Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-06
Explosion of the steamer HI. X. w. HILL
ThiFIy-s six Persons Killed and Others
Wounded.
Fr0n ths Ner or!esn. Pic.vune. Nor. 9.

From the New Orleans PicayuDe, Nov. 3.
We are called upon again to record fatal and
most fearful disaster on the river, almost in our
immediate vicinity, by which it is known that not
less than thirty-six valuable lives have been lost
and some eight or ten other persons more or less
seriously injured.
The well-known New Orleans and Memphis
packet ii. R. W. Hin, Capt. 7. H. Newell. exploded
day night with tremendous force, destroying every
thing before 1t. The Hill was on her way down at
the time and nearly opposite Grand View Beach,
some fifty-seven miles above this city.
The explosion took place on the larbOard side
from the third boiler. the head of which was blown
entirely out and with fearful velocity driven clear
through the engine room. The heated water and
steam followed IN immense quantities, Overwhelming
and scadIng every one in its course Mr.. Lehman.
surviving cabin passenger, thinks that not less
thrty-sX persons killed and some eight or ten
others were badly scalded or otherwise injured.
The killed. as well as the wounded, were nearly
all tiremen or deck hands and passengers, whose
Names known to but few, we have been unable to
obtain Among the former were the second engineer
and striker, who were duty at the time The
barber. G.. W. Scurry, and the steward Of the boat
jumped overheard and were drowned. Chas Hag-
gerty, acabin-bOy also jumped overheard and swan
ashore. He was from Louisville.
None Of the officers of the boat were injured.
Gideon Marks, of New Albany. a cabin passenger
was killed. Mr.. Lehman, Of this city, before men
toned, was slightly scalded on the hand Henry
a. N
other cabin passengers were injured
The steamer Vim. NJ. Levy, Capt Pickett, bound
up Red River, arrived at the of the disaster
soon after the explosion and took the unfortunate
steamer, with her load of dead andIwounded in tow
for the city. They arrived here at an early hour
last evening and landed the opposite side of the
river The steamer Hannibal afterwards went over
and brought them to the steamers landing. on this
side.
The Hill left Memphis Friday last, and had on
hQ Of yHroha T-Ofu%
few cabin passengers. She had the misfortune TO
meet with previous accident on this same trip
down, by striking snag, at Australia Landing.
After the arrival of the Hill at her wharf the
Mayor at once took possession of her. medical assist
ance was procured for the wounded and such tenn
pOrary disposition made of the dead as was thought
best The most of the bodies however, remain on
the boat, and we presume the Coroner will proceed
at once to-day with the inquest.
The injuries to the boat have not vet been fully
ascertaned We learn, however, that the cabin suf-
tered considerably.
Nine of the wounded men were sent to the Chart
~ Hospital and three to Stones Hospital Two of
the victims, very dangerously sealded, were left on
board the steamer.
From shs New ofIeans Delta, Nov .
1t was melancholy spectacle. to behold the whole
cabin of the Hill strewn with the wounded dead
and dying, and every person on board endeavoring
to do his utmost to relieve the suffering of the unfor
tunate
Not female was hurt on board.
The dead bodies make an exhibition beyond des-
cription. Each body was stripped. placed on pal
let and laid out the saloon deck and covered with
sheets.
Some of the bodies arc entirely skinned. and pre-
sent horrible sight like highy-colored Indians.
Others stripped of skin in various parts. pre-
senting fearful appearance.
The Simonds, which came up shortly afterwards
was asked TO turn back and tow the Hill down, but
tor some reason or other Capt Hicks refused. Far
be it from US 70 Judge Capt. H. rashly but accord
ing TO the accounts given his conduct certainly
was most extraordinary. To refuse assistance nm
der such circumstances certainly requires full and
ample explanation.
Last night we visited the Charity Hospital and
found that Of the sufferers had breathed his last
died in excessive agony.
The Others in the hospital, some of whose names
are ascertained to be John Maily. Patrick Parle
and John Hacket. doing well as it is possible
under their painful condition, STILL Of them may
not live during the night.
GEoGRAPHcAI.-We find the following paragraph
among the selected items in the Memphis Argus of
the 29th of October:
-4potber Tennessee Trdq,dy-A Woman tdtqly
Wounds Burglar 1rio Aae1npts to Break into her
Ho,lSe-The Bloomfield Green county Tenn) Times
of the 10Th SAYS: "On last Saturday night several
persons went to the widow Hatfeld's some four
or five miles from this place. and attempted to break
into the house. Mrs Hatfield and two girls were in
the house, and became very much alarmed. There
is no man living about the house. Mrs. Hatfield
reports that the persons whoever they were called
her dog by name and conversed considerably with
each other. They also tried to raise a window and
break down the door shutter. After telling them
TO leave, and threatening to shoot if they did not
Mrs. Hatfield took down her gun and does not know
whether she fired it not. but there was q deaf
and dumb man shot, who died but short distance
from the house When the neIghbors heard the dis
turbance they came in and found the dead man. The
widow and the two girls had left-the house in their
fright and taken refuge in the woods. There have
been several efforts to break into the house in the
past year, II is understood that Mrs H. has a CON
siderable amount of money
Did our contemporary ever hear of Bloomfield
in Greene county, il this State. or of the Times pub
lshed at that place? We suspect the incident re-
! lated occurred in Green county.