The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-15

the Eapsone@n On Hoard the stea1hcet
and Destruction OF Property.
The following particulars Of the late terrible
steamboat explosion at st. Louis, extracted from
the 81. Louis Esteligener of the 9th instant
The steamer Glencoe, Capt. John Lee, from Now
Orleans, with heavy cargo and large number of
passengers, reached St. Louis between seven and
eight o'clock, on Saturday night, the Sd inst, and
whilst attempting to effect landing near the foot
Of Chestnut street, blew up with dreadful report,
scattering the entire forward part and upper works
Of the boat to the four winds Of heaven, and deal
ing death and destruction to surrounding objects.
The steamers Georgia, Cataract, Western World,
Aleck Scott land one or two others lying at this
part of the levee, and the Glencoe was endeavorng
to effect landing under the stern of the Georgia,
with the Cataract on her larboard bow, when three,
perhaps all of her boilers exploded with deafenng
crash, rendering the forward part of the boat
frghtful wreck, greatly injuring the Georgia, al
most entirely demolishng the cabin of the Cataract
and hurting between forty and sixty human beings
into eternity.
The explosion was indeed terrific and was dis
tnctly heard, even to the suburbs of the city, and
for several squares around the shock was sensiby
felt Heavy timbers, fragments Of the boilers,
machinery, chmneys, upper works of the
boat, and human beings were hurled with
fearful violence many feet in the air. and fell upon
the surrounding boats and adjacent parts of the le
wee, and as far back as Commercial street At
the time of the Glencoe's landing, q large number
Of citizens, hotel and steamboat runners, cabmen,
and others, were, as usual upon the arrival of
boat, hurrying aboard. and the orccastle and boiler
deck crowded with these, as well as the passen-
gers belonging to the boat
The shock of the explosion drove the Inflated
steamer fairly out in the stream, and almostly in
stantly after, she caught fire from the furnaces and
commenced floating down, presenting the most hor-
ribc spectacle We ever behold. The entire forward
part of the boat from the whecl-house nearly down
to her water line, was gone. and the after-part
mass of timber, freight, and human beings, heaped
49,. A
y and rapidly spread to all parts of the boat. From
shore, men, women, and children were seen running
from one part of the burning steamer to another,
in hope of escaping the dreadful death that threat
ened them, and the bodies of several piled among
the timbers, some only wounded, writhing in
agony, and crying for assistance, were plainly
deserted These, well as all Others badly
wounded, or killed outright, and left the i'll
Glencoe continued to drift down, number Of per-
on board threw themselves into the water,
several Of whom reached shore, whilst quite
number Of others in the stern managed to get into
the steamers yawl, and were saved. Several other
yawls and skhs visited the burning wreck and took
off Others whilst many picked up in the water.
The whole number saved in this and other ways is
set down at between sixty and seventy. At the foot
of Spruce street the wreck lodged for moment,
swung round and passed down to nearly opposite
the foot Of Poplar street, in the head of the slough,
where it again lodged, burned to the waters edge,
and sunk with the bow resting shore, carrying
and bones Of those killed and burned on board. In
drifting down, the burning steamer set fire to the
wood boats at the levec, eight or ten of which
were destroyed, and the flames spreading to the
wood on Shore rank after rank was consumed before
they could be arrested. Between five and six cords
of wood and eight or nine wood boats were thus
destroyed.
Returning from the burning wreck of the Glencoe,
the the leyec, where the explosion oc-
cured. beggars description. We have neither time
nor space, much less nclination to enter into all
the horrible details of this hcartrending calamity
Some twelve thirteen bodies and parts Of bodies
had been picked up the levee and adjacent boats,
and taken to the Office of the board Of health, on
Chestnut street, and all the seriously wounded sent
to the hospital. Many Others, Tho were less in
jured, were running about the eyee, their faces
backened and clothes wet and tattercd, crying for
help. Five dead bodies were taken from the Ca
taract, al of which blown from the Glencoe.
These consisted Of one woman, supposed to be Mrs.
Schenile, deck passenger, who embarked with her
family at Memphis Captain Lees little son, aged
ten years: one man, and one boy ana girl neither
Of whom were identified. With exception, the
bodies taken from the Cataract were dreadfully
mangled the limbs in some instances being torn
from the trunk, heads mashed, and so horribly
muilaed as to defy recognition only from the gar
ments. The woman mentioned was found stretched
across marble top table. nearly every bone in her
body broken, and her limbs so mangled as to barely
hang together The body Of Mr. John benny lst clerk
OF the Glencoe, was found the hurricane roof of
the Western World, slightly mutated. but quite
dead. The body Of little girl, with the legs
blown OFF, was recovered from the waters edge,
ard the leg of man, severed at the thigh with
portion OF the pants and drawers, and fine calf
skin boot on, was picked up near the sidewalk,
and taken to the board of health office. 1t was
recognized yesterday morning as a portion of the
body of William Brennan, on Of the assistant
engineers. and part owner of the boat OF the
eleven bodies and parts Of bodies taken to the board
OF health office, four were men, two women, two
ri Is, and three boys, recognized as follows John
Denny. first clerk Of the boat John Curtis Lee, son
of the captain. aged ten years; John Grey passen-
ger aged about twelve years, who came on board
at Memphis; Edward McCarty, hack-driver Mrs.
Schene, passenger William Brennan. assistant
engineer and the remaining five, one woman, two
girls, man, and one boy, not identified.
Of those sent to the hospital-thirteen in num-
ber-Henry Baisar, pilot Of the Glencoe, and one
lady, deck passenger, name unknown, died during
the night, and many of the others cannot possibly
survive.
Capt. Lee, his lady, and one child, left the boat
few moments before the explosion. and thus fortu
nately escaped almost certain destruction.
Below append list Of the killed, as far as
ascertained up to a late hour last night
KILLED John Denny, first clerk Of the boat
Henry Balsar pilot, died at the hospital John c.
Lee, son Of the captain, aged 10 years Edward
McCarty, hack driver, of this city Mrs Schcnile,
or Shriel, deck passenger, from Memphis John
Grey. aged II years, embarked at Memphis, peddler
by profession William Brennan, assistant eng-
and part owner of the boat leg ONLY found one
man, one boy, two girls and three women. all pas-
sengers-inquests held, but bodies not identified
George w. Role, runner at the American hotel.
taken to the hospital and died yesterday noon. Da-
vd Cree died last evening" at the hospital. and one
woman, name not known
MIssING.-Thc number and names of the missing
it is impossible to arrive at. The following are all
the names we have ascertained George Reeder and
James Vile, runners at the Virginia hotel Michael
Arnant. cab or hack driver
WouNDED.-Sixteen Of the following persons were
nj kpt n a nj he tal.a,
Sisters Hospital on the night of the explosion, and
the two others yesterday morning. Six others were
taken to their residences. Four Of those taken TO
the hospital have since died, and appear among the
killed above.
TAKEN TO THE HospITAL-Henry Balsar, pilot.
dead; George w. Role, hotel runner dead; David
Cree. Ireland; woman, unknown passenger on The
Glencoe, dead; Vim. Callahan, fireman, danger
ously wounded; jesse II. Harrington, right thigh
and wrist fractured; Samuel Sleigh, badly injured
and not expected to recover; Thomas Carroll, bad