New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-07-14
Fatal Explosion OF a steam Tug.


At nine o'clock last evening the city was startled
by sudden jar, as if caused by falling building
or the combined discharge of several cannon. The
boiler OF the steam tug a. s. Field, lying at she
dock between Bates and Randolph streets, had ex-
ploaGd and the boat was wreck. mass of sticks
and panks was all that remained to be discovered
Of the tng and her timbers, cabin, portions of her
boiler shell, hues wood, ETC., were lying in heaps
upon the dock by and strewn about the neighbor-
ing premises for the distance of three four hun.
dred feet. Outside timbers of the dock had been
thrown several feet out of place and some lifted
high upon piles of wood.
There were upon the tug at the time of the ex-
plosion seven persons, viz: the mate, Reno Du-
| mont, well known as the captain of the schooner
Monteagle and last season captain OF the schooner
Crevola; the wheelsman, VIM. Mckenzie, a young
man OF Scotch parentage; the engineer Eason or
Eaton Owen, OF Newport; two fremen one q ne
negro, and one of whom we understand was Geo.
Abbott: the cook, Mrs. Morey, and negro boy
| named Hoover. seven in all, and five of whom are
killed. Mrs. Morey was thrown upon the dock,
was picked up and taken to Harvie,s Hotel. She
| is not much injured, one side OF her face being
burned, and one side and arm bruised. Some say
she was upon the dock fishing at the time, but this
we believe to be a mistake.
The first mate was found under pile of wood
near by, still alive, but he died Immediately before
or just after he had been got out He was scalded
and cut and bruised.
GEN Abbott was blown several rods away aud
over a low building. He was dead when found,
| being terribly cut and scalded.
| The boy Hoover also found dead on the
| dock. He had severe cuti the forehead. What
| direct injuries produced his death or either of
| them, is not known yet, as no examinations have
| been made.
These are all the bodies recovered last night. It
| is known that one, supposed to be the engineer,
| Owens, was blown into the water as he called
| family, come quick Z" hurry or the like, and
| was seen with head and arms above the water
| struggling. boat was sent with oil speed to
| him, but he had sunk before it reached him. The
| others are doubtless in the water, diligent
IL hort ,.4 1ppi oad ia yhn
| suited in finding only the three bodies named, and
| the woman Mrs. M0rey.
| 1t may be mentioned, as showing the immense
| force OF the explosion, that the weight of the
safety-yaive the engine OF the Iug-a solid iron
/ ball. weighing, probably, seventy-tiye or eighty
pounds-was found embedded in the earth under
the sidewalk on the east side of Bates street, be-
4 tween Atwater and Woodbridge. Tho spot where
it was found Is at least five hundred feet from the
| place where the explosion occurred. The bail had
\ passed through the two inch plank of the sidewalk
and had penetrated through eighteen inches Of the
soil 1t is calculated that to have fallen with such
| terrible effect. ii must have been sent at least
thousand feet into the air. An individual who dis
1 covered newly made rent in the sidewalk, sus-
| pected the cause, and after some digging, found
The ball. 1t is said that person was within few
feet of the spot when the ball fell but this is not
4 certain.
The whistle was thrown into Woodward avenue,
| distance as far as that accomplished by the
weight Of the safety.yalve. A Awheebarrew on the
tug at the time fell upon the shed roof of Tow.
bridge, Wilcox " Co., some three hundred feet
from the tug. The flues of the boiler lying in
the vicinity, some OF them fifty feet away. Some
of the wood was thrown two or three hundred feet
directly away from the river, and great deal Of
the rubbish fell on the roofs of the surrounding
buildings, the root of the store above
named. 1t fell so thick and fast there that the in
mates supposed The building was falling.
Mr. Edward fr0wb bridge, who WAS in his store at
the time remarks that there were q series Of ex-
posons, the first one the most terrific, the others
fainter, resembling more the discharge of mus
kerry
AS illustrative. also, of the violence of the eS-
ploson, it may. be stated that for several blocks
along Jefferson ayeune the four story buildings
were shaken TO their foundations as If by an earth
quake. Even at Masonic Hail. near Shelby street,
the eoneusslon was great as to lead to the be-
lief that the building was falling.