Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-10-04
Dreadful catastrophe.
EXPLOSION OF THE BRILLfAN1


Dreadful catastrophe.
EXPLOSION OF THE BRILLIANT.
1t is our painful duty to again record another
dreadful explosion-and what makes sneh sad
catastrophe still more poignant to our feelings,
is the fact that the disaster occurred with one
OF our coast packets, with whose officers, and
passengers on this trip, many Of ~ are acquaip..-
ed.
1t appears snat the Brilliant, on her up
ward trip from New Orleans, according to the
statement re- .,dered to the Picayune, exploded
her staro' ard boiler opposite the residence o'
Dr. Lone, six miles below here. Her man
c".oin and stase.roor,s, as far aft IS the ladies'
I cabin, and everything forward OF the Do'lers
was carried away, making a conpiete wreck OF
| the boat above the hull. Capt Hart stated he
| had from eighty to one hundred deck hands and
| 6remen on board at tho time the explosion
| took place. After the accident, he could not
| find more than twenty-five. The number OF
passengers on board he could not ascertain,
but thinks the loss must be very great.
The following are the names of the persons
killed and scalded, as neas as could be aseer-
tanned:
James Fullerton, mate, lost.
J. A. Cotton, FIRST clerk, badly scalded.
S. G. Cole, assistant clerk, badly scaided,
]. Comes, second clerk, lightly sca|drd.
Mr.. False, second pilot, badly scalded.
Robert Doyle, first engineer, badly scaiced.
Mr.. M.Carty, second engineer, slightly
scalded.
Several fireme i and cabin boys were slight
ly, and others ba.lly scalded. Capt. Hart was
in the wash-room when the boiler exploded.
and was no. injured.
Further Particulars.-By the arrival OF the
Princess No. 8, says the same paper Of Tues
day, we have the following particulars. Thai
on Sunday morning, between 8 and 9 O'Clock
when af er backing out from Dr.. Stones plan
~tation, about Nix miles below Plaquemine, and
on the first revolution of her wheels, her second
starboard boiler bursted, which carried death
and destruction.
Among the masses on board the boiler went
out forward, when the 1uss and iron work
done its work aft. There were about thirty
FIVE passengers, among them were elgh; OF ten
ladies'. Twenty-Five were seen in the water
Immediately after the explosion, of whom three
were rescued BY the Natcaez No. 2.
The NatcEez carried up to Baton Rouge,
three, Of whom Mr.. Levison, editor Of the Ba-
ton Rouge Advocate, who was dangerously
wounded; and to Bayou Sara, MIR. Cotton,
| first clerk, Dir. Co,e, sl,cond clerk, and one
| other person not known, all badly wounded.
There was carried ashore from Tie wreck
fifteen persons. One had died, the balance
badly wounded, who will be carried to the hos
pi,al.
More about the Brslian1.-The wreck of
| this unfortunate steamboat, says the Pscsyune
! of Monday, was brought down TO the city last
evening with the freight on board at the time
of the explosion, in a damaged state. Capt.
Hart also arrived in the city yesterday. He
states that only three of the cabin passengers
! were injured, and one Of whom was Mr.. Levi
son, editor of the Baton Rouge Advocate. Mr..
Cotton, the first clerk, was badly wounded, as
| at first reported, but there are strong hopes OF
his recovery. Capt Hart thinks that there
forty three Of the crew, deck hands aud FIRE.
-.,. i,;,l.J b,r 4ba axo(,efor = ~ .
The wreck was towed down by the steamer
| Cuba, Capt. Otis, and now lies on the oppo.
site side of the river below Gretna. f..
We learn from Capt. Ure, Of the steamer
Gypsy, who arrived yesterday, that Mr. Lesison,
Of Baton Rouge, would, it is thought by some,
survive his injuries.
One Of the passengers injured we are told,
was q little boy sent from Lafayette to a
school up the coast. He was standing above
the boilers at the time Of the explosion, and
would have fallen in with the crumbling deck
had not q gentleman standing next to him, and
who escaped uninjnred, caught hold Of him
As it was, he was slightly scalded about The
ears. sst
-sHaEE@@-
simultaneously with the explosion Of the Bril-
liant, the steamer hatcher, fortunately happen
ed to be passing, and the humane officers OF
that very popular boat, rounded to, and ren.
dered every manner assistance possible, to res
cue and relieve as many Of the unfortunate
sufferers as she could. She ianded ut this
place, and depositcd fhirty-three men, whe
we've scalded and mangglsd in . most shocking
manner-sesenteen Or eighteen Of whom, W.
learn, have since died Great praise is due K