Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-04-07

Inc came, aU0 OSCldiCo '''''i
were used, no might be preserved by am
putating the limb; but that, 10 effect ms
III would be necessary 10 remove HIM iron
the boat. Unfortunately the boat was no
sufficiently near to Iun q plank ashore
We were obliged to wait until II could D.
close hauled. l stood by him calling To-
Ihelp; we placed him on a mattrass, ano
bore him TO the guards; there we were de
lained some time, from the causes have
mentioned. Never did any thing appear
to me so slow as the movements OF those
engaged in hauling the boat.
knew. and he knew, that delay was
death-that life was fast ebblng. corio
not take my gaze from his lacc-ihere al.
was GOODNESS and resignation. No WORD
or gesture Indicative Of Impatience escap-
ed INN. He perceived by my loud, an,
perhaps angry tone Of voice, how much )
was excited by what / thought the barbar-
Gus slowuess Of those around hlm; he be-
oed me not TO take SO much trouble; that
they we're dolng their best. Al length "t
got hum on shoe wa, too late; lac was
100 much exhauste-. dad otcd mm dlateA
after the ampuiato..
So soon as wa trheyed rom attend
ing on those IN the ca-.l, vent 70 ex M
me thai mart of the t.a. where the boiler
had burst. Il was & complete wreck--a
niciure of distrucuoa. Z bore ample tes
hmony Of the tremeateous force OF that
mower which the luAausuy OF man has
bronghf To- las AID. ae steam had given
ovo,y ,hlng a whusl hue-ihe boilers
we're dlsplaccd-the deck had fallen down
the rachnery aas broken and disorder
ed Bricks. dit AID rubbish were scat
tered about. C!o4o by the bowsPut was
y l,rua reno. through winch, was told, .he
boiler. after exploding had passed out,
carryi. u o,. of two menIn us mouth.
Seyera. dead bodies were lying around;
their fate had been an envJable one COM
n,red w..a that Of others--.hey could
scarcely have been conscious ola pang ere
tbev had ceased 10 be. GA the starboard
wheelnouse lay a human body, in which
life was not vet extinct, though apparently
there was 40 seusIblAty remaining. The
body must have been thrown from the boil
er deck, distance of thirty feet. The
whole otthe forehead had been blown a
way; tie brains were still beating. Tufts
of har, shreds OF clothing, and splotches
of blood might be seen n every direction.
A piece OF ska was picked up by gentle
man on board, winch appeared to have
been pealed oil by force of the steam; It
extended from The middle OF the arm down
to the tips Of the fingers, the nails adher
ing to 1t. So dreadful mad been the force
that not particle OF flesh adhered to IT;
the most siIllul operator could scarcely
have effected such a result. Several died
from lnhalug the steam or gas, whose skin
was almost unuuIured.
The number of ives lost viii, in all
probability never be distinctly known.
Many were seen flung into the river, most
Of whom sunk TO rise no more. Could the
Survivors have been kept together until
the list of passengers was called, the pre-
else loss would have been ascertaIned.
that, however, though 1t had been attempt
ed, would, under the circumstances, have
been next to impossible.
Judging from the crowd which | saw on
the boiler deck Immediately before the OK
Doslon, and the statement which receiv-
ed as to the number Of those who succeed
Cd IN swimming out after they were cast
!ato the river, am inclined to believe lhat
between forty aud fifty must have per
lshed.
The cabin passengers escaped owing to
the peculiar construction ofthe boat. Just
behind the boilers were several large iron
posts, supporting, think, the boiler deck.
across each posiwas a large circular plate
-. iron of between one and two inches Do
thickness. One Of those posts was pIa-
ccd exactly opposite the head Of the boiler
winch burst, beng the second Of the star
board side. Against tlns plate the head
struck aud penetrated TO the depth Of an
iGcn, then broke and few of at an angle
entering a cotton bale 20 the depth OH foot.
The boiler head was il point blank range
with tne broadcast ,lje % the cabin, and
h iu uo. been obs,mcted by tho IRON pos,
must have made clear sweep Of those
whJ we're seated ot The table.
10 reader ANY satisfactory account Of
the c-pse whI,h produced the explosion
can hardly be expected from one who pos
sesSes 40 scientific or practical knowledge
ON tne subject, and who previously thereto
WAS pay'5 40 attention TO the management
Ut iue boat The Captain appeared TO be
very active and dillgent IN attending to his
duty. lie was on the boiler deck when the
explosion occurred; was materially injured
BY that event, and must have been iguor.
ant oil the mlsmanagcmeni; if any there
was