The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-12-25
RIVER ITEMS

PiTTsBURG, Dec. 24.-River feet By the
pier mark and falling Weather clear
Mercury 36o.
THE Charley Bowen will leave to-
day at l o'clock for Paducah and Cairo
The veteran boatman, Capt. Dexter will be
found in command, and those obliging
Clerks, Messrs. Bentley and Dexter, jun,
will be found in the Office. The Bowen is
fleet and comfortable.
.'..''The Union was at the landing yes
terday morning. She was on her way to
the Wabash.
1.-The Planter received considerable
freigho for the South. She lay at the land
ing a considerable time
-.-.. The Jacob Musselman brought a toll
erably fair load out of the Wabash, which
was discharged at this port for re-shipment.
She leaves for the Wabash again to-day.
THE Dunbar and Grey Eagle both
did n fine business yesterday morning.
They left with {" dull time trips about
noon.
TERRIBLE EXPLosION-THE ". V. Gill;
LUM IN Monday morning about
l25 o'clock, the w. V. Gillum on her way
to this port, exploded her boiler some two
miles below the first lock on Green river,
and 4 miles from this city. The boat is a
complete wreck. She was towed to this
place by the Lue Eaves, which went up yes
terday morning to her assistance.
We learn the following particulars of the
disaster from Mr.. Bridges who was on board
ut the time in the capacity of mate:
The steamer passed through the lock
about , o'clock, and was steaming leisure
ly along, when, suddenly, the boiler broke
in two near one end--where the second
and third course of sheets Joined the ends
flying in different directions The forward
end was stopped by the capstan. The rear
end of the boiler being raised slightly,
tore away through the cabin, shivering
everything in its passage, wrenching the
hog chains from their position and bending
them up, and completely wrecking the en-
tire upper works of the boat. This piece
of the boiler was stopped by the starboard
ngine.
At the time of the explosion Captain Col
lett, Mr.. Bridges, and Mr.. A. Taylor, lst
pilot, were sitting around tho stove in the
cabin They, with the ID pilot, were precipi-
tated to the lower deck and almost covered
with the ruins. Mr.. Collect fell with his
back across the stove which was nearly red
hot at the time, and his leg being entangled
in the rounds of the chair on which he was
sitting he was fairly pinned in his uncom-
Portable and dangerous position by the press
of the steam whistle which was bent down
in such a way rs to tasten him. BY the
time he was extricated, his clothes were
badly burnt, but he escaped without any Sc
rious injury, though considerably bruised.
The I'd pilot, Tom Doly,and Mr.. Bridges
were uniniured One fireman, Ned McIn-
tyre, was blown overheard had his left leg
broken between the knee and ankle, and
was also badly scalded. He lives back Of
Troy in Perry county. The Engineer was
in front OF the doctor, and received "A
blow from the steam pipe, which suddenly
bent and struck him in the forehead.
How it was possible in such Il crash, that
all on board escaped with their lives, is one
of those unaccountable dispensations of
Providence that cannot be explained.
The w. V. Gillum was built ut New AL
bany and is about three years old. She
was loaded at the time of the accident with
some old machinery, several hhds of tobac-
co, lot OF sheepskins, &c She had three
passengers-two gentlemen and one lady
who were not injured. There were Is per
sons aboard in ALL The desk, containing
the books and S97 80 in money, tumblcd
overheard, and had not been recovered at
last account
What was the immediate case of the eX-
plosion, is not known. The Engineer says
there was plenty of water in the boiler, be
having tested it but five moments before
it exploded, and that the steam guage indi-
Gated Il pressure Of only 80 pounds.