Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-11-02
Terrible Steamboat Explosion.


5IxrY TO ErcnrY Persons KILLED AND WouND-
Ed!
The Louisville Morning Courier of the lth
ult furnishes the following account Of most
heart t-rcnding catastrophe -
It is with feelings the most acute and painful
that we record the following fearful disaster,
and the loss of so many valuable lives. The
steamboat Lucy Walker, Capt. Vann, left this
place for New Orleans yesterday, crowded with
passengers, When about four or five miles be.
low New Albany, and just before sunset, some
part oi her machinery got ont oforder and the en-
glnc was stopped in order to repair it. While
engaged in making the necessary repairs, the
water in the boilers got too low; and about five
minutes after the engine had ceased working, her
three boilers exploded with tremendous violence,
and horrible and terrific effect. The explosion
upwards, and that part of the boat above
fhc boilers was blown into thousands of pieces
The U. $, snag boat Gopher, Captain L. b.
Durham, was about two hundred yards distant
at the time of the explosion. Captain Durham
was Immediately on the spot, rescuing those in
the water, and with his crew rendering all the
aid in his power To him are indebted for
most of our particulars He informs us that the
Lucy Walker was in the middle of the river and
such was the force of the explosion, that parts
of the boilers and the boat were thrown on shore
Just after the explosion, the air was filled with
human beings and fragments of human beings.
One man was blown up fifty yards, and fell with
such force as to go entirely through the deck of
the boat Another was cut entirely in two by
piece of the boiler. We have heard of many
such hcart-rendng and sickening incidents
Before Captain Durham reached the place
where the Lucy Walker was, he saw number
of persons who had been thrown into the liver,
drown. lie, however, saved the lives of large
number of persons by throwing them boards and
ropes, and pulling them on his boat with hooks.
Immediately after the explosion, the ladies ca
bin took fire, and before it had been consumed,
she sunk in 10 or Is feet water Thus is pre-
s'nted the remarkable circumstance of 4 boat ey.
ploding, burning, and sinking, all in the space
Of few minutes. The screams and exclama.
tons OF the females, and those who were no,
killed, is represented as having been distressing
board were inured-some however may have
been drowned. The books of the boat were de
stroyed, and of course it will be impossible evel
to ascertain the names of or the number of thos,
killed There were at least fifty or sixty person'
killed and missing, and fifteen or twenty wound
cd--some seriously. Captain Durham left tho
wounded at New Albany, all of whom We're kind
ly and we'll cared for by the hospitable and hu
name citizens of that town.
The following are the names the dead mis- ;
ing and wounded, SO far as we have been able t,
learn them:
KILLED AND MIssINd.--Gen. J w. Pcgram, o
Richmond, Va Samnel NJ. Brown, Post Oflic,
Agent of Lexington, Ky; J. r. Cormick, o
Virginia Chas. Bonne, of Louisville; Philil
Wallis, formerly of Baltimore Rebecca, daugh
ter of A. J. Foster of Greensville, Va Jane
Nandcrberg, of Louisville Mr.. Hughes former
ly of Lexington, Ky. ; Mr.. Matlock, of New Al
hany engineer of the steamboat Mazcppa
Nicholas Ford, formerly of this city Davi
Vann the captain; Moses Kirby, pilot; secon
mate, second clerk, second engineer, bar keepe
and three deck hands, names unknown. Fou
negro hremen
WouNDEp.-W. H. PEBBLES, very badly hurt
Mr.. Ranes, of Va, do; the first engineer do
Captain Thompson, pilot, arms fractured MI
Roberts, of Philadepha slightly hurt
1t is supposed that John n. Johnson an
Richard Philips, were on board--f SO, they al
lost
The boat was owned by Capt. Vann, of A
kansas, and was insured.
A LITTLE SrEcULAIloN.-General Thom