Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-11-26
EXPLOSION OF THE LOUISIANA.


The New Orleans Picayune of the 18th ult.
says;
Up to o'clock P NJ Yesterday forty -nine bodies
had been brought to the Second MUNICIPALITY guard
house. in Baronne street No more had been brought
as late 7ocock last evening All the podles except
that of Dr. Marsh, of Milwaukee, were inferred during
the course OF the day The scene a. e hd
with the piles of rough collins near them, can never be
efaced from our memory.
1t is almost impossible to arrive at any thiiS IKE ue
exact number of sufferers by this dreadful event On
comparing lists of yesterday morning and evening,
and OF this morning, we may put II uown al 81 killed.
60 wounded and missing. These are known. But
if take into consideration the number OF oilers skill
men, boys negroes strangers emigrants Calitornans,
deck-hands, &C.. who scattered on and around the
three boats in every direction, and who were Tor the
most part strangers each other indifferent to every
ones fate but their own if we think how many
swept off by the stream, how many blown INTO mere
fragments and whose names will never be known, we
cannot far err in estimating the toai amount oil casual
ties by this melancholy catastrophe at not less than two
hundred.
From the Bee and Picayune we take some far
Their particulars of the Disaster
The Captain of the louisiana ohm Cannon, was Sc
verev confused about the head but escaped without
further injury He owes his life to the circumstance that
he was not on the boat at the time of the explosion but
had his foot on the staging and was about proceeding on
board His brother, E. Cannon, who was near HIM,
was severely scalded r
The enormous impetus with which the Debris OF the
boat were hurled in all directions may be inferred from
the following A gentleman by the OF Ellis,
walking more than two squares from the Leyee, was
struck by flying fragment, and his thigh dreaduily
shattered mule distant fully two hundred yards rom
The scene of disaster caught by part OF the boiler
and his hind quarters literally ground to powder
sign standing at the OF Ichoupltoulas ana
Naclez sreets-about five squares fromthe LOUISIANA
was completely perforated by piece OF the boller|
To lamp post, distance from the spot, was Iouhd
attached on Thursday evening, human tongue. lhese
facts will give the reader faint idea OF the tremendous
violence OF the explosion.
The scene presented at the watch-house during the
whole OF yesterday, was of character to soften and
subdue hearts of semer stuff than ours AS body after
body was brought ill., the friends and relatives OF the mis-
sing examined the mutaed features and mangled limbs
ofthe victims with hudderng horror anxious yet dread
ing to recognize the objects OF their search From time
TO time the piercing wall of grief would break FORTH in
dcatng that father or son had been discovered, and
that the faint hope OF the living had vanished before the
presence of the dead. The watch house was crowded
during the day, and the intense and melancholy excite
ment of the occasion, caused the people to linger
around in throngs to climb the fence and peer into the
yard.
Among the bodies recognized was that of Captain
Rensselaer, Becker, OF New Orleans lie was buried yes
terday. r
the head clerk OF the Louislana-Mr McMillin,
The remains OF Mr. Barels son, most amlabe youth
of Is years of age have not yet been found Nor has
the body of Mr. Deery whose death mentioned yes
terday morning, been discovered Capt Becker, whose
uutlDeV alluded 10 ABOVE, Hdu gone Oh
with his wife who intended to proceed to ST. Louis AZ
ter leaving her in the ladies' cabin he went into the cap
tans office to settle for the passage, and there
when the explosion took place. his wife was saved.
We add few more names to the sad list oil the wound
ed and missing
Mr.. John Dearie, about twenty-five years of age
missing; William Green, merchant in Tchoupitouas
street missing was seen to go on board the Louisiana
previously to the explosion and has not since been heard
Of John Hannehan, boy residing in St. Thomas street.
missing; Alexis Porche OF Point Coupee, passenger
on the Louisiana, saved severely bruised and shoulder
dslocaed.
Mr. Frederick A. Wood, clerk in city lumber yard,
was wounded in very extraordinary manner. He was
struck distance OF two squares from the scene OF the
explosion by piece OF curved iron which fractured
both without touching any other part OF his body
One OF his arms has been amputaed.
Mr.. Champ, the head OF the police OF Memphis, was
last seen standing by the pilot board the Louisiana,
and has not since been heard Of There can hardly be
doubt that he is lost.
x friend informs usthat Mr.. J J. Gillespie, reported
as missing, left the steamer Medora an hour and
half previous to the explosion
1t was Dr. Blanvie, and not DIR. Bondne, OF Polnte
Coupee, who was lost on the Louisiana.
The advantages of chlorotorm in the numerous ampu
| tatons and operations, made on Thursday night and
yesterday never more apparent The limbs OF the
various sufferers were taken off, without the patients
betraying the slightest sensibility.
Yesterday arrested by w. S. Scott, u. S. Marshal, on
an affidavit filed relative to the explosion Of his late yes
sci. Capt c. appeared before Hon Joshua Baldwin,
acting u So Commissioner, and gave bonds IN the
sum Of $4,000 for his appearance Tor examination.
We learn that Mr. w. C. Read, who was killed on
board the Storm, had belt about his person containing
800 in gold While the body was lying on the levee,
man representing himself as responsible, and giving
his name as Smith, took it off One of the friends OF
the deceased was standing by at the tme but he had
been seriously injured himself and was much bewi
dered that he made objection to Smith taking tenn
porary possession of it, Neither Smith nor the money
has since been heard Of The money in belt Of red
webbing, bound with leather.
Among the negroes killed is the we'll known charcoal
man. whose white horse and merry songs were familiar
to nearly all our citizens
THIEVES AND RUFFIANs.-The calamity that spread
far and wide among fellow citzens on Thursday
evening BY the explosion on board the Louisiana,
signal for the heartless thieves and fans who abound
here this OF the year TO engage IN their nefa-
rous business with more than usual audaclty. While
others who went to the eyee that occasion to initiate
the good Samaritan by binding the wounds OF the VIC
TINS who still had life them, or to put IN practice the
laws of humanity by assisting to remove to the purpose
of receiving decent Christian burial the bodies OF the
killed. or the fragments OF the human temple that lay
prousely scattered about, those wretched fellows
busy on their vllanous erands to despon both quick
and dead. Robberies committed without tear or
shame. Goods were carried off from the wreck and
parcels picked up and appropriated if the population
had been invited to general scramble The darkness
which SO soon came threw protecting veil over their
wickedness, and the whole night employed by them
in obtaining plumber Some of them have been arrest
ed and various articles Of property have been traced to
receiving houses.