The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-04-15
- 1 ~
gATAf. CATASTROPHE!
EXPLOSION OF TIE GLENCOE

II The st. Louis paposs eo'"o -
i with the particulars Of the EXPULSION Of INT
steamer Glencoe. !, occurred At the whaf
of 81. Louis on Saturday evening the .
i. INST. and was the most fearful and fatal OK
.lnlesion lha, has occurred at the wharf oi
lcity, since The Mosel.e blew up al Cinciii
lua,i. The Glencoe had just arrived lron
New Orleans and was cil.cting landing
lin the crowded wharf al ST. Louis when IN
catastrophe occurred We give below
many Of tho particulars:
/ From n Young gentlemnn who dnrint
the upward trip Of the Glencoe ac'ed a
Iher nssislan, clerk, we learn that she car
4 red abou, so s,eerage passengers ana iron
90 TO % cabin passengers. Tho boat "a.
Touched at several adjacent steamers SUI
|Hcicully long to allow many persons IRON
shore 10 board her, swelling her numbers
considerably. The explosion was terrific
i The entire upper decks Of the boat TOR
ward OF the pilot-house were thrown ~ ev.
cry direction, and unfortunately the MAORI
" Of the passengers had gathered there to
witness her landing.
Chimneys, hoIers, timbers and human
beings were scattered in every direction,
The work of destruction was not confined
TO the Glencoe after upper decks Of
tho Cataract, which was lying close by,
taking in The whole OF the ladies' cabin. was
destroyed. Other bonts rear by we're Wis
| tied but to less extent by the calamltles
Shortly after the explosion, the boat was
discovered 10 be on fire, and simultaneously
will, the discovery came floating down
The cabin forward Of the wheel house was
gone; portion Of it had been thrown on
the freight piled on the forecas,le; the mass
rising rs high as the after deck The
danes we're bursting ierce'y about wheFe
the boilers had been, and spreading rapidly
to NIL sides. From the shore many human
beings, men women and children could be
seen hurrying from one side TO The other.
desperately seeking some means OF escape.
One or two persons who were sca,dcd and
afterwards caugh, 10 tho falling timbers,
we're seen as she descended, and heard cal.
ling loudly for assistance as the flames
reached and envelopcd them. The scene
was most horrible one. As The boat con
Iiinaed 10 glide down, her yasl became I'll
led with her surviving passengers. The
yawls OF other boats were pushed out and
-ucceeded in saving others.
TnE CATARAcI--This boa, was dread
iuifv Torn aud injured by the explosion OF
~, al ha
den, her s,arboard quarter was lying di.
reciIy against The larboard bow nd abreast
the boilers Of the Glencoe, and tho whole
force Of the explosion and shock on that
side was fol, by her, Her after cabin and
starboard wheel house, together with .
portion Of Tho forward slarbohrd guard, is .
complete wreck. Que entire fuc Of q
boiler from the Glencoe was driven in,t
har ladies' cabin bearing before il the bodies
Of four or FIVE Of the G'snene's passengers
and pllinq the whole 10 one confused mass
against the opposite side Of the cabin walls
Another large piece Of boiler was thrown
up aud fell back 90 the CaIaract's ilnrrl
cane roof, crushing il dawn and dpng great
iniirs. Another large piece Oh machine
m fell forward a the starboard wheel
house, carried off a portion of The ioswart
Hover guard and fell into the river. Th'
Whale s,arbaard side Of the G. is blaasene'
md shattered, and lie injnrg done caano
be repaired under two thousand five hun
bred dollars.
/ After the explosion. and before ,h'
wreck in the cabin coald be cleared away
the G. caugh, fire from the stove in the la
dies cabin, and was only saved from con,
4 pletc destruction by the un,iring efforts o
her crew. Strnnge TO relate no one be
longing 10 the Cataract was injured.
i TnE WESTERN WaRLn-Oae Of tn
scope pipes OF the Glencoe was throw
az snst the texasiof ii,is boat. lying next be
low the Cataract, aud three or four officer
rooms demolished. One person in th
texas, and the only one, had very marrow
{ escape.
GEo1G1A- the next above th
Glencoe, had tho whole after part of he
: guards and ladies' cabin demolished, be
2 sides other injury to her upper work.
ALEcK ScoTT-- Portions Of marble
4 Top taDie IRON tue hleHtOes CdDlD ie!l UP
on the hurricane deck Of this boat, and il
several places cot i, through and fell 4
the cabin floor.
One or two other boats 10 the vicinity
8 were also slightly injured by the falling
J. timber, bricks and pieces machinery, an
a the glass 10 their cabins shattered by III
{ conclusion.
We think The number killed and missing
by this fearful explosion will mol fall shor
Of sixty, and the wounded at thirty five
J. many Of whom will not survive their iniu
s ries, and nearly all Of whom we're eithe
officers, passengers or hands on the Glen
zoe.
. The Glencoe was Owned by Messrs
. John L. Brooks and Jos. Breenan, aud wa
: commanded By Capt John Lee Of this city
! She was built at New Albany in 1876
IS She had four boilers, which report says
were thirteen gears old. She was recent
" locked aud repaired. Her boilers were
lately inspected by Mr.. Hall, and cer.f
cate Of seryiceabIty was given her own
ers.-She was insured for $4,000.
The wreck lodged at The foot of Poplar
b street, 10 the head Of the slough, burned tl
i the waters edge, and sunk With The bow
resting on shore carrying down with ii. tbs
! freigh, in tho bold aud the ashes and bones
Of tbaso killed aud bnruod On haa,1 T.,