Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-11-02

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Itomths Louisville Journal Of the cath.
TERRIBLE STEAM BOAT AOC-
DENT.
We are indebted to Capt. L. B. Dun
ham, Of the United States snag-boat Go
pher, for the following facts relative to the
loss Of the steamboat Lucy Walker, and
the great destruction Of human life on
board Of her:
The Lucy Walker left this port yester-
day, for New Orleans, crowded with pas
sengers. When about four miles below
New Albany, in the middle Of the river,
her engine was stopped, in consequence Of
some slight arrangement in . part Of her
machinery. In few moments, while the
necessary repairs were in progress, her
boilers exploded with terrific force,' and
with the most fatal and awful effect. Capt.
Duni!ssm represents the scene At this time
Is terrific in liz extreme. Such was the
force of the explosion, that the entire up
per works Of the boat wee blown away,
and, together with several human beings,
hurled to great height in The air. Al
though in the middle Of the stream, part Of
the boat and her machinery were thrown
on the Indiana shore. One man was throws
to the height Of fifty feet, and came down
with such force, that his dead body went
through the planks on which it fell. The
explosion was instantly followed by the
most fearful shrieks and groans from men,
woman and children.
At the time Of the explosion, the Gopher
was about two hundred yards distant. Capt.
Durham repaired to the spot with the great
est possible haste, and was the means of
saving many lives. He sent out his yawl,
threw overheard ropes to save those in the
water, made his men swim to the rescue
ofthe drowning, and with hooks recovered
some who had sunk. Immediately after
the explosion, the after-part Of the boat took
fire, and she commenced sinking at the
bow. She went down in few minutes,
in twelve or fifteen feet water, and the
fire burnt every thing to the waters edge.
The books and papers Of the boat were
lost, and it will be utterly impossible, Of
course, ever to ascertain the names or num-
Der Of the killed and lost From the best
information we have, we should suppose,
that there were probably fifty killed and
missing. Captain Durham landed the
wounded, fifteen or twenty in number, al
New Albany, al Of whom were kindly Ia
ken care Of by the citizens Of that place.
The following is list Of the killed, wound
ed, and missing, As far a. we have been
able to ascertain them. We entertain strong
hopes that some Of the missing are saved
DEAD OR MISSING.
Gen. w. Pegram, Of Richmond, Va.
| Phillip Wallis, Of Baltimore.
Nicholas Ford, formerly Of Louisville.
i Sam. NJ. Brown, U. S. mail agent, Lex.
ington, Ly.
Rebecca, daughter Of Al Foster, Greens
vile, Va.
i J. A. Cormick, Virginia.
Mr.. Hughes, formerly Of Lexington, Ky
Mr.. Matlock, Of New Albany, engineer
i Chas. Dome, Of Louisville.
j Jas. Vsnderberg, Of Louisville.
i David Vann, captain.
Moses Kirby, pilot.
Second clerk, second mate, bar-keeper
three deck-hands and four negro fireinen
names unknown.
II WOUNDED.
! Capt. Thompson, pilot, arm fractured.
Mr.. Raines, Of Virginia, badly hurt.
| w. H. PEBBLES, badly hurt.
First engineer, badly hurt.
Mr.. Roberts, Of Philadelphia, slightly
hurt.
| Capt. Durham brought up several dead
bodies, which could not be recognised. He
informed US that almost every survivor wa.
bitterly bewailing the loss Of relatives.
i Nearly all who were saved lost every
thing they had on board. Even their
clothes were torn from their bodies, and
they were indebted to Capt. d. and other.
for blankets and other garments 70 cove,
them. The restitution and distress d
some Of them, appeals strongly to the char
| ity Of our citizens.
! The boat was owned BY Capt. vann
and was insured.
\, The Reveille Of the 18th contains III,
following in regard to the disaster:
THE Lucy WALKEa.-A fearful gloon
reigned in Louisville at last dates, abou
the result Of the late explosion!
! Of the so or 60 persons lost, all thos,
who were in the Social Hall and that par
Of the boat over the boilers, were, mos
probably, killed il stantly. Capt. Dunbar
saw number who had been blown int
the river, sink before he could get suffi
ciently near to render them any assistance
|, After hs reached the wreck, he iished b,
some who had sunk, and who were brouRh
to life by rolling them on the deck Of Iii
boat. Such was the violence Of the explo
sion, that Of the males saved, Ill were in
jured to some extent, with the exception
Of some three or four.
The Rev. Mr.. Todd, Of the Third Pres
byterian church in Louisville, was blowl
overheard, but saved himself by swimming
Mr.. Wren, Of Yaxoo, Mississippi, wa
thrown from the boiler deck and fell nea
the bow Of the boat in stale Of insensibil
ity. When he recovered his senses, n
saw his little son, six or seven years old
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