Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-10-18
PLAQI EWaNE:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER ls, 1851.
Explosion of the Brilliant,

| STA TEMENT OF CAPTAIN HART
left New Orleans on Saturday, Septembe
20, 1851, at o'clock, p NJ, with SO cabin ane
5 deck passengers, and crew of about 81
men, deck hands and fircmen; and at the time
of the accident had on board 1t cabin passen
gers children and servants in the cabin
This is according to the register. | proceeded
safely on my voyage to Bayou Sara. until we
reached the plantation of Dr. Stone, about six
miles below Plaquemine, when we exploded
our second starboard boiler, it being carried
overheard and forward, fragments Of it being
thrown into the cabin, resulting, as near as |
can ascertain, IN the death and wounding of
Al persons, and causing great destruction to
the cabin, engines and furniture. Out Of the
number | cannot make out, as having died,
more than 81.
All the passengers in the cabin that | know
of as being wounded are Mr. Merwin of Wood
| Vile, and Mr.. Hamilton of West Feliciana, and
Mr.. Levison of Baton Rouge (The last
| named gentleman, learn by the papers, has
since died) Among the wounded were the
four engineers, g of whom have since died,)
three clerks, GALL out of danger,) the carpenter,
one pilot, and the mate, the latter of whom was
blown overheard. a.
With regard to the charge of racing, l state
positively had not been racing with any boat,
but had started at my usual hour and attended
to my regular business on the route, and I re-
fer to c. Adams, Jr., J. E. Caldwell, McCut-
cheon, Thompson Of Claiborne Island and DR..
Knapp, who saw me all the evening, for a CON-
frmation of this. Regarding the charge made,
that at the landing We had used up bbls. ro-
sin and were breaking up the 5th, pronounce
it false. Although not below decks at the
time, have reason to believe that there were
but three barrels on board, and that they were
there after the accident; and as further proof of
this, refer to Mr.. Bier, who was tod at the
hospital by one of the wounded men who had
seen the statement that it was false | also
refer to Mr.. Relf, who was told by the engi-
neer, before starting, that he had but three
barrels on board; and when state further, that
we were at this landing only sufficient time to
put out barrel of ice, all will see the absurdi-
ty of the charge.
of our former accident, new set of boilers
Of extra thickness, and made ofapicked iron,
and by one of the best mechanics in Cincinnati,
and that in addition to the usual means of as
certaining the power of steam and water on
and in the boilers now used by boats, | had the
steani aioinesei anu "''er SuaSe put up. /
felt had taken every precauioh in my powers
for the protection Of life My engineers were
sober and industrious men, and had the reputa- |
tion of good engineers.
In conclusion i have to offer nv sincere |
thanks to DR.. Stone, Col Stewart and Mr. |
Clark Adams, for their attention to the wound |
ed.
shall ever remember. with lively gratitude
the assistance and attention rendered by Capt
Dunlevia and Mr.. Hendricks, of The steamer
as Well as the officers of the lNohican,
for offers of assistance
| see many statements, not true, as coming
from me, which have no recollection of hav-si
ing made.
All papers publishing other statements, will
please publish this card
JESSE HART.