The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-11-24
From the Ohio State Journal.
TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT EXPLOSION

SsAS IHHMHH NW
From the Ohio State Journal.
STEAMBOAT EXPLOSION
The following letter from a friend at
Beverly, Washington county. describes
one of the most terrible steamboat explo.
sions that has ever occurred. We have
no time for comments.
BEVERLY, Nov. 1910 P. M.
Mr.. BAscoM:-I hasten to inform you
of one Of the most awful cata strophes that
has ever been the lot of any one to wit.
ness-the explosion of the boilers of the
Buckeye Belle, this afternoon about four
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 TO fragments that there hardly remains
a whole plank forward of the wheel house.
and the cabin, pilot house, and everything
back Of the wheel house shivered to atoms,
and strewn to the four winds, covering the
ground and water for a great distance
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 about 40 passengers on board,
(besides the boats crew. among whom
were seven or eight ladies from this town.
some with their children, every one oil
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 it, the cabin deck did not fall
to crush them-they remained or the stern
OF the boat (outside 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 W. more
will die before morning. Their names
could not be ascertained except Mr.. Bar.
bour, from Pittsburgh. Among the woun.
ded are your friend Zealand hurry, who
is badly scalded, and somewhat bruized.
but | think not dangerously; Mr.. c. c..
Convey, Of McConnellsville, right leg broken
below the knee; Mr.. Okey. Representative
from Monroe Co., badly scslded; Mr.. Bart
lett, Representative from Washington Co.,
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,
scalded inwardly, and arm injured, and
five or six more that have broken limbs, or
are scalded more or less. And there are
from six to ten or twelve that are missing,
who are probably among the ruins of the
wreck, or in the water, which cannot be
told until tomorrow, when the wreck is
cleared out.
The boilers were completely blown to
pieces. The largest piece (about N
half,) 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-one large
piece alighting near the top ofthe hill, some
three or four hundred yards from the wreck,
and some Of the bricks Of the Aue were
found in the lot on the top Of the highest
hill above town.
The people have shown all the sympathy
that such a scene is calculated to call out,
in taking care of the dead and wounded,
and doing all that humanity could prompt
in relieving the distresses Of their fellow
men.
But the attempt TO describe the scene
that presented itself at the boat when we
arrived, would be impotent and futile.
Imagination is hardly lively and prolific
enough for the task. The scene was too
horrid for description. We almost doubt
ed the sense Of sight, SO like a dream it
seems.
The explosion was undoubtedly occa-
stoned by carelessness Of the engineer in
letting the water get too low. and the mo-
ment the engine was stopped to let the
boat pass the guard lock, it exploded with
such a shock as to shake the houses all
over town. E. II. s.