Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-11-25

at Beverly, Washington county, de-
scribes one of the most terrible
steamboat explosions that has ever
occurred. We have no time for
comments: a
BEVERLY, Nov. l2--l0 P. NJ.
Mr.. BAscoM:-I hasten TO inform
you OF one OF the most awful catas-
trophies that has ever been the lot oi
ang one TO witness-:he explosion
of the boilers of the Buckeye Belle.
this afternoon about iour o'clock, at
the Guard Lock, just above the
town, in the canal. The boat is the
most complete wreck that was ever
seen. Even the lower deck and
hull are so completely torn 10 irag-
ments that there hardly remains a
whole plank forward Of the wheel
house, and the cabin, pilot house,
and every thing back of the wheel
house shivered TO atoms, and strewn
10 the four winds, covering the
ground end water for great dis
lance around with kindling wood,
furniture, trunks and baggage, limbs
and bodies of men, in the most awful
manner that the Imagination could
possibly conceive.
There were abou; 40 passengers
on board, besides the boats crew.
among whom were seven Or eight
ladies from this town, some with
their children. every one Of whom
escaped with their lives, and with
only one or two slight injuries,
which was most remarkable, As the
ladies cabin was completely broken
up-even the floor fell almost TO the
lower deck; but as fortune would
have il, the cabin deck did not fall
to crush them-they remained on
the stern of the boat (ouiside Of The
cabin,) until they were rescued by
their friends in skiffs. From among
the passengers and crew, seven were
killed outright, and two have since
died, and probably one or two more
will die before morning. 1 their
names could not be ascertained ex>
cept Mr.. Barbour, from Pittsburgh.
Among the wounded are your friend
Lealand Murry, who is badly
scalded, and somewhat bruised, but |
think not dangerously; Mr.. c. C..
Covey, formerly OF McConnellsville,
right leg broken below the knee;
Mr.. Okey, Representative from Mon
roe county, badly scalded; Mr.. Bart
lett, Representative from Washing
ton county, do; Mr.. Wilson, clerk,
leg badly broken; Calvin Stull, pilot.
leg broken; Mr.. Evans, do; Mr..
Daniels, engineer, badly scalded;
Mr.. -, mate, arm broken; Capt.
Hahn, scaIded inwardly. and arm in
| jured, and FIVE or six more that have
broken limbs, or are scalded more or
less. And there are from six 10 ten
or twelve that are missing, who are
probably among the ruins Of the
wreck, or in the water, which can
not be told until tomorrow, when
the wreck is cleared out.
The boilers were completely blown
to pieces. The largest piece (abOut
one hall) was thrown more than
fifty yards over the boat, down The
canal, (the boat was going up,)
another piece upon the guard lock,
and other pieces more or less in size
strewn in every direction n-one large
piece alighting near the top of the
hill some three or four hundred yards
from the wreck, and some Of the
bricks Of the fne were found in The
lot on the top Of the highest hill
about town.
The people have shown all the
sympathy that such scene is calcu-
lated TO call out in taking care OF the
dead and wounded, and doing al
that humanity could prompt in re
lieving the distresses of their fellow
men.
But the attempt TO describe The
scene that presented itself at tht
boat when we arrived. would bt
impotent and futile. Imagination il
hardly lively or prolific enough loI
the task. The scene was too horriC
fordescription. We almost doubted
the sense of sight, SO like a dream j
seems.
The explosion was undoubtedly
occasioned by carelessness OF TN
engineer in letting the water get ;o'
low, and the moment the engin
was stopped to let the boat pass tn
guard lock, il exploded with such
shock as 10 shake the houses all owe
town. +. h. 5.
A tslegraphic despatch receives
has The following: "No ladies wer
D injured. The killed, so far a
known, are John Barbour, Of Pitts
d burgh. produce dealer; Jas. Daniel.
O. Of Harmar. engineer; John West, c
d Coalrun; SIS. Butler, coIored; Ed