The Nevada journal., 1853-04-15
Explosion of the Jenny Lind.


FVty-siI persons killed and fataNy scaided.
We have liz the Bay papers the awful in
telligence of the explosion of the steamer
Jenny Lind on the way from Alviso to San
Francisco. She had on board 1870 passen-
gers. The explosion occurred by the burst
ing away of the hand-hole plate, and the ex-
haust pipe. The boiler was said to be good
and the accident could not be anticipated -
The details of this heart-rending calamity are
distressing in the extreme, We copy from
the Herald -
The Jenny Lind was on her way from AL
viso TO TINS city with about $50 passengers
She was passed at ~ o'clock precisely, off
the Pulgas rancho, by the steamer Express
going the other way. At ten minutes past
twelve-the boat being then about four
miles from the west shore of the Bay
aviolent tremor was felt throughoutthc boat.
like the concussion produced by the firing .of
cannon, and in second after tremen-
dous report was heard, and theiwholc vessel
was enveloped in dense cloud of scaldine
steam. A plate on the after head of the
boiler had been thrown out, and the steam
and boiling water 'gushed out with fearful
violence. The bulk-kcad separating the
boiler from the cabin, which was aft, was
shivered into thousand fragments by the
force OF the shock, and each fragment became
a missile of death and destruction.
Ihe cabin was closely confined room
about Is by 90 feet, with small windows look
ing out upon sort of igangway that inter
vencd between it and the ratings. 1t was
just about dinner time-the table was spread
and five minutes before, the ladies, children
and gentlemen in charge of ladi %, had been
! introduced into the cabin, so that they nigh,
not be incommoded by the rush to dinner
when the bell should ring, and they wero
about seating themselves at the table; some
OF the ladies were already seated Just a.
this moment the explosion took place-thc
dense volume OF steam rushed into the cabin
and instantly pervaded it. All who were in
It were stricken down as if wilted by the heat.
They were scalded frightfully, externally, and
all innaled the fearful steam. Net one es.
capped they were all killed instantly ...or have
since dled. Many of them had their clothes
literally torn from them; the skin was entire
y burnt OFT their faces and bodies. The sight
tney presented was horrible beyond descrip-
tien they were simply scalded, but all were
more or less mangled by the fragments of the
boiler and bulk-head, and streams of bIooJ
flowed from their mutilated bodies some
few of the gentlemen managed to grope their
way out of the cabin crying piteousIv to tbosc
above to save their wives and children When
some OF the passengers who were pnburt
rushed below, the sight that presented itself
staggered them, and some became faint
Ihey found the dead and the dying in a con.
fused mass on the floor, covered with trac-
ments OF chairs, tables, furniture and timber
and horrible to relate they were writbino in
scaldng water, which lay six inches deep on
the floor. 's'p y"
Poor little children were crying piteopslv
tef Their mothers, who could hear. but blind
ed could not see. Mothers were shriekinp
WIN agony or calling on some one to save
tneir children. The picture, even in recolec
ton, Is hcart-reuding. Such was the scenes
in the cabin.
Inc volume OF steam struck, as we have
said, against the bulkhead in the rear OF the
Doiler-the greater portion burst through the
caoin on its mission of death, whilst another
portion recoiled and rushed forward killing
instantly one of the firemen, who was
Standing in front of the furnace doors. NOR
tally scalding another who was on the for
ward deck, and killing several passengers who
were standing on the forward part of the low
er deck Those of the passengers who were
standing on the forward part of tho upper
deck were neatly all saved. A few only were
scalded and those not dangerously. Those
ABOUT midshp, right over the boiler, were en-
tlrely uninjured. But the most terrible de-
struction Of life was on the after part of the
upper deck, just over the cabin Here large
number OF passengers were congregated =
After the steam had done its work ofdestruc-
tlon in The cabin, it burst up the companion
way and in an instant swept those in its path
to tho deck, like grain before the sickle Not
a man around stood fifty lay PROSTATE, seal
ded, wounded, shrieking with agony or
moaning in the last moments of life.
lti impossible to state as yet, how many
have been killed and scalded. 1t will not fall
short of fifty. The Coroner is now engaged
IN holding inqucsts on the bodies of the de-
ceased.