THIRTY-SEVEN DEAD

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1932, Page 5

THIRTY-SEVEN DEAD

RIG explosion

OCCURS ON RIVER FERRY.

(United Press Association--By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received this day at 9.25 a.m) (NEW YORK, September 9.

Thirty-seven bodies have been, recovered, fifty are missing, and practically aiM the remainder were injured when the ninety-two foot wooden terry Ooservation carrying twq hundred ironworkers front Bronx to their jobs on Newrikers Island penitentiary in East (River, was blown to bits by a boiler explosion' this morning. u ■ The steamer was on its second trip, and was- about twenty-five feet front the pier when there was a. ' terriflic roar and tits ferry disappeared toi a dense olouid of Smoke from which were catapulted bodies, and fragments of wood and iron. When the smoke cleared there was nothing left of the boat .but the debris floating on the oily , water,

The police coastguard and nominee cial boats rushed up to the scene, saving the injured; and transporting the dead to the 'shore. Priests came to the ferryhouse, ami, kneeling, among the rows of those taken fiom the water, administered the last rites to the dying. All witnesses of the explosion were taken to the police station, among them being Alexander Forsythe, captain and owner bf ’the Observation. ■ “Ths boilers exploded,” he repeated oveir and over again, and that was the only explanation he had to offer. Later reports state that the body of one workman was tossed fifty feet into the air and landed on the roof of a building near the waterfront. Another body was hurled a similar distance to another building. Three hpuira aftjeaf |he explosion, the police said that investigations indicated that there were 165 men on the boat. , 1 , : , Captain Forsythe, who is under detention in hospital, died from injuries.