Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-11-24
RICHM OND. VA.
Saturday Morning, Nov'r oath, ls49'
AWFUL CATASTROPHE.

The telegraph, for once, conveyed no eXagge-
rated report in the brief accounts which were
transmitted from New Orleans Of the awful steam
boat disaster which occurred al the levee of that
city on the 18th inst. We copy from the papers
of the succeeding day appalling details OF the
melancholy event 1t appears that the explosion
was caused like most of those on the Western
waters, by the criminal negligence OF the officers,
or at least of the engineer The Western boats,
in which high pressure engines are necessarily
used, are so constructed that unless the boilers
are kept constantly supplied with water, explosions
must take place. If the water is not thus sup
piled, the boiler becomes red hot, and when the
water first comes in contact with the heated sur
face, it is instantly converted into steam, and no
strength of materials will prevent disaster The
danger of this result is greatest at the moment
when the boat is moving off from wharf,
If the engineer has neglected, before hand, to
see that the boiler is not improperly heated,
the first movement of the machinery throws
fresh water upon the red hot iron, and the
resistless power of steam, suddenly generated,
bursts away every restraint. This seems to be the
of the law can be sufficiently severe for an engi-
neer by whose carelessness the lives of hundreds
are thus sacrificed.
The reader will find in our extracts many Incl
dents of the most shocking description. We were
almost prepared to say that more horrible ca
tastrophe never occurred, when our eye fell upon
the following historical Renaissance in an ex-
change paper:
In August 1867, large quantity of gunpowder be-
longing the republic OF Venice, had been deposited
the vaults of the church OF St Nazare at Bresca The
tower of the church struck with lightning the cleo
rc fnd descended to the vaults and exploded above
gunpowderi About three thousand persons pefished By
this catastrophe and nearly onesix of the fine city of
Bresca destroyed. Owing to the same want OF
protection, magazine of four hundred barrels of gun
powder was blown up in Sumara, in 1882 by an cleo
trical discharge; and at Luxembourg, in 1907, maya
zine, with twelve tons OF gunpowder, was exploded
by lightning and the lower part OF the town laid in RUNS
COL. THOMPSON OF WHEELING
The Petersburg Intelligencer makes the follow
ing reflections upon the defeat of this unfortunate
politician, who, short time ago, attempted to ami
hilate Mr.. Ewing by publishing letter which he
intended to be after the manner of Junius. In one
respect, he may be said to bear some resemblance
TO the great model he yany essayed to initiate
The pen of Junius is believed to have been stopped
by his getting office; Col Thompson's was started
by his losingit it:
eve believe Says the Intelligencer) that this distn
yuished gentleman emigraed from the State OF Ohio
about sixteen eighteen years probably because the
State was then too Whiggish for him. Since his resi-
dence in Virginia, he has been made the Postmaster in
Wheeling, and the Attorney OF the U. S. for the West
ern Districts of which offices he resigned obtain
the other from which he has been lately removed He
has been candidate for the Judgeshp of the u S. West
ern District OF Virginia and for the State Superior Court
OF the Wheeling Circuit once, perhaps ottener for Go
vernon OF the State several times Tor nomination, and
once for election Congress in that District in all of
which patriotic aspirations he has been unsuccessful.
Considering that tine Union and Enquirer zealousy
MAINTAIN his superior qualifications for almost every
station, think that he is properly appreciated
by his party especially when recollect that Go
Smith appointed Judge Lee, sound lawyer and
highly respectable gentleman, to the Superior Court, in
preference to him
In looking about for tor the aspiring Coones
defeat In district but lately largely Democratic, it
has occurred that perhaps the Democracy OF the
Pan Handle District did not have the taste to appreciate
the Cooneps elegant and patriotic letter TO General
Taylor, when he deprived OF the honor OF being
District Attorney OF the United States"