The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-31
THE EMPIRE STATE EXPLOSION.
MORE DEATHS AHosG THE WOUNDED.
Correct List Of the Killed and Injured.
FURTHTR PARTICULARS.
COR RS IHQU EST
&C. &C. GC.

& OK u N l. KS ~ u r > L ,
DC, &c, DO
specIssx Report for the New York Herald.
/ FALL RIVER, July 20. 1856.
The gloom cast over FaE River by the late fatal
explosion cn board rAe Empire State HAS not yet dis
appeared. The wounded are all on board of the
steamer, and have been carefully atte adea by kind
neartef ladiesand skiIshl physicans All the prin-
siya ladies' at Eall River have been in attendance
upon tie injur ID ince their arrival here.
D1s. Hooper, DwelIy, Wiibw, Davis, Learned.
Hartley, and AIdrich wore indeSatgable in their
exctcns to render the condition eT the sufferers as
comfortable as possible.
Cois Borden's viii and daughter. Mr.. Jeaerson
Borders wife. Ms. Fides; MIS- Bailey Borden,
Mrs. White, and Mn. CASTOR watched the couohes
of the sufferers witi,ruore thsn Ordinary Christian
benevolenee. To them should'be gves all praise.
Thirteen deaths hive now taken pssce, and it is
very probable that FIVE out of ahe remaining
nine who ARE injured Twill die. before many hours
elapse.
Coroner Richmond DopAl being infs<uned Of the
melancholy occurrence proceeded, an Sunday last,
to summon jury to inquire intp the Of the
death Of those who have yertshed tlii accident.
vestigate the case =
N. B. Borden, foreman; Stephen L. Fscrch. Ed
mund Chase, Jr., George C9Fairbaniss, Joshua Rem
ington, Daniel Brown.
None of the above gentlemen are interested
in the steamboat company or hcsds amy stock
in the concern. There was rumor 30 the
effect that Msssrs Borden. and Blown, two Of
the above Jurors, were interested parties, bat
fha aIy =
that the rumor was atog ether groundess, az they
were not interested at ALL The inquest heid on
board OF the Empire State.
The evidence taken ON SunGay consisted OF the
depostions of two Of the crew and two Of the pas
sengers who were on board OF the Empire State
when the accident took place.
James johnson, first mate of the Empirc Ssate
gave short account of the accident, bat his ev
dence was not deemed important.
George Bennett, dreman, was also examined.
but his testimony is not of sufficient importsnee to
be given in detail. He merely knew that an scci-
dent had taken place by the bursting Of the star
board steam chimney, and that number Of persons
were scalded in consequence. He dA not know Of
any defects in the steam chimney or boilcr.
EVIDENCE OF SOME OF THE PASSENGERS.
Thos.J. Lee, Of Boston, Mass, being duly sworn,
State when the accident occurred which resulted in
the death Of SO many persons. | did not know any
of the deceased personally; was sitting reading IN
the saloon and heard the rush Of s:eam;, went to
my stateroom and got my life preservcrs;I 4 should
think the accident took place little before o'clock
there was great confusion saw that IL vss aeam
and not smoke which entered the saloons. told the
ladies that were safe just as jss~,ed We
were safe; saw good deal Of water on deck; br-
sled myself trying to help the injured noticed that
there was gathering of passengers in the seloen.
and on going mp took the liberty Of. nominating
Mr.. Hodges, OF Boston, as Chairman; there was
considerable confusion, but the motion put and
carried; made motion to chose committee 10
consider the matter and make an investigation; the
motion for committee Of five was put and carried;
Mr.. Hodges nominated and appointed Chairman
of that committee; John W. May, Clancy b Polken,
Mr.. Clerke and myself constituted the balance OF the
committee; the committee met aud tried to find
out some facts relative to the occurrence;
Mr.. Harding, Of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
was with us, and helped us to ascertain
the names Of the killed and wounded; the list con-
sisted OF twentyone names; the main fact In our
investigation worthy OF notice was that The smoke
pipe was very hot and white previous TO the acci-
dent; Mr.. Munday Of Boston, noticed thastbe smoke
stack was unusual in its appearance; the engi-
neer said that il was not unusual and, gave us his
reason, which l cannot now remember; Mr.. Mum
day said he hearda Kissing sound previous to the
explosion, and went into the cabin; thore he ex-
pressed some fears to his wife, and told her 70 coma
aft; he had hardly given her the direction when
the explosion took place; Mr.. Munday dragged his
wife along and sprained her ancie in doing so; .
gentleman from Old Cambridge said he could cor
rcborate the story of Mr.. Munday, and that the
Kissing sound was heard about ten inmates before the
explosion; Some six or eight persons mentioned
the fact that the stack unusually hot; the engi
neer said there was defect in tho fue-that there
were a number Of boiler makers on board
for the purpose Of repairing the boilers;
I asked ,he engineer IL he said the
boiler was defective, when he replied in the mega
tive, and said he would not run the engine II the
boilers not perfectly safe; that he considered
his life as pracious any one's a person who sp-
peared to be working man said that the fireman
who was blown overheard declared himself afraid Of
the fue in question; the engnssr took Mr.. Harding
all over the boilers, and showed him how safe We
we're; found young man on the asbosrd side, in
iured; goo him mp and took him into tho saloon-
Jacob Hail. Jr. another OF the passengers on board
Of the Empire STATE being Only sworn, deposed fol-
lows-Asthe time Of the accident was outside OF
the saloon noticed that the chi,uney hot. and
mentioned the fact TO several persons present; I
asked some Of the passengers why the chimney was
80 hot, but ! could not get any satisfactory an
swer; I then turnsd my back to the smoke
stack, when the explosion took place
should not think more than half minute elapsed
between the time Of my looking at the smoke stack
aplt tho xplo n
and was afraid the boat would take FIRE; in about
five minutes afterwards learned that there was no
danger OF fire; then went 70 the place Of the ex-
plosion and made inquiries rs to the safety OF the
boat; saw number Of the passengers having life
IN hat \ l.yt