and there were the people,
a crowd Of them in the stern OF the boat, all 1ranti
cally s-shhg forward on to the slip. | jumped
over to the hurricane deck and did my best to help
the people there down TO the lower deck. Officer
ShellOck was there doing his best Also and both OF
us got down from the hurricane deck all the people
who had been burned scalded and assisted in
carrying them TO shed at the west side OF the ferry
house.


l ran forward Oh the boat and saw people strug.
Cling in the water in the direction OF the Slip There
were men, women and children beating about and
their efforts TO keep above water frightfui to
see, and many were drowned.


There were people lying around groanng and
badly injured. some were seemingly stupeled with
terror, though only slightly injured. All who were
badly wounded and unable to walk we placed on
wagons ana all kinds of conveyances we could pro-
cure as they came m hand and sent them on, as
many as we could each load, to the Park Hospital.
The scene, sir, was terrible The cries were heart
rending In my experience never heard or saw
anything like 1t. The women were in an awful
state. and their cries would unman any one not
OF good nerves. IL was something dreadful to hear
them over and over again exclaimIng, 80 God,
save my children 0 God, save my children p' We
all did what we could. / assure you that any one
who saw what we saw will never forget It, think
never saw such fearful occurrence and hope
never again may.


remember few people who went on board. Just
about ten minutes before the explosion took place
General Duryea, formerly connected with the
Seventh regiment and one or two ladies with him,
came along. l think 1t was two ladies were with
him. He came to me and said al missed the one
O'Clock boat. but l suppose am IN time for the
other boat" 1 did not see him again. ana cannot
say anything positive about him, but believe he
went board the boat with the ladies' and that he
went on deck and on the fore part OF the boat be-
cause lie went into the ferry house, intending TO
take that boat and he was waiting for that boat to
come into the slip.


In addition TO the above the officer said that he
remarked at the tlme while at the ferry house, that
there was small number Of people gong On board.
lie considered 1t small number, compared 20 the
rush at other times, and was pretty sure that
there could not have been, at the outside than
four hundred persons on the boat at the time OF the
explosion. She was an extra boat-the westneld-
he said and 1t was one or two minutes after half
past one O'Clock when the bell was rung for her to
start


He noticed some persons who particularly ex.
ered themselves, where all did good service and he
thinks 1t right to give honorable mention to the
names OF three men-Qmgey, Collins and Michael
bowling. He states that Madame Quigley, OF No.
State street. has in her care two chldren-one eight
months old, the other about twenty months old
who had not up to late last night, been Identified
by any one.
Oac:aI Report to the Park COmmissiOn n ers. |
The following Is the official report made by Officer
Colby to his superiors:-


BATTERY PARK, July 80, 1871.


ron duty from IL M. TO 9 r. NJ
At 1880 p. NJ was standing In conversation with |
Officer Connolly, of the First precinct at the Staten
Island ferry gates facing Whitehall street, when |
heard heavy, dull report. ! turned around quick,
and saw the boiler of the Staten Island ferryboat |
west1eld mad exploded. pushed In and got on |
the upper deck the stern OF the boat ard queted