Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-05-19
Explosion Of the Jenny Lind.

cisco TO San Jose. and had $50 passengers,
among whom were about Is ladies and
children. The following account OF the ex-
plosion is furnished by the San Francisco
Herald:
The Jenny Lind was passed at I2 o'clock
precisely, off the Pulgas rancho, by the steam
er Express, going the other way. AT ten
minutes past l2-the boat being then about
four miles from the West shore of the Bay
a violent tremor was felt throughout the boat,
like the conclusion produced by the firing Of
a cannon, and in a second after, tremen-
deus report was heard, and the whole vessel
was enyelopedin dense cloud Of scalding
steam. A plate on the after head of the
boiler had been blown out, and The steam and
boiling water gushed out with fearful VIC
ence. The bulk head separating The boiler
from the cabin, which was aft, was shivered
into thousand fragments by the force ofthe
shock; and each fragment became missile
of death and destruction.
The cabin was q closely confined room,
about l5by 20 feet with small windows look
ing out upon sort Of gangway, that inter-
vened between it and The ratings. II was
Just about dinner time-the table was spread,
and five minutes before, the ladies', children,
and gentlemen in charge Of ladies, had been
introduced into the cabin so that they might
not be incom oded by the rush to dinner when
the bell should ring. They were about seat
ing themselves at the tabe-some OF The Ia
dies were already seated. Just at this no
ment the explosion took place; the dense
volume Ofsteam rushed into the cabin and
instantly pervaded it. All who were in il
were stricken down as If wlted by the heal.
They were scalded frightfully externally, and
all inhaled the fearful steam; not one es-
capped they were all killed Instantly, or have
since died. Many Of them had their clothes
literally torn from them; the skin was en-
IirelY burnt off their faces and bodies.
The sight they presented was horrible be-
yond description they were not simply
scalded, but all were more or less manelyd
by The fragments OF the boiler and bulkhead,
and streams of blood flowed from their murj
lated bodies. Some few Of The gentlemen
managed 10 grope their way out Of the cabin
crying Plteously 10 those above 10 save their
wives and children. When some OF the
passengers rushed below, The sight that pre-
scnted itself staggered them, aud some be-.
came faint. They found the dead and the
dying IN confused mass on the floor, COW
cred with fragments of chairs, tables. furni
ture and timber, and horrible TO relate. they
were writing 10 scalding water, which Law
six inches deep Oh the floor.
Poor little children were crying piteouslv
for their mothers, who could hear, but blind
ed could not see. Mothers were shrlekipp
with agony,or calling upon some one 10 save
their children. The picture, even in recoI.
lection, is hearI-rending.
The volume OF steam struck against the
bulkhead in the rear Of the boiler-the great
er portion burst through the cabin on its mis-
sion of death, while another portion recoile6
and rushed forward, killing Instantly one Of
the iremen, who was standing in front of
the furnace doors, MORALLY scaldng another
who was on the forward deck, and killing
several passengers who was standing on the
forward part OF the lower deck. Those of
the passengers whowwere standing on the
forward part Of the upper deck were nearly
all saved. A few only were scaled, and
those not dangerously. Those about mid
ship right over the boiler, were entirely un>
injured. But the most terrible destruction
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 Of destruction in
the cabin, it burst up the companion wny,
and in an instant swept those in its path TO
the deck, like grain before the sickle. Not
man around stood; fifty lay PROSTATE,
scalded, wounded, shrieking with agony or
moaning in the las; moments Of life.
We have said not man stood, but there
was one who fell, and one alone, who es-
capped unhuTt. This was Mr.. James Tobin,
late Of the firm Of Tobin & Duncan. He
was standing neart the companion way lead
ing to the cabin and talking 10 Mr.. Shelton,
L.. coIe - n
Familiar with such accidents o. the Missis-
sippi river, and knowing what il Porlended,
even before he heard the explosion, and sim
utaneously with the gushing up Of the
steam, with extraordinary presence of mind,
lie jerked apart the fastenings around his
neck of heavy cloak he had on, threw il en-.
tirely over his head, wrapped il and his
hands in the folds, and Frustrated himself 10
the deck. The furious volume OF steam
rushed over and around him, bur he Law with
his hand clasped over his mouth and held
his breath. This he did as long az be could,
when he made grasp 10 recover himself
and again held his breath. Even through
the thick folds Of his cloak-through bis
hand-low down on the deck-halfa minute
after the explosion, the air was painfully hot.
In little more than a minute, he raised his
cloak 10 see if he could breathe-found It
still too hot, aud covered himself up again.
In two minutes he uncovered, completely I'M
hurt-he had not even been singed. his
cloak was burnt, and almost dropped 70
pieces. He was the only man OF mat whole
crowd around him, who rose up. His es-
cane. under Providence, is due TO his pres
ence Of mind alone aa
a. soon as the CONSERVATION had in q
measure subsidized, those who escaped rushed
- fhe assistance Of The sufferers. They
were brought up on deck and laid out, some
Of them on mattresses, others on the bare
pIanks-with the cRrcases of a number of
hogs ranged on deck as pillows. The cries
of pain were Troublesome lost their senses
and raved; others were seen staggering
blindly about, the skin hanging 10 shreds
FROM their bodies-from their hands like
gloves turned inside out. Many had all their
cloths blown off them, and shivered in the
cold--while, burning internally they cried
for water. Many were literally scalped--
their hair was melted off, as il were, by the
steam, and they were left bald. The kind
and generous hearts Of those ON board who
escaped were filled with compassion, and
they did all that men could do TO alleviate
al a. an al