The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-04-14
From the ST. Louis lntelligencer, April 5th.
Dreadful Explos sion aud loss of Life.

of passengers reached this port between seve
and eight o clock on Saturday night. and Will
attempting to effect landing near the foot
Chestnut street, blew up with dreadful impor
scattering the entire forward part and uppt
works Of the b at to the four winds of heaye,
and dealing death and destruction to Surround
ing objects The steamers Georgia, Catarac
Western World, Aleck Scott, and one or ivy
Others, were laying at this part of the levee
and the Glencoe was endravoring to effect
landing under the stern of the Georgia, wit
the Cataract on her larboard bow, when three
perhaps all of her boilers exploded with deaf
ening crash, rendering the forward par. Of tn
boat frightful wreck, greatly injuring thu
Georgia, almost entirely demolishing tic CABIN
| of the Cataract and hurting between forty ane
| sixty human beings int, eternity.
The explosion was indeed terrific, and wa
distinctly heard even TO the suburbs of the city
| and for several squares around the shock was
sensibly felt. Heavy timberS, fragments of the
boilers, machinery, chmneys. upper works Of
the boat and human beings hurled with
fearful violence many feet in the air and Tell up
on the surrounding boats and adjacent parts oil
the levee, and as far back as commercial street.
At The time of the Glencoe's landing, large
number OF citizens, hotel and steamboat runners
cabmen and others, were as usual upon the arri-
val of boat, hurrying aboard, and the forecas
tie and boiler deck We're crowded with these,
as well as the passengers belonging to the
boat.
The shock Of the explosion drove the l-fat-
ed steamer fairly out into the stream, and al
most instantly after, she caught fire from the
furnaces, and commenced floating down, presen
ting the most horrible spectacle we ever beheld.
The entire forward part of the boat, from the
wheel house nearly down to her water line, was
gone, and the after part one mass of tialbers,
freight and human beings. heaped together in
wild confusion. The flames burned iercely
and rapidly spread to all parts of the boat
From shore, men, women and children were
seen running from one part the burning steam
err to another, in hope of escapingithe dreadful
death that awaited them, and the bodies of sew
eral pied among the timbers, some only wounded,
writhing in agony, and crying for assis ance were
plainly described. These, well as all others,
badly wounded or killed outright and left in the
III fated steamer, were devoured by the flames.
AS the Glencoe continued to drift down num-
Der OF persons on board threw themselves into
the water, several of whom reached shore,
whilst, number of others in the stern managed
to get into the yawl, and were saved. Others
were taken off from the burning wreck in skitts,
or picked up in the water.
The BODY OF Mr.. JOHN Denny, first clerk Of
the Glencoe, was found on the hurricane roofof
The Western World, slightly mutilated but quite
dead. The body of a little girl with the legs
blown off, was recovered from the waters edge
md the leg Of man, severed at the thigh, with
portion of the pants aud drawers and fine
calf skin boot on, was picked up near the side
walk and taken to the Beard Of the Health Of
fee. twas recognized yesterday morning
a portion of the body of William Brennan, one
If the assistant engineers and part owner of the
boat OF the | | bodies and parts of bodies Ia
ken to the Board Of Health office. four were
men, two women, two girls and 3 boys, recog
nized foll' VS.: John DENNY, 1st clerk of
the boat John Curtis Lee, son of the captain,
aged 10 years; John Grey, passenger, aged
about l2 years, who came on board at Memphis
Edward McCariy, hack driver; Mrs. Schenile,
William Brennan, assistant eng-
neer; and the remaining five, one woman; two
girls, one man and one bow not identified.
Or those sent to the Haspital-l3 in number
Henry Balsar, pilot of the Glencoe, and one
lady, deck passenger, name unknown, died du-
ring the night, and many of the others cannot
possibly survive
Capt Lee, his lady and one child left the
boat a few moments before the explosion, and
thus fortunately escaped almost certain destruc-
ton.
Below we append list f the killed, as far
as ascertained u2 to a late hour last night.
KILLED-l6.
John Denny, first clerk of the boat.
Henry Balsar, po,-ded at the Hospi
John Curtis Lee. son OF the captain aged 10
years.
Edward McCarty, Hack driver of this CT
Mrs ScheniIe, or Shrlel, deck passenger from
Memphis
John Grey, aged ~ years, embarked at Mem
phis, pedlar by profession.
William Brennan, assistant engineer and
par, owner OF the boat-leg nly found.
One man, ] boy, 9 girls and 3 women all pass
engers. Inquesls held, but bodies not dentif-
ed.
George w. Rolfe, runner at the American no.
tel, was taken to the hospital and died yesterday
noon.
David Cree, died last evening at the hospital
and woman name not known.
MssING-3.
The Number and names Of the missing. it is
impossible to arrive at. The following are all
the names we have ascertaned:
George Reeder and James Wlle-ruaners at
the Virginia Hotel.
Michael Arnant, cab or hack driver.
THE woUNDED-24.
Sixteen of the following persons were pick
ed up at and about the levee, and taken to The
Sisters Hospital on the night of the explosion,
and two others yesterday morning. Six others
were taken to their residences Four of those
taken to the Hospital have since died, and ap.
pear among the killed above.
Taken to the Hospital Henry Balsar pilot
dead
George w. Rolfe, hotel runner, dead
David Cree, passenger, from Belfast, Ireland,
dead
woman unknown, passenger on the Glen
coe, dead.
VIM. Callahan, fireman, dangerously wound
ed.
Jesse H. Harrington, passenger, from Cook
co., LII right thigh and wrist fractured, with
other injuries.
Samuel Sleigh, citizen who went on board
after the boat arrived, badly injured and not ex-
pected to recover.
Thomas Carroll, passenger, of Liverpool,
badly hurt about the head and shoulders
Frederick w. Burlog, German emgrant seri-
ously wounded.
Thomas Donahoe, of Dubuque, Iowa, badly
hurt and not expected 10 recover.
John Graham, but slightly injured.
Patrick Mclaughlin, OF New York, seriously
scalded
Daniel B. Herman. of Gibson county, III
arm broken and scalded about the face and
breast.
James Mclean, of Ohio, scalded internally,
with but little hope of recovery
Michael Dunn, hand on the boat, badly bruis-
ed and scalded.
Sarah Matthews, passenger, aged about
thirteen badly injured, with no hopes of recov-
cry
w. B. Catherwright, passenger, from Miss
ssippi, on visit to friends in Galloway county,
Mo-, case almost hopeless.
William Brethward, passenger, from England
very seriously scalded and mangled. Had on
his person nineteen hundred and odd dollars in
money; no hope of recovery
OF the fourteen patients at the Sisters Hos
pital last night, four or tve only, it was thought
could possibly recover. We think we may
safely set down the killed and missing by this
fearful explosion at sixty, and the wounded a
thirty five, many of whom will not survive the
injuries, and nearly all OF whom were either
officers, passengers or hands on the Glencoe
The Glencoe was owned by Messrs John E
nd ! 4