The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-18
Another Awful Steamboat Explosion
A ND LOSS OF L IFEI

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Hardly has the sensation created by the explosion
of the Ango-Norma began to subsde, until we
are again called upon to record similar catas-
trophe, by which several human beings were, with
out moments warning, hurled into eternity, and
many others very badly injured, some of whom
cannot survive. We have never known NewOr-
leans to be visited with so many calamites in the
same space of time, as have occurred during the
| last year.
About hafpast six o'clock last evening, ire
mendous report resounded throughout the city, and
seemed to shake the very foundations of the build
ings in the vicinity of the River. The rumor soon
spread that steamboat had exploded, and thou
sands of citizens rushed towards the Levee. The
rumor proved too true, The Knoxville, Captain
Harris lying at the foot of Graver street, was the
most perfect wreck we have ever seen She was
bound for the Tennessee River, and, in backing
out the hues of all her boilers collapsed, carrying
death and destruction in all directions All the
upper works forward of the wheel-houses were
torn to atoms. One of the boilers went out at the
sarboard side, striking the Martha Washington
which was lying below, just forward of her wheel
house, tore up her guard, passed entirely through
her cabin, and entered the ladies' cabin of the
Griffin Yeatman, lying next below. The entire
boiler, nearly thirty feet in length, now lies on the
ladies' cabin floor, having carried away several
state in its progress. The Yeatman had
come from the Dry Dock, the other side of the
River, about half an hour before the explosion.
Fortunately, those on board were at supper in the
forward cabin, and no one was injured.
Another boiler sent at least a hundred and
fifty yards the Levee in the direction of Poy-
dras street, carrying or two piles of flour bar
rels, and severel hen-coops, but, almost miracu-
lousy, iniuring that we could hear of,
Pieces of iron, but whether portions of the boilers
or not we cannot say, were thrown to great dis
lance in different directions, but did not do much
damage. An iron chest was thrown high in the
air, and carried into the steamer Buckeye lying
three or four boats above.
The Ne Plus Ultra, lying Immediately above
the Knoxville, very much shattered, and we
regret to state that her commander, Capt. Robin
/
that persons on board of boats six or eight rods of
were knocked down.
Almost Immediately after the explosion the
Knoxville took fire. and the alarm spread through
the city, bringing several engines to the spot in a
very short time There were several kegs of pow
der in the forward hold, and the greatest consterna-
ton prevailed for short time. The crowd, gath,
cred on the Levee, rushed from the spot in confu-
sion, but the kegs were soon hoisted out and
thrown into the river. The fire was quickly extin.
guished by the engines and then it was discovered
that the boat was sinking. An engine was run Oh
board, No. 8, we think,) and the men attached t,
it worked nobly in relieving the hold from water
They were still there at late hour, when VIZ
visited the spot.
Amidst the confusion consequent upon such
catastrophe, it impossible TO ascertain the pre-
else number of the missing. We were informed by
the Steward that there were eighteen passengers
supper, most of whom had left and gone ont on the
boiler deck From this fact, we should judge tina
some ofthem must have been killed, hut how many
and what their names were, We were unable I,
learn. The Bac.keeper, whose name we did no
ascertain, is missing, also are several deck hands
all Of whom supposed to have been killed
William Dowdy, Second Engineer, died shor
time after being taken 10 the Hospital
The following is a list Of the wounded an,
4 scaded at the Charity Hospital Abroham Youu
and Henry Turner, cooks; B. II Franklin, striker
William Henry, pilot, dangerously wounded Pa,
rick Connolly, John Collins, John Burk, Peter Mul
lin, John Burns, and Patrick Cannon, ali iiremeu
4 A negro was taken 10 The Baronne street Waite
4 House with fracture of the elul, and it was SUI
posed that ne could not live more than an hour q
two. William Shields, a pilot, was slight
/ injured, as also was George Oldham, Second Clerl
: and Joseph johnson, FIRST Engineer. The Thir
a Engineer is missing The First Clerk, N. I
IS Brown, ascending the stairs leading from tn
! lower 10 the boiler deck at the time of the expl,
j, sion, and was carried, with portions of the decl
d into the air, but strange to say lie escaped wit
e very slight injuries. Capt Harris on the hp
y rIcane deck, and he also escaped,
Capt Robinson, of the Ne Plus Ultra, lying ne
= above the Knoxville, was scalded, but wherh,
dangerously or not, we are unable to say j. /
a; ST. John, Bar-keepsr Of the Martha Washington
+. was slightly sealded and bruised. We shall doub
b less learn something further to-day in regard to ii
:. passengers They had all just gone on board, an
~ the names of but very few were known, so that
! isimpossihle to say how many were lost. At Il
time we left the boat last night, there was vel
!. large quanti'yof rubbish remaining on the dec
Of and we apprehend thai more bodies will be foun
!. whenit is cleared away.
: The Pilot Of the Martha Washington was yn
1 in bis state room, directly in the path of the boe
3 which passed through this boat, and aIthone
$ everything around him was completely demolishe
!, he escaped wilma few slight bruises only
:, Since writing the above, we have learned tn
! two of the four boilers exploded, and that but fe
! pieces of them are to he found. Rumors prevail,
) tha, 'hsy were very old, and that they had b.,