Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-11-12

The mos. violent and awful steamboa,
explos on that ever occurred on Inc
northern | kes happened 10 the hattoI
OF this city yesterday, at 10 o'clock
A. NJ.
The propeller Globe exploded hcI
boilers with such force as to shiver the
boat almost to atoms, killing from
| twelve to fifteen persons, manning and
scaIding a number OF Others, destroying
one warehouse completely, and Going
more or less damage to several others
The propeller Globe arrived at thi,
port from Buffalo about o'clock es-
terday morning, with cargo OF 5000
bbls. apples, q large number Of stoves
disc. She tied up at Hale's wharf,
north end Of Wells street bridge, blew
of her steam, aud let her fires 90 down.
About 8 O'Clock, the engineers were d.
rected to get up steam for the donkey
engine" to discharge her freight. The
order they proceeded to fulfill. The
boilers were heated very hot, yet there
was very little steam on-the pressure
not exceeding, we are told, ten pounds
TO the square inch. The water In the
boilers was doubtless very low, which
would account tor the sudden heating OF
the boilers. 1t is probable that the
pumps were started, and water intro
duced suddenly to the boilers in their
heated aud empty state. INSTANTLY, the
boilers exploded. The stout boiler iron
was ripped asunder as if It had been so
much brown paper, aud the boat was
torn into ten thousand fragments, which
choked the air in all directions. Such
was the astounding force of the explo-
sion that the earth trembled and shook
for several squares around, and peol lie
ran frightened out Of buildings, fearing
that they were about to tumble down
The long warehouse shed on Hale's
wharf aods blown down, and npped to
pieces almost as badly AS the propeller
itself The windows OF buildings on the
opposite side OF the river were broken by
the conclusion Of the atmosphere. Frag-
ments of the wreck, come of them
weighing AS much rs five hundred
pounds, fell like shower from the
clouds upon the neighboring buildings
and into the streets, killing some per-
sons and wouuding others, crashing
through roots and even through solid
brick walls with force truly marvellous
The noise which accompanied the ex-
plosion was heard to great distance.
The noise aud the violent conclusion OF
the earth probably formed the nearest
approach to an earthquake which this
region has ever experienced, and man,
persons at first supposed that an earth
quake had really happened.
The real cause, however, was soon
discovered by all, and from every d.
rection pc rple fastened to the scene OF
the disaster. The propeller, except por-
tons OF the bow and stern, was a con
fused mass of broken tmbers and SILVER
ed planks. The river was covered with
floating fragments. Here and there,
dead aud mangled human bodies were
lying, with blood and brains and
smeared pieces of wreck with which
thew had been killed.
The wounded were first cared for an d
such as were found to have homes or
friends in the city, We're removed to
them. The wounded belol g ng to tie
propeller were, If badly injured, taken
to the Marine Hospital =
John Thompson, the second mate, was
badly, though not dangerously, injured
by the falling of the shed on the wharf.
Henry Burns, clerk Of the boat, wa
IN his office at the time of the explosion.
lie was blown about forty feet upward,
with fragments of the boat flying in al
directions around him. With great
presence of mind he cndeayored to keep
himself right end up, but nevertheless
was severely bruised about the head in
his fall. He alighted upon the hurricane
root some distance forward of the point
from which he started.
Nelson Ludington, Esq, was driving
IN his buggy along Wells street, near
the bridge, when the explosion occurred
A stick Of tirewood, four feet long, struck
the buggy and completely demolished i,
smashing wheels, shafts, box. etc., in a
manner which would seem almost in
credible. The missile also hit Mr.. Lud-
'ngton, wounding him severely on the
head, although, as we learned last eve.
ming, not dangerously.
Benjamin Wilson, the first engineer.
was doubtless killed bit his BODY has
not yet been found.
Richard Forsythe, the second enr;.
neer. was also doubtless killed.
Thomas kirt!and, one of the cooks,
was badly scalded.
Mary Ann Golden, a girl about fifteen
years OF age, who was on the wharf
picking up apples, was killed by the fly
ing tlmbers.
James Hobbie, an cstimabe young
man who was formerly a conductor on
the State street railroad, was killed.
Two German women, accompanied
by their father, came on board at Port
washington. They left the boat after
aa..'sn' yesterday morning, bot re
'nlned shortly before the explosion to
get their baggage. The father and
daughter We're both killed, and the other
escaped.
Another body was found unon the
top of Hale's warehouse. but VIZ con,d
not ascertain the name. lie was one Of
the deck hands.