The New York Herald Newspaper, July 31, 1871, Page 9

- putin spite of every precaution the ‘i the operation, The poor boy writhed in an agony ‘tnat seemed unendurable, and he screamed inces- | draught ) earron oil (carron ofl consists of equal parts of _ bf the ferry house. | ‘other cases, more or less injured, were brought out NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY. JULY 31, -1871.—WITH SUPPLEMENT, or costly, X ripped off his ol sthés swith a knife as quickly and as carefully as 1 could, INTEGUMENTS RUFFLED OFF. ‘jpantly. He was absolutely out of his senses with extreme pain, He cried loudiy for water, and we procured him some, as well as some brandy, a8 ‘speedily 8 we were able, and @ good somewhat soothed him, Some one | had by this time procured some lint and ‘sweet oil and limewater); ana I dressed his wounds as well a3 I could with the appliances at command ‘and had him carried into the ladies’ reception room He seemed somewhat relieved, ‘put was slill suffering terrible torture. In the course ‘of a few minutes, while I was attending to him, ( TEN OR A DOZEN f the wreck. The boat was at this time lying moored by chains to the wharf. Smoke was stilt rising from the forward part of the boat, which peemed, however, much less dilapidated than might be imagined. The smokestack had gone and tne ‘whole fore part of the vessel was in ruins, but the ‘aft portion was unhurt, and people could pass to ‘pnd fro without the slightest dimculty. THE FIRE ENGINES AND LADDER COMPANIES Nice about this time, prepared to extinguish the ‘names, but they were chiefly useful in extricating Me dead and wounded from among the débris in ‘which they were lying, and in this way they aid fon service, I did all I could for the onnded as they were brought into the ferry jouse. Most of the cases were injured upon the dg and face. I dressed the scalds with oil and mt, and calmed the minds of my patients as far Bs possiple, as they still appeared to be very appre- hensive of further injury, and 1 encouraged them to bear up under the agonies they were enduring. Some of them were ina state of mental excitement ‘that 1t was positively painfnl to witness. None of there cases, however, were nevessarily fatal, and but few of them were even serious, so I ‘walked down to the end of the pier to where another fvessel—a sort of tugbont—having heard the ex- fplosion and seen the need of euccor, had come and moored herself across the ferryboat I got on board and os tast as the bodies were brought from out the wreck attended to the injuries of the ictims. ‘The first case that particularly attracted my at- Aenuon was a woman in the VERY AGONIES OF DEATH. ‘She could not articulate, and died in scarcely more ‘than two minutes after, being brought under my wharge. fer external injuries, however, ap- ‘poared to be slight, tut there was @ ‘Dloody froth issuing trem her nostrils gnd mouth, Her face, however, was calm in ex pression, and I doubt much if she preserved enough Bensibilizy after the first shock to be conscious of pain. The next case was that of a man—I think he was ® Germaa—who was raving with pain, He GASPED FOR SR#ATH, ‘as though respiration were extremely painful and dificult. He also was made to speak or swallow. His face was smeared with blood, where he had been struck with splinters of wood. His greatest 4njuries, however, seemed to bein the mouth and throat, which were terribly swollen by scalding, (Next to him, strange to say, came his natural foe, BFrenchman, The poor fellow was handsomely dressed and wore A GREAT DEAL OF JEWELRY. He had a large’ solitaire diamond tn his shirt bosom and he had a carbuncie pin in his necker- chief, He kopt repeating MON DIEU! MON DIEU! Tasked him in French tf he suffered much, and fa Yeply he pointed to his head ‘and then to his ‘stomach, but he seemed unable to explain intelligi- ly the nature of his sufferings. He was badiy scalded ‘pver the face, and the hot steam had seeked Up his arma, and, as I found out by ripping up his panta- Joons, up his legs also. We plied him well with brandy and water, and dressed his wounds, after which one of the deck hands puta coil of rope under ‘is head for a pillow and he seemed a little relieved. ‘The vext case I attended to was A LITTLE BOY, eleven years of age. Tis countenance was pallid ‘with suffering and his face was swolien up in many places with water blebs (blisters) He cried out “Water | water | without ceasing, and eveyy now and then writned from side to side, as though his Bufferings were too great to ve borne. I di- vested him of his clothing, aud found that oth arms to the shoulder, the neck and the whole Burface of his back were badly scalded. The scart, or outer skin, peeled of with his clothing, in spite of our efforts to prevent it. He also appeared to Dave been injured internally by the steam, as his mouth and throat were so swollen that he could not speak, 1 noticed about him, as also about all the other victims, that his TEETH WERE UNNATURALLY WHITE. ‘The cause of this may have been simply a natural beauty; but, perhaps, also the steam may have acted in some way upon the tartar, Tcan’tsay ex- pctly if (hat was so or not, thoagh. I then saw a young fellow, whose only tojury haa been caused by A PLOW from some heavy article on the small of the back. Ne complained of a great deal of pain in the part affected, but this was relieved by a deck haud.plac- Ang underneath him an cxtemporaneous piilow of gome ropes and things. ‘The next case was A BABY, nine months old—a male child. No one seemed to clatm it, and TL suppose its pa.ents or friends had been fatally injured, It was badly scalded—poor Jitile thing!—in both legs and arms and upon the face, 1 think, though, 1t will recover all rignt, It was still tively and ericd vigorously with pain, but hy was not al all apparently weakened by suftering. ‘A then despatched a lighter case—a woman with a sprained ancle, but oinerwise uninjured, A woman was about this time Gor ovr DEAD. ‘The lips aud all the vascular parts of the body were Dlue, but there seemed to be no scolding. I suppose she was killed instantaneously, before the water or Bleam reached her. Aficr death, of course, It is e¢ for a scald to raise blisters, Hor skin, d—very white and unna- pearance. gain | saw a little child without any friends to ‘plat it, It was slightly bruised, but that was all. ‘No vilvod, no scalds, no injuries of any account that ‘were perceptible, How itescaped I can’t say, Per- haps it lay in its mother’s arms when the disaster ‘took place, but was unhurt by the shock that left it Motherless. After leaving the boat I came : TO THE HOT 1, whore I was told there were some fifteen or twenty ‘other wounded people. These cases were not, asa general thing, 80 serious as [ haa previously geen, One of them, though, a woman, was the ‘worst case of scalding I witnessed. Her name was Mrs. Finlay. Both arms, both legs and alt #round the body were scalded deeply—right down tu the true skin. It was agonizing to listen to ner shrieks. She entreated the people around her to kill her, or shoot her and PUT MER OUT OF NER PAIN. I gave ner an injection of morphine, und after hav- Ing bathed the wounds with o.1 she scemed greatly relieved. ‘4 There was also a sad case In which A WHOLE PAMILY ‘Were involved, There was a yo ing English woman Who had arrived in the country but avery short time, and had been taking a little excursion with her brother-in-law and his wife. All three Were injured, A asinguiar feature in this ase was that the first woman had intended ‘ring her child of eight months old with her, but ad been taken sick that morning, and she had, -retore, concluded to leave it at home. Her in- irles were very sertous, The head, face, neck and sorearm were pretty badly scalded, She had a very HEAVY HEAD OF RIOH BLACK ATR, Wwhtoli contrasted sadly with her pain-worn and angwish-stricken face, Her sister and her brother Jo-laW—husband and wife—had falien together trough the deck, but ther injuries, though patnful, Were Not necessarily fatal, 1 waa too actively engaged to yo le to estumate the nnmber of killed and wounded. In my opinion, however, most of the scalding cases were not very dangerous. The immediately fatal injuries were mostly caused by direct violence, Statement of u Passenger. A highly intelligent gentleman, with whom one reporter had an interview subsequent to the acct- dent, made the following statement:—“A friend of mine on Saturday invitea me to accompany him on an excursion to Staten Island on Sunday afternoon. | Tagreed to his proposal, and we started from his | residence, on Madison avenue, about twelve o'clock, reaching the ferry just as the boat, so soon to be the theatre of such @ frightful calamity, was about to start, Scarcely had we set foot on the deck before we were startled by the noise of the explosion, fol- lowed by acrash that plainly spoke of RUIN AND DESTRUOTION, My first impulse was to rush back upon the bridge, but a@ moment's reflection sufficed to con- vince me that the danger, whatever might have been its cause, was now past, and accoraingly I went forward to endeavor to ascertain the nature and extent of the disaster, Never shall I forget the scene which encountered my horrified gaze. around me lay men, women and children, dead and dying, wretched ereatures, writhing and groaning in agony, whose whole thoughts had a brief mo- ment before been occupied with anticipations of pleasure. Many had evidently been killed outright, been swept from time into eter- nity without being conscious of the tran- sition, while, on the contrary, not a few | breathed their last struggling hopelessly amid the debris of the wrecked boat. Tue appearance pre- sented by the boat after the explosion was the rea- lization of ruin absolute and complete. Every plank was splintered and broken into a thousand pieces, bars of solid iron lay around bent and twisted as if they were composed of parchment. Here lay a poor wretch, battered out of all resem- b ance to humanity, and there a horse, in whose GLAZING EYEBALL it required no fancy to detect the signs of fright, terrorand amazement. The chimney stack had falien forward and lay across the wrecked portion of the boat, At first it was feared that the terrors of fire would be added to the other horrors of the scene, but happily this apprehension was groundless, In an fncredibly brief time we fire brigade made their appearance on the scene and a hose was at once directed upon that portion of the boat from which a conflagration was apprehended, The fire- men then joined their efforts to those of the police in the work of extricating the dead and wounded from the fallen débris. Among the first bodies discovered was that of an infant who was riding in a@ carriage with his mother, The carriage had been driven by the force of the explosion atop of some pipes connecting with the boiler, and in such a way that the poor child was actually roasted to death. The mother when extricated was still alive, but injured s0 seriously that her recovery is considered impossible, One circumstance was not a littie remarkable. While the passengers who es- caped unscathed SHRIEKED, SCREAMED and exhibited every possible demonstration of agony and terror, those who were wounded bore their sufferings with an amount of forti- tude, not to say stoicism, that was actus ally astonishing. I saw one man whose bead was obieeding from several plaées and wyose body was dread/ully scalded, who uttered not a groan and whose whole soul appeared to be engrossed by anxiety for the safety of anephew who was with him on the boat. Even children who must ha¥e been fuffering the most acute agony bore up 1n a manner that was little short of miraculous, In the midst of the tragedy there were not wanting some incidents which, under circumstances less awful would be calculated to create amusement, One individual, evidently hailing from the Emerald Isle, when rescued from the water and placed on terra forma bounded away with the utmost agility, yelling out, “’M@ -DROWNDHED | I'M DROWNDHED !"" Several persons tried to assure him that he was now safe, but he couldn't see it. Statement of a Bowliug Greea Resident. 1 left my residence ate Bowling Green a few minutes before half-past one yesterday for the pur- pose of proceeding to Staten Island by the steamer Westtieid, which was to leave the dock at Whitehall street at half-past one o'clock, I paid my fare and got inside the ferryhouse just in time to see the boat move off with at least 800 persons on board. I was much aunoyed at having missed tne boat, having had an engagement on Statan Island for two o’clock, aud just as 1 Was regretting what I consid. ered to have been my iil luck, I heard a terrible ex- plosion, followed by smoke and stnam, which hid everything from view. There were five or stx oth- ers standing on the platform with myself at the time, and the force of the explosion knocked two of tuem and myself completely over. I saw the boat moving off, and just as she got on @ level with the woodwork the boiler ex- ploded, The shouts and screams of those on board were horrible to contemplate. I never neard such fearful yells, such unearthly screams, or such imploring calls for help as fell en my ears at that moment, and I hope in God I shall never witness such a scene again, When I realized my position I feit that Providence bad kept me back from that boat, and I, with a thankful heart, praised and thanked tne Almighty for saving me from the awful doom which befel so many of my tellow beings who were on board the ll-fated steamer. After the smoke and steam had cleared away I saw that the fore part of the ves- sel was a coniplete wreck, The after part was not muca injured, and those who were aft escaped. A part of the roof of the ferry house was biown off, and men were immediately set to work to pull off the failing and tallen timbers with ropes. I saw men, Women and children thrown at least thirty feet up into the air, the majority of whom feil into the water, It was pitiful and heartrending to see them struggling in the water calimg loudly for assistance, 1 saw an immense number of people, young and old, jump overboard to escape the burning steam, pre- ferring to meet death by drowning than to suffer the longer torments of death by scalding, Many of those were drowned, but a good many were pickod up and saved, while others succeeded in reaching the platform themseives. At the moment of the ex- plosion there were about a dozen people in the ferryhouse. We made a rush to get on the boat to rescue the people We worked with @ will in removing the dead and wounded from the boat to the grassplot on the Battery. About a dozen police were soon in attend- ance, and gave every assistance in removing the wounded, They brought out the dead boaies of several Infants, from two months to two years old, Tbe firemen next arrived and went to work with ther axes and pulled away a lot of the ruins to give greater facility for the removal of the bodies, An unfortunate horse was caught in the ruins, his head only pro- jecting, a part of the harness was still hanging on, nis sides were completely played, but he was not so much Injured as to make his recovery hopeless, Just before the explosion his master was seen stand- ing beside lim holding his head, and nothing having been seen of him subsequently, tt 1s supposed that he ts among the killed, “Phere were about two hundred, including dead and wounded, removed from the boat to the Bat- tery; about one hundred must have thrown them- selves into the river to escape burning; and of this number and those who were thrown into the Tiver by the explosion, about sixty were picked up dead. Among those brought from the boat were: Two men whose face and arma presented a fright ful appearance, the whole flesh being hanging on and their clothes torn into shreds, They were un- consctous and not likely to recover, One man had a cut on his neck as if cut by a razor, He was taken Into a drag store in Whitehall street, where his wound was dressed, One woman became wildly insane. She lost ner husband and four children, and having recognized in the hands of the police the dead bodies of two of her children she made frantic efforts to tear them away from the arms of the officers, Mr. Henry Montague Harrison brought out a young lacy who bad all her hair burnt off her head, ana ail her teeth, except one, were entirely knocked out, She was not otherwise injured, beyond the mental excitement which she suffered from. Mr, Montague Harrison, above alluded to, is manager to Pierce & Co., No. 6 Bowling Green, and happening to be on the spot at the time of the accident made himself most active in rendering assistance to the wounded, One young woman who was drowned had her tongue hanging out of her mouth, showing that she had struggled hard for life, One man was found with the top of his head blown off, totally blind, alive and conscious, but not likely to live, Several were brought out altve, minus their legs and arms. One little fellow lay dead on the tower in the ferry house, His chest was all burned, and his clothes all in shreds. ‘The body of one lady was found with nothing on but her petticoat, while the bodies of others were almost naked, their clothiog having been durnt off. One man, said to be one of the engineers, was found dead and jammed in among the ruins, with piece of iron through his cheek. One of the gentlemen drowned, and whose body was recovered, wore a massive gold watch and chain, and had $700 in his pocket nook, His name did not transpire. Among the dead was a little baby a few months oid, with one leg off. It was scalded to death, The mother shared the fate of her poor little one. A good many stray limbs were picked up out of the water and in the poat, and several ptoces of the woodwork were found doating with pieces of flesh sticking to them. Most of those picked up by the boats were found to be dead. A good mano bodies sank, but at a later period of the evening about torty were re- covered by grappling irons. The scene on the Battery baMes description: It Was one which made the heart grow sick to wilness the dead and ma!med, who a few minutes previously were in the enjoyment ot perfect health, and who, perhaps, looked forward to a nappier end in this world, It was sad to look upon the disfigured forma of those fair ones whose countenance gave evidence of much loveliness and beauty, and who never more were to gladden the home of a fond husband or brother. It was sad to look upon the maimed forms of the stronger sex and to think of the weeping widows and orpnan children whicn they had left be- hind—of the desolate homes which they would never more enter. The Battery, tndeed, was more like & battle eld than anything else, but mode more sad by the weeping wife looking for her husband, the child for its mother and the hneband for his wife and little ones. A wounded German was sitting under a tree receiving every attention from hts devoted wife and child, who were administering stimulants to him, The ferryman was heard to state recently that it ‘was near time for the steamer to be inspected, ag the boilers were not fit for it. The vessel was thirty years old, and her boilers were not, it is stated, strong enough for the pressure of steam put on them, When the Northfle!d steamer returned from Staten Island, about three o'clock, she failed to get asingle return passenger, and she had to return, towing the remains of the Westfield to Staten Island, In the midst of the excitement and after the ferryman had left his post to assist in rescuing the wounded, his office was entered and a sum of $1,3.0 stolen from the desk, Statement of Wr. U. R. Hale. I intended being a passenger yesterday by the Westfield, and had gone aboard a few minutes be- fore the explosion. A friend fortunately called me down to the bridge to speak tome and I stepped ashore to talk with him. While we were conversing the explosion took place. Iwas between the boat and the ferry master’s office, with my back to the boat. The first sensation I experienced was the concussion, the cause of which I immediately sus+ pected. I had a friend on board, with whom I was to make the excursion to the Island. I rushed hack tohim, His name is Laverne FE, Beebe, of Oneida county, in this State, He was sitting in the upper cabin, right over the botler. That was te last I saw of him, and, although I have looked through all the hospitals, I have seen nothing of him = yet, My fears are that he was blown up, and, if not instantly killed, was drowned in the water. When I turned around the alr was full of smoke and steam, and for some minutes nothing was vistbie of the wreck. Tho con. cussion was 80 great that £f felt pushed forward, and I crouched with the awiul terror which the explosion inspired. The gush of air carried away my hat and landed it six or eignt feet out toward Battery place. The splinters flew all around, but I was not hit. One large block of wood passed beyond me about sixteen feer. It was falling, asfif it had been thrown some distance in the air. Mr. Beebe had just arrived in the city. The crowd swarmed in toward the wreck and I was carried withthem. The shrieks and groans of the wounded were of the most agoniz- ing character. I immediately tried to find my friend, but was unsuccessful. He had not returned to his hotel up to five o'clock on Sunday evening. The humber on board must have been a great many, as it was near the time for tne boat to start. She was blowing off steam and making a great noise, which was the reason I went down on the bridge to speak to my friend, whose voice was inaudible to me, although he Bhouted up to me when I was on board. I live in Rome, Oneida county, and was on a visit to the city with Mr, Beebe, Statement of Mr. Nicholas Muller. Mr. Nicholas Muller, the well-known politician of the First ward, was one of those who was near the scene of the disaster when the explosion took place, ‘fhe moment he ascertained the extent of the calamity tnat had occurred Mr. Muller, with pratse- worthy humanity, engaged at his own expense every carriage and conveyance he could find to convey the wounded to the hospitals, In conversation with areporter of the HERALD Mr. Muiler stated that he was almost the distance of a biock away when he beard the noise of the explosion. It resembled the sound made by the discharge of a gun. “I at onco,’” said Mr. Muller, ‘‘rusned to the ferry slip, where a sight met my gaze which Ishall not soon forget. The boat presented a spectacle of utter wreck and destruction, as if it had been struck with a thunder- bolt. On every side lay men, women and children groaning and writhing in agony. The passengers who had escaped seemed to have lost their senses and to be dumbfcunded. Many who were themselves un- injured had friends and relatives on board, and were lost in agonizing doubt and suspense as to their fate. One woman excited the pity of all who beheld her as she rushea about frantically lookiag for her son, who nad parted from hera few mo- ments before the explosion. Altogether I never saw 2 sight so horrible or pitiful. A few minutes before the explosion I was speaking to Mr. Rheinart, who with his family was going on board the boat for the purpose of taking a trip to Silver Lake, and who, luckily, was too late. This was the case with 4 good many other people who ina few moments more would have been on board the boat. The police and flremen deserve great credit for the manner in which they oxerted them- seyves,”” Statement by Mr. John Nelson, of East Twenty-first street, who was a passenger on the ill-fated boat, and will probably nave to mourn the loss of two children, victims of the dire disaster, When accosted by a reporter of the HkRaLD the un- fortunate man was standing at the edge or the por- tion of the upper deck which had been left un- touched bp the explosion, gazing with an expres- sion of agonized and utter despair into tne yawning chasm, in which the firemen and police oficers were groping and excavating in the hope of discovering some wounded unforta- nate haply not yet beyond the reach of aid, Though badly scalded and bleeding from an ugly wound in the head, the poor man seemed utterly unconscious of his own injuries and only solicitous about his darlings, about whose fate he evidently felt there was but littie room for doubt. To a reporter of = the Hexarp = who addressed = him he said:—*l and = =my — children — were standing somewhere about the middie of the boat, My son-in-law, Charles West, was with us. We were going down to Staten Island to spend a short time, Intending to come back on the next boat, Nothing was farther from our minds than any thought of accident or disaster, In fact, we were thinking of nothing but the pleasure thai was before ua 1 rememoer heartng @ sound like a clap of thunder followed by @ crash; @ blast as of flame swept past me, someting struck me gn the tomple and L at once be! came unconscious, remembering nothing more until Icame to myself, lying across the body of a horse on the lower deck. At first I could think of nothing but my own safety, but in a moment the thought of my children rashea to my mind. I looked around, but they were nowhere to be seen. When at length 1 staggored to my feet the sight that met my eyes was truly awful. The dead and dying lay around in all directions. Some lay stil and motionless, as if unconscious, while others, in many cases struggling under frag- ments of the wreck, were groaning, writhing and endeavoring to get upon their feet. Tne number of people struggling in tue water appeared incalcula- ble, Among them were many children, some of whom floated about for a considerable ttme before sinking. Ihave 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 statement:—“I was standing close be- side the liberty pole on the Battery when the explo- ston took place. The noise was not as loud as one would naturally expect, and resembled very much the sound nade by the discharge of firearms. In common with all within hearing of the explosion I immediately rushed to the spot The Sight was @ frightful one. Tho whote forward part of the boat seemed to be literally torn to pieces. Not ulone was the timber smashed aud riven, but the iron work lay scattered about and twisted and bent in all kinds of strange and fantastic shapes, The screams of the Women were something frightful to lsten to, and those who shouted and screamed were not the wounded, but those who, though unhurt, were absoluicly wild with terror, and appeared to think they could not escape without desrtuction. All those on that part of the deck which the explosion had spared rushed back and commenced leaping down on tie lower deck, Myself and a number of others, the majority of whom were police oMcers, statloned ourselves below and caugiit the frightened people in our arms as they Jumped down. A good many soon recovered from their panic, aud the sense of per- sonal danger dispelled, began to make anxions in- quiries anout their friends and relatives. It was har- rowing to see fathers snd mothers rushing around looking for their children, whom atew moments before they had in their arms, smiling and happy. The fremen and police were on the spot in an ine credibly short time ana worked like men to extrt- eve the wounded, Several surgeons hastened to the spot and did all in his power to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded. Conspicuous among them was Dr. Shine, who did nobly. In fact, every- body did allin their power to mitigate the horrors of the occurrence. Statenient of the Police Oficer on the Park. Police OMcer W. J. Colby, who was on duty at the Battery, with Oflcers J. Styles and William Baldwin, when the explosion occurred, makes the following statement:— Twas 0a duty in the Park on Sunday. 1 happened to be standing at the Staten {sland ferry honse, in conversation witha detective cilicer, at the time of the explosion. The frst thing I knew of it was tals— I heard a dull, heavy sound and immediately it struck me what had happened, and I said to the detective, “My God! the boiler has burst on the ferryboat !"’ Tran on to the ferryboat, and there were the people, a crowd of them, in the stern of the boat, all franti- cally awhtag forward on to the siip. 1 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 or scalded, and | asststed in carr7ing them to a shed at the west side of the ferry Duty in house. Tran forward on the boat and I saw people strug: gling in the water in the direction of the slip. There were men, women and children beating about, and thetr efforts to keep above water were frightfui to see, aud many were drowned. There were people lying around groaning and badly injured. Some were seemmgly stupeded with terror, though only slightly injared., All who were badly wounded and unadle to walk we placed on wagons and all kinds of conveyances we could pro- Cure as they came to hand and sent them on, as many as we could each load, to the Park Mosptrat. The scene, sir, was terrible. The cries were heart- rending. Im my experience I never heard or saw anything fike it, The women were in an awful state, and their cries would unman any one not of good nerves. It was something dreadful to hear them over and over again exclaiming, “0 God, save my children ! O God, save my children 1" We all did what we could. I assure you that any one who saw what we saw will never forget it. I think Inever saw such a feariul occurrence and hope I never agaln may. Iremember a few people who went on board. Just about ten minutes vefore the explosion took place General Duryea, formerly connected with the Seventh regiment, and one or two ladies with him, came along. I think It was two ladies were with him. Hé came to me and sald, “I missed the one o'clock boat, but 1 suppose £ am in time for the other boat.” I did not see him again, and cannot Say anything positive about him, but I believe ho went on board the boat with the ladies, and that he went on deck and on the fore part of the boat, be- cause he 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 time, while at the ferry house, that there was a small number of people going on board. He considered it @ smail number, compared to the rush at other tlmes, and was pretty sure that there could not have becn, at the outside, more than four hundred persons on the boat at the time of the explosion, She was an extra boat—the Westfleld— he said, and it was one or two-minutes after nalf- past one o'clock when the bell was rung for her to start, He noticed some persons who particularly ex- erted themseives, where ali did good service, and he thinks it right to give honorable mention to the names of three mea—Quigley, Collins and Michael wowing. He states that Madame Quigley, of No. 9 State street, has in ber care two chiidren—one eight months old, the other about twenty months old— who had not, up to late last night, been identified by any one, Oficial Report to the Park Commissioners, ‘The following 1s the official report made ,by Oflcer Colby to his superiors:— Batrery Par, July 30, 1871, (On duty from 12 M, to 9 P, M.] At 1:30 P. I was standing In conversation with Oficer Conneliy, of the First precinct, at the Staten Island ferry gates, facing Whitehail street, when I heard a heavy, dull report. 1 turned around quick, and saw the boiler of the Staten Island ferryboat Westfleld had exploded. I pushed in and got on the upper deck on the stern of the boat ard quleted the people, who were pantc-stricken, Having got all I could find tn a long shed on the west side of the ferry slip I searched the cabins throagh. Then I commenced removing the persons from the upper deck and took those who were badly scalded to the First precinct station, Michael Dowilng, junk dealer, corner of State and Bridge streets, assisted me with his horse and wagon, 1 have taken nine persons to the station house, two from the ferry and eleven from the station house to the Park Hospital, I judge there were from three to four hundred people on the boat at the time of the explosion. Michacl Quigley and Patrick Collins, deck for gome minutes looking on at the arrivals, many of them joyous family parties going to spend the afternoon on Staten Isiand. They were of all ages, from the old man scarce able to get aboard without assistance, to the child in arms, Some were laughing and chatting ana some were standing in Silence looking out upon the expanse of water cov- ered with boats in every direction. in an instant the areadful catastrophe occurred, Mr. Reagan cannot give any further particulars beyond the fact of the terrttic explosion, afier which he became conscious. He must have been blown from the upper saloon, where he and his friend were standing, for when he recove con- sclousness the first thing he found was that he was STRUGGLING IN THE WATER some distance from the boat. He believes he lost consciousness immediately after, for the next thing he remembers was his being carried toa store, Who took him out and how he was rescued he is wholly unable to tall. They took him to Mr. Flynn's store, 58 Whitehall street. A great number of the wohnded and those taken out of the water were car- ried to the same place, and the store of that good Samaritan was soon converted into a hospital. Noth- ing could exceed the kindness and attention and the exertions and care bestowed on the sufferers by Mr, Flynn. Everything that their condition required— oil for the WOUNDS OF THE SCALDED, and wine to sustain their failing strength, were freely given. After a short rest at Flynn’s, Mr. Reagan found himself suMciently able to walk to the siation tn New street, whence he was carried in a wagon to Centre street Hospital, and the painful, but not dangerous, scalds and cuts about his face and hands attended to. He was deeply pained on arriving at the hospital, on making inquiries tor his friend, to learn that Mr. Manly was there badly scalded, and in a dangeroous condition, ER NORTHERN: THE REVENUE cv Early yesterday morning the revenue cutter Northerner started down the Bay with the object of meeitng and according a suitable reception to Isaac H, Bailey, Vice President of the Unton League Club, who was expected to arrive from Europe on board the steamer Atlantic, On board the Northerner were Naval Oiicer Laflin, Captain John H, Howell, ex- Fire Marshal Brackett, Mr. Bush and Mr. Clacker, of the Treasury Department; Major Bundy, Mr. Miller, Inspector of Customs; J. W. Bradley C.D. Griswold, Mr. Sturges, Mr. Stanton and oiler friends of Mr. Batley, The Northerner had been out to Staten Island, and had put in at Upper Quaran- tine to find out whether or not a despatch had been received announcing the arrival of the Atlantic oif Sandy Hook, Theodore Tilton, who was ou lis way to join the party on board the Northerner, got on board at Stapleton and informed My, Laflin of the fearful catastrophe which had taken place on board the Westiieid, Mr. Lafiin at once ORDERED THE NORTHERNER TO THE RESCUE. There was at first some difficulty between the Naval Onicer and Captain McGoway, of the North- erner, ad to whether, according to the instructions of the latter, he (Captain McGowan) could return to the Staten Island ferry, where the catastrophe took place, The alficutty was, however, quickly settled, for Mr. Laflin at once exclaimed, “In the mame of humanity and of Mr, Boutwell I order you to return, and I will assume the responsibility.” Captain McGowan at once yielded, and the Northerner revurned to the Staten Island ferry, New York. On her arrival there Mr, Loflim at orice ordered that all the small boats of the Northerner should pe let down, manned and placed on the duty of picking up the dead bodies floating in the water. Ip conjunction with the ad- milrabie services of THE DOCK COMMISSIONERS’ BOATS, the boats of the Northerner rendered during the afternoon and evening valuable aid im picking up and bringing ashore the bo.tles of the victims of the terrible catastrophe, The boats of the Northerner remained during the whole evening on this humane work, On board the Northerner there existed at once a feeling of deep sadness at the direful catas- trophe which had shel a gloom over tens of thousands and of admiration for the course pursued by Mr. Lafin, ‘This feeling of admiration found vent in a vote of thanks proposed by Mr. Pippey and Captain Howell to Mr. Lafin tor the novle endeavors he had mage torender ald under the sad circumstances, Mr. Ladin responded to the effect that, irrespective of his personal feelings of humanity, he felt that he owed itto the government of the United States, which he represented, to do his utmost to serve the cause at once of humanity and of civilization. WHAT WAS SEEN AT THE FIRST PRECINGT STATION HOUSE. The explosion had hardly occurred before a HERALD reporter started for the scenes 0! death, Walking raptaly down Broadway he met numerous evidences of the horrors of the disaster. Men and women passed him with white terror-stricken faces—some with the scalded flesh of face and hands hanging in shreds and dripping on the pave- ments, and with the blood oozing from ugly wounds and braises. A man was carrying in his arms the lifeless body of a little child, whose dimpled face and arms were masses of flacid and livid fesh. In the drug store at No. 6 Whitehall street thirty-two of the injured were kindly attended to during the afternoon. The name of ouly one of these was as- certained, and is William Hullwiddle, He keeps a dining saloon at the corner of Prince and Sullivan streets, Both his wife and sister were on the boat with him, and he, of course, did not know whether they were alive or dead. His face was terrinly scalded, the nesh hanging in shreds. The greater part of the injured and killed were first taken to the First precinct station house, in New street, where they were latd out In ghastly rows upon the floor. The conveyances in which they were brought wera followed by immense crowds, Within the station house the scene was indescriba- ble. The police officers and those who lent helping hands Were continually arriving with fresh victims, The living were laid on the floor in the back room while their injuries were hastily attended to, after which they were carried to the wagons and ambu- lances which were to convey them to the hospitals. Besides the injuries produced by the hot steam many were mangled horribly by the flying frag- ments of the fatal hoat. One woman from whom the clothes were half turn, was a mass of raw and livia fesh, A man and his wife were there together, both injured, but not so badly as not to be able to talk and condole witheach other. Some one com- ing in and recognizing the man laid a hand on his head, saying:— “You got off easy, didn’t you? you did?” The dead were the most horrible sight. Little children and babes had been broughtin whom no one could name, the faces wearing all the smiling peacefulness of a childish sleep. One was dressed in a pretty velvet suit, and had light auburn hair and fair complexion, The eyes were closed, fringed by long lashes that rested on the placid cheek, One leg was turned to a greenish purple, and the little hands were imbued with blood, probably of some other victim, Another child. dressed in the white pure dress of babyhood, lay dead without a stain of blood, but with the same calm smile of dreaming oblivion. People in terriple suspense and expectancy came in to see the victims, shrinking from the fear of find- Yes, you did; yes, battery boatmen, are deserving of great praise for the number of lives they rescued. WILLIAM J, COLBY, Keeper, What Michael Reagin Says. The foilowing graphic account of the disaster ts from the lips of an intelligent gentleman, Mr, Michael Reagan, of No. 21 Broome street, who was on board the Westfield when the explosion took piace, accompanied by a young man named Manby. Mr. Manby lives tn the same house with him, and they had arranged for a trip to Staten Island, anticl- pating a pleasant day. Mr, Reagan states that about twelve o'clock they left Broome street, and on arriving at the ferry house, the Westfleld was there waiting to take her load of passengers. He says the boat was soon ing some one near and dear. The throng was most pecultar because of its diversified character, It in- cluded those of every age, every character, every coni dition in Ife. Around the dead pressed a dense circle peering through the disfigurations of bloody and scaided flesh to find the real lineaments. An old woman—a staid matron of fifty—stooped over to examine the stockings of a young man, fear- ing, no doubt, that they were those kuit by her own hands, But they were not; for she said, “No, thavs not my son.’ Another man turned a gold ring around on a dead finger to discover some marks of ownership or memoriam. Among the bodies was that of an old lady, with iron gray hair, whose name was Matilda Moffat. Leaning against the wail near by was her husband, an old man, with terrible in* a enemnemaresnpittiineastainelitatinenioweet:3 and hor small, croased nanas were waite and dette cate, the taper fingers encircled by gold rings, A man who was witness of the accident saw her rise to the surface of the water after being blown from the boat, and thought that she died from fright when picked up. Of alt tne bodies the faces were raw and shredded, and io some instances the froth of death ciung tothe nostrils and lips. The vestments were torn aud bloody, the limbs placid and warm. An ola lady, easily sixty years of age, wae recognized by # group of daughters and grand- daughters, who fell to wild weepings and lamentas tions, A daughter, a large, strong Lrish woman, cried, “Ob, there's me mother—me poor mother! me poor mother!’ and then turning ptteously to the grand- children, “On, Mary! Oh, Catherine, grandmother is dead! Oh, great God? These women were Irantic until their grief had exbansted them, and then stood together in a group, moaning and sob- bing. Another woman rushed in with a white and wild face, and catching a glimpse of the dead boay of a litile boy, cried loudly. “Ob, there's my child!’ and was going to throw | herself on the body, when the officers restrained her, Then she satd, th piteous tones of suspense:— “Watt til I see! Wait till TI see! Let me lookt My little girl, she’s gotn’ on seven years, and was on the boat!" But the dead child was not hers, Before she went out sne knelt down beside the dead, with clasped hands, and for a moment seemed to pray, perbapa forthe sculs of those who were dead, perhaps te give thanks that she had not found her uttle one among them. About three o'clock the body of a man waa brought in well drgssed in a full sutt of biuish cloth, He wore a gold chain and a diamond pin, had small hands and feet and was very refined in generat ap- pearance. His complexion was light, He had been taken out of the water a few moments before, and attempts were made to find life, but unsuccesful. ~ os A little boy, slightly burt, attracted the attontiom and sympathy of all present by his natve and inneyy cent appearance. He satd that his name was Frederick Frudorf, He ts three and a half yeareh old, and is very pretty. He sald that “papa am mama” were on the boat with him, Later tt walt: found that the mother, Annie Frudort, was injured 7" and had been taken to the Park Hospital, Her reste * dence is 51 Thompson street, The father is supe* posed to be lost. onl Late in the day eight dead were lying at the sta’ tion house, all that were first brought there having been removed. ‘These had been taken from the water orthe ruins of the ferryboat. Among these wasa tall young man, under whose head was @ large poolof blood. The flesh dtd not seem to be scalded, and he must have been struck by a frag- ment while standing at some distance. The boay waa recognized by the fataer—a stout man with a broad, kindly face. His grief was almost madness, Sob- bing out agonizing exclamations, his hands rambled aimlessly over the lifeless body, and at times pat- ting it distractedly, and there were few of the by- standers who could repress their sympathetic emotion. He was continually saying, “Oh! my God! oh—o—ol ! and [’ve got another boy that was on board \"" At about five o'clock a pocketbook, taken from among the fragments in the river at pler No. 1, was brought to Captain Uhiman. It contained the name of James Fitzpatrick, with the inscription, “Scara- dale, N. Y., August 15, 1869.’" It was found by Roa- well D, Clark, a young man in the employ of the American Express Company. The following is a list of the wounded who were sent tothe hospital from the First precinct station house; — Jacques Drefoose, of No. 11 Elm street, New York. Jessie McGould, of No. 53 West Thirty-fith street, and chil, aged two years. Mati!da Higgins, of No, 216 Fourth strect, Brooklya. John Brown, of No, 110 spencer street, Brooklyn. Patrick Manly, of No. 21 Broome street, New York. Mici#el Reagan, of No. 21 Broome street, New York, Mra, Peter Dernay, of No, 131 East Thirteenth street, New York. Joun O’Genner, of No, 31 Warren street, Brooklym. John Groone and wife, of Flatbush, L, L Joseph Osch, of Woodbridge, L. I. Henry Storms, of No. 634 Fifth street, New York, Jonn O'Malley, of No. 37 Jay street, Brooklyn. Thomas Morfat, of No, 454 Ninth avenue, York. Alexander Dalton, of No. 10 Monroe street, New York. M. Calkin, residence unknown. Mary Murphy, of No. 18 Desbrosses street, Ne York. Amelia Greenert, of Grand street, Jersey City. _ Johanna Gerson, of Grand street, Jersey City. Mary Pniilips, of No. 14 Pearl street, New York. Herman Coen, of Marcy avenue, Brooklyn, Alexander Thornton, of No. 10 Monroe street, New York. Alexander Greenland, of Water street, near Scam. mel, New York. Annie Freener, of No. 151 Thompson street, New York. Daniel Mahoney, of No. 351 Warren street, Bi lyn. Professor Mark Cheneviere (drowned), of No. 244.) Clinton street, Brooklyn. Frederick Freedhorf, aged three and a half years, of 51 Thompson street, New York. Tue following 1s a list of the dead who were sent from the First precinct station house to the Morgue:— A woman, twenty-eight years of age, with dark hair and complexion, wearing a black alpaca dreaa and gaiter boots; also a little boy who ts supposed to be a child of the above, aged about three years, A boy, aged four years, dressed in brown veivet pants, with white shirt and morocco shoes, He hag lignt hair, Matilda Moifat, of No. York. A girl, aged ten years, plexion, dressed in white, pruneila gaiters. John P, Beach, of No, York. Aman, twenty-one years of age, with light hale and complexion, blue eyes, and wearing a black coat and vest, gray pants, blue necktie and gatters. A female child, twelve months old, dressed im light clothes, with florid complexion, Aman, twenty-five years of age, with light com- plexion, blue eyes and light hair, wearing a white shirt with gold studs and black coat and vest; height five feet ten inches, Nellie Groone, five years ot avenue, Brooklyn, AT THE EASTERN HOTEL, New, 454 Ninth avenue, New with dark hair and com with white stockings and $02 Tenth avenue, New resides in Flatbusa At the Eastern Hotel, corner of Water and South streets, fifteen of the injured were cared for through the bumanity of the proprietor and the ladies and gentlemen of the hotel. The former, Mr. J. HE Betts, distioguished himself by going to the scene of the accident and alding in extrace ing the bodies from the river and boat. He went down under the boller and rescued Mrs, Fennelly, of No. 13 Essex sireet. Dr. Dantet McEwan and Dr. Estis rendered all the assistance im thelr power in the effort to make the victims com- fortable. The pariors of the hotel were scenes of terrible suffering. A father, mother and boy were brought in at the same time. Whue the latter waa stretched out on a table and his clothes were being taken off he died. His name was u'Leary, A man seated in the baggage room, qurrounded by reporters and doctors, was a literal mass of raw’ scalded fesl Re thought he was not much hurt but it is certain that he cannot live, Immense biis. ters covered his face, neck and hands. His name ia Frank Hagerty, and he resides at No. 33 West War- ren street, Brooklyn. ‘Among the injured is & young woman whose story has a touch of romance as well as of probable tragedy. Only @few months ago she was & bride, having married an Englishman in London, whose name 13 Price. Leaving her husband in England she sailed in the Cuba for America with her babe, and arrived on last Friday. Yesterday she started im company with a sister and brother-in-law, for Statea Island, to catch @ breath of the cool sea breeze and the bright beanty of the bay. Hor injuries were juries, Who answered to the question if that was his crowded with passengers, including his friend and himself. Everything went on as usual on such oc- castons, the people filling tn raptdly and taking their wife, with unnatural calmness, “Yes, that one.” Beside her lay the body of a young woman, att ired in @ black alpaca dress, with oversieeves of white viaces. Mr. Reggau aud his trignd remained gn | muslin. Her face aud form were fair to Iggk UROM. very bad, but will not prove fatal, She resides at No. 5 Beach street, The sister and brother were voth injured, the latter very seriously. ‘Tne list of the wjured Who were cared for at the