The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-11-15
From The Louisrille Courier.

tiSh'y persons h1!1td ana uOuRGtu
|, is with feelings tho most acute and
painful that We record tho following fearful
disaster, and tho loss Of so many valuable
IiyOs Tho steiner Lucy Walker, Capt
Vaun, loft this place for n. Orleans ycsier.
day, crowded With passengers. When
bout or miles below Now Albauy, aud
just before suusst, some part Of her mn
ehinery got out Of order, aud the engine
was stopped in order TO repair it. While
engaged in muking the necessary repairs,
tho water IL tho boilers 60, too low ; aud
about five minutes utter tho engine had
coased working, her three boilers exploded
viii tremendous violence, aud horrible and
terrific effect
| tbs explosion VAS upwards, and tina,
part Of tbs boat above the boilers was blown
into thousands Of pieces. The I 9. suas
boat Gopher, Capt l.. b. Durham, was o.
bout 200 ysrds dis,an, q, tho time Of The
explosion. Capt, Duuham was immediate.
" on tho spot, rcscuing those 10 tho water,
and With his crew rendering oil the aid in
his power To Lim We are indebted for
moal Of our particulars. He Informs US
that the Lucy walker was in the middle Of
the river, uud such was the force Of the CT
plosiou, tina, paris Of the boilers and the
boa, were thrown on shore. Just afe. the
explosion, the air was filled with human
bsiass and fragments Of human beings
Gao mau was blown up 30 ysrds, and fell
With such force as TO GO entirely through
the deck Of the boat Another was Gu, en-
liroly in two by piece Of the boiler. We
have heard Of many such bear, rending and
aickening incidents.
Before Capt. Durham reached the place
where the Lucy Walker was, be saw
number Of persons who had been ihrovn 10.
TO the river, drowu. lie however saved
The lives Of large number Of persons by
throwing them boards and ropes, aud pulling
shom on bis boa, With hooks. Immediate
j. ailer The explosion, the ladies' cabin took
Gre, sad before i, had been consumed, she
suDk 10 2 or Is fee, water. Thus is pre-.
sou.ed the remarkable circumstance Of
boat exploding, burning, snd sinking, all IN
toe space Of few minutes. The screams
snd ordinations Of the females, and those
who sofo 10, killed, is represented cs hay
Jog been distressing and awful. We be
iievc none Of the l1malss 90 board rara in
jurcd some, however, may have been
drowned.
Tho books Of the boat wore destroyed,
and Of course 1t will be impossible ever to
ascertain the names Of or the number or
those killed. There were a, least % OF GO
person, killed and missing, and Is or 20
wounded Some seriously. Capt Dlubam
left The wounded at New Albany, al Of
whom were kindly and well cared fcr by
tho hospiablc and humane citizens Of that
town, Capt. Durham deserves the thanks
Of the community for bis humane Gnd vigo.
rous exeft,op. 10 save tho lives Of, ADD his
klnduess and attention to the sulIarers.-
To stripped his boa, Of every blanket.
sheet, and every thing else uCconnry for
their comfort.
Mr.. John Ilison and Mr.. Henry Beboo,
passengers on tho Lucy Walker, deserve
notice for their GOODNESS md their efficient
cxeftions 10 saving tho lives Of drowning
persons, The following ore tho names Of
tho dead, missing and wounded, so far as
20 hsye been able TO learn them;
Killed and nis,ing. Con. J w. Pc,
gram, Of Richmond, Virginia; Sam. Brown,
Post Office Agent, of Lexington, Kentucky (;
]. K. Cofmick, OF Vrginlo; Charles Don
no, of Louisville Philip Wallis, formerly
Of Baltimore; Rcbeccu, daughter Of 4. J..
Foster, OF Groensvillo, Virginia; James
vAndcfburg, of Louisville; Mr.. Hughes,
formerly Of Lexington, kentucky; Mr.
Ma.ock, Of Now Albany, engineer of the
steamboat Mazcppn; Nicholas Ford, for.
mcrly Of this city; David Vonn, the Cap.
tain Moses Kirby, pilot Second me'c, Sc.
eond clerk, second engineer, ba'keeper, and
| three deck hands, names unknown TOUR
negro iifemcn.
Wounded w. II. Peeblcs--very bad.
ly hurt; Mr.. Ruines, Of Virginia, do; first
Engineer, do; Captain Thompson, pilot
arms fractured Mr.. Roberts Of Philadol.
aphia, slightly hurt
It is supposed that John n. johnson and
! Richard Phillips we're on bcard-if 50, they