Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-05-05
DREADFUL ACCIDENT
OF THE BOILER OF THE STEAM
Err HARRY OF THE WEST.

DREADFUL CIDENT--EAPLOSiOS.
OF THE BOILER OF THE STEAM
Err HARRY OF THE WEST.
We have been favored with the following
extract ola letter from passenger on board ol
the Harry Of the West, dated
LOUISVILLE, April esd, 1sd9.
"On the 10Th inst. the Steamer Harry OF me
West, on her way from New Orleans to o.
Louis, having shipped forty cords Of wood at
point forty miles below Memphis, on the Mis-
sissippi River, was about leaving the bank,
when two lues Of the second larboard boiler
collapsed. One OF the iremen, who stood dl-
rectIy in front of the boiler was thrown over
board and doubtless instantly killed. Another
was found dead on the lorecastle deck. Sever
al of the hands, including the two cooks, are
missing, beside some of the deck passengers.-
Another had his jaw broken in two places
Another was badly bruised and injured inter-
nally by steam A deck passenger with Sl2OO
in gold, in belt round his person, jumped
overheard and was drowned alongside the boat,
leaving his wife and child on board. ] saw 4
other men floating down the stream, holding
on to drift wood. A skll from fiat boat put
off after them; but whether they were saved
or not, cannot say. Nor was it known, nor
do | think it ever will be known, how many,
all told are lost. The mate had his leg bro
ken in two places. Another man also had his
leg broken. Five OF six Of the hands attached
to the boat were badly scalded-some Of them
very severely.
81 was standing at the extreme forward part
Of the hurricane deck, when heard the pilots
bell ring for the engineer TO go ahead. star
ted TO 90 ait, and when abreast of the wheel
house heard the explosion. The boiler deck
was torn up, and the stancheon, under which
had been standing, was knocked down. One
Of the pilots told me that, had | remained for
ward, should inevitably have been thrown
overheard. Thank God! received no per-
sonal injury whatever.
"The steamer Gray Eagle was woodng, at
the time Of the accident, about three and n half
miles above the Harry of the West. She i'm
mediately came down 10 our assistance, took
the Harry of the West in tow, and drew her
TO Memphis-an act Of great kindness and hui
manity to the wounded, on the part of Captain
Shallcross.
$40 crown our confusion and distress, very
soon after the explosion, Captain Horben an
nounced in the cabin that the Harry of the
West was on FIRE. Fortunately it was soon
extinguished. There were about thirty cabin
passengers, of whom ten, perhaps, were wo-
men. Had the boat drilcd into The middle of
the river, where the current was running at
the rate of five miles an hour, the tragedy
would have been still more terrific"
The Harry of the West is a new boat, built
at Cincinnati for the ST. Louis and New Or
leans trade, and is owned in St. Louis. She is
believed TO be the largest boat ever built at
Cincinnati. She is 23aI feet in extreme length,
her breadth across the guards, abreast of the
wheels, is 59A feet, and she has an feet hold.
Her burthen is $50 tons. Her cabin is l6S
feet long, and she has AZ airy state rooms,
each eight feet square. She has excited much
admiration for her size, beauty of model, and
splendor OF decoration, wherever she has APP
peared. Journal of Commerce.