The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-11-24

terrible Steamboat Explosion
DREADFUL Loss OF LIFE@
One Hundred and Fifty Persons Killed!
One of the most lrplorable cotastrophes that
ever occurred in the history OF steamboat ex-
]plOsious took place at our levee yesterday
evening, a few minutes after 8 o'clock.
TIE steamboat Louisiana, Capt. Cannon,
bound for St. Louis, loaded with a valuable
cargo, and having on board a large number OF
passengers, had rung her last bell, and was
just backing out from the wharf, at the foot OF
Gruvier street, when the whole Of the boilers
burst with a tremendous explosion which re-
sounded throughout the city. The conclusion
was SO great that it shook the houses to theil
foundation for many squares distant. The
Louisiana was lying alongside the steamer
Bostona, Capt. Dustin, at the time of the disas-
ter, and the steamer Storm, Captain Hopkins,
had Just arrived from Louisville, coming in on
her stdrboard side. The upper wo ks OF these
two boats are a complete wreck, their chin
neys having been carried away, and their cab
ins stove in and shattered IN some places to
atoms. The violence Of the shock oP rating
on the boilers was tremendous. A part CT one
Of them, a mass Of considerable size, was
hurled with inconceivable force on the leVee'
II cut a mule in two, killed a horse and the
driver Of q druy 10 which they were attached,
instantaneousIy. Another massive portion OF
the same, twelve feet long, and OF immense
weight, was blown 10 the corner o. Canal and
Front streets, a distance Of 200 yards, at least,
prostrating three large iron pillars, which sup
ported a wooden shed or awning which stood
before the coffee-house there. Before coming
in contact with the iron pillars, the fragment
Of the boiler cut through several bales Of cot
ton, which lay in its passage, making the sta
Pile scatter through the air as it il had been
run through a cotton gin.
We append a list of casualties, SO far as we
have been able to ascertain;
K~GLLEp,-Robert Devlin, of Baton Rouge,
blown ashorei Mr.. Gilmer, Cd mate Of Louis
lanai Capt. Edmondson, of St. Louisj Andrew
Bel, pilot OF Louisiana; Mrs. Robert Moody
and child, wife and child Of the clerk Of steam
er Storms Mr.. Roach, deck hand on the Storm /;
a cabin boy on the Storm, name unknown; two
men, names unknown, blown from the Storm
John Sullivan, news boy; the coachman Of the
St. Charles Hotel, several negroes and deck
hands Of the Bostona.
MIssIKa.-Dr Thomas M Williams, Of La
fourche; DR. Bloudine, Of Point Coupee; Robt.
McMechin, clerk Of Louisiana; ] J Gillespie,
OF Vlcksburg; J Merring, of Cincinnati; Mr.
Wilson, grocer, of ST. Louis; Mr. Edgar, over
seer, Of Washington county, Miss; Sylvester
and Eneas Craft, of Memphis; Mr.
kim, Of the firm Of J Gray g. Co. Of St. Lou
is; Wolf. news boys Mr. Elliott, clerk in the
firm of Marsh & Ranlett, of this city; Merrick
Morris. clerk in tho firm Of Small s. McGill, Of
this city.
Capt. Canon, of the Louisiana, at the time
d Tie explosion, was on shore, near the boat
tnIklhg with Mr.. Stone. The Captains brOth-
er wds on board the BOAT, and is supposed to
be lott.
A lady and two children escaped FROM the
wreck OF the boat as it was sinking.
Most Of the passengers Of the Storm got OF
at Lafayette, thereby escaping a most awful
Up to 10 O'clock last night thirty bodies OF
persons whose names are unknown, had been
brought to the Second Municipality watch
house in Baronne street.
The confusion was SO great that it was utter
ly impossible to ascertain the names OF one
quarter Of those killed and wounded, and most
probably, from the promiscuous crowd of
strangers, emigrants, &C., a large portion OF
them will never be known.
The fragmeats Of iron and blocks OF wood
which were sent with the rapidity Of hghtning
from the i'll. lated Louisiana, carried death and
destruction in all directions. Men were killed
o. tho distance Of two hundred yards.