The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-16
From the Baltimore Sun.
AWFUL DISASTER!
{ To be continued. }


From, the Baltimore Sun.
AWFUL DISASTER!
Explosion Of Steamboat Medora Great Loss Of Life
One of the most melancholy occurrences with
which our city has for long time been visited, took
place yesterday afternoon at about half past two
o'clock-an occurrence which sent thrill of horror
through the general heart and carried the woe con-
sequent on violent and unexpected death, into the
bosoms Of many families. The steamboat Medora,
recently built by the Virginia and Maryland Steam
Navigation Company, and intended to ply between
this city and Norfolk, about to leave Cully's
wharf upon an excursion down the bay for the pur-
pose of testing her qualities. number of respecta-
BILE citizens were invited to witness her performance ;
but how many were actually on board when the
hear-rendng of her plosion took place,
we have, yet, no means of ascertaning. All
things, however, being prepared for her departure,
the bell rung and the wheels made three revolutions,
when the boiler burst with tremendous report,
throwing up clouds of vapor, attended by fragments
of the vessel and by the bodies of unfortunate
human beings who were on board--the whole
presenting to the spectators scene of indescri-
bable and terrific sublimity As the smoke cleared
away, the effects of the calamity became visible.
The vessel was made, in an instant, entire wreck;
all her timbers, from the engine forward being rent
away. She sank Immediately to her guards and
now lies " sheer hulk" in the basin. Hundreds of
persons the wharf, at the time displayed the ut
most alacrity in rescuing from the water the dead
and dying. News of the disaster brought
large number of persons to the spot agtated by the
dread OF finding relatives friends involved in the
calamity, and among the rest, many Mothers who
told, by their tears and cries, the earuy app chen
sions they entertained for the safety of their children
Their fate was, from the circumstances of the case,
mystery, and this idea created, for short time,
scene of unutterable agony AID terror. Immediately
after the occurrence the mayor OF the city, Solomon
Hlen, ESQ., and the high constable, together with the
police Of the city, arrived, and were actively engag
ed in assisting, by every possible means, the wretch
ed survivors, in searching for those who had sunk
into the water unnotced, were yet In the cabin OF
the boat simultaneously with their arrival, a large
number of surgeons and physicians also arrived,
dy to exert their professional skill In addition to
others whose names have not learned, we noticed
Doctors Miller, Smith, Whitrdge Hintze Monkur,
MCGUIRE Dunbar Riley, zimmerman, Albers, Baker,
the two Doctors RICHIE and the two Doctors Roberts.
Under the circumstances, and in the absence of
any investigation, it is of course impossible to say
what was the direct and immediate cause of this fatal
calamity. 1t is generally supposed, however, that,
as the boat had been some time ready for departure
and the steam up, that the boiler must have been
nearly exhausted, and had become hot, and that in
this State water turned in it is certain that at
the moment of the explosion steam was letting Oft
with considerable force.
A gentleman who witnessed the event from the
deck Of the Georgia. directly opposite, remarks that
dense smoke for an instant obscured the immed date
part of the boat at which the explosion took place,
and as the report which, though as loud as small
field piece, had dull and heavy sound reached the
ear, the smoke-stack was seen darting like an arrow
out of the cloud hundred feet into the air; and
each side were thrown the bodies of human beings,
with the arms and legs extended by their whirhng
motion through,the air.
The Medora at the moment, was Immediately
abaft Of the steamboat Constitution, and almost in
contact with her, fact which it is necessary to
of circ umsta nces de-.
tailed below.
We annex list Of the persons killed and wounded,
the latter either suffering from contuson fracture or
scalding
John C. Moae, Esq, General Agent of the Com
pany to whom the boat belonged, suffered in
terna injury, attended with dreadful fracture of the
ribs he was taken from piece of the upper deck in
the water, and conveyed home, where he died within
al hour.
William Moale his son, a youth of IA years was
taken from the wreck, dead, the skull having been
verely fractured.
John Vickers long known as the proprietor of a
tavern in McClelan's alley, was blown from the boat
completely the stern OF the Constitution and fell
on the wharf; he was taken up dead his head being
awfulIy fractured
John Speedy, ship joiner of Bond street. F. p,
thrown on board the Constitution, and tel upon
stout hand rail- which broken in two the scalp
of his head was cut ii three four directions from
crown, each cut being many inches in length.
He suffered, in state of apparent insensbility for
about an hour, when he was removed but died before
he reached his residence He leaves wife and wv o
children
John Young Alice Anna street, F. p, millwrigh,
was taken gu, of the water from a piece OF the
wreck; one or two of his limbs were fractured, and
he was so much hurt internally that he died at the
house TO which he ,aken, within couple hours
He leaves a wife and child
John Lecount of the Eastern Shore Of Maryland,
was fireman on board taken out Of the wreck, with
both hs nd one nd bad
he convey ed to house adjacent, and died about
five o'clock He leaves a wife and children.
Benjamin French, painter of Fells Point, was so
much hurt and scaded that he died within hour af
ter the accd, Mt.
John r. Boone, printer whose residence was in
Lee street, was very much injured by confusion and
scald, and ex pired befole dusk.
The body of John Burns, fireman on board, was
drawn up from amongst the floating remnants by the
side of the boat, some two hours after the accident
The body of John Harper, the second mate,
dragged from the fore part of the Medora, which was
gdnwale down, short time before night.
The above completes the list of those known to have
been killed, and who discovered during yester-
day evening. The following is so far as has been
possible in the midst of the most intense and painful
exciemen to make 1t so, an accurate list OF the
don of others who were unfortunately on board
Andrew F Henderson, Esq, President of the Com
pany, very badly scaldd
Captain Sutton, The commander of the boat badly
hurt and scalded.
Jackson Reeder a son of Charles Reeder, an extern
svc machinis Federal Hill, badly hurt and scald
ed-very low / 4 night
Joseph Craig, an engineer, very badly hurt, and
scarcely expected to survive living in Light street.
near Hill.
John Mitchell, taken from the wreck with both
thighs broken; his brother, James Mitchell, is mis-
''o f., f.ow0, -. i, ,.,v mn,h ni,,.d h.