New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-09-05

~ the terrible catastrophe ihut was "lthes'c- " 'i
levcc yesterday.
The City OF Madison WAS an average sD'c i'tF'
stcomer with registered capacity of about coo ;nns.
She had been Amos, Continually in the employ - Gov
eminent since the battle Of Pittshurr Landing ul WAS
owned by \. < and K. q. Neal Of Madison Indiana.
She was about three years old and at the time q tho
disaster was used ordnance boat. Her estimated
value WAS $4,000.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
A general rule. shells never charged viir l"S-
der until Just before they are 10 oc used. Pf"'son
shells ire the exception 10 this ru' and re 'ei" cd
with bath charge and cap ar fuse. liked IL" lost
had HTc dy received tie HEeer p"ri oi h'r "a's" .hd
N ~. time AZ fho accident vas receiving PERCUSSION
shcs tcy having been e;t 10 the last win view 10
precnution against accidents y detail OF one hncf"d
and seventy Two men. mostly cciored, were 'Hgd-rd
about the boat One ofthe men was carrying ai pro-
ecilc o. the description just mentioned, ana l-t no
moment that he reached the place where as 10 NC
stored Il slipped from bis arms, and striking i' deck
exploded. The man killed instantly. IN interval
OF one or two seconds interviewed and another osion
followed louder and destructive than ths nsst.
The fire reached the anmuDsl.cA boxes, which lad
been burst by the conclusion. and the final explosion
occurred. THIS tore tie hont to atoms, the Z" Hard
por ~ the lower deck only holding ,ogether, on az 10
Tie great weight o. MACH clY upon il.
ESCAPE OF TIE NATE.
Up tbs tLle no one who had escaped E't,rSiood
.ie cause or nature q; the accident except Tie mlte.
lie happened tire shea fall AID Anticipating nas
Nalt. fllDA. IdN A.Nolt diN u'iNtt tAC
~; behind barge which was between the Madison
and the bank The barge was broken in aiulsAips,
and just at tie point whore the mate WAS s-ct,iri.
Either hall Of 'he boat thrown several feet ashoe
and had he not beer ot us' tho place he WAS DC NoGd
have been crushed beneath them.
ISJUgY 10 OTHai. BOATS.
The Madison mOOrod opposite the Prcuiss lin 80,
near tie lower end Ot The wharf Nearest 10 Ac~ WAS
~ steamer ia Walsh aud next the Maria DennlCg.
both irstclas~ ifcsht boats. ihc hel oI the Walsh
weighing q, or 4OO pounds WAS Lifted from rs p'cc AID
thr,wu siN " eight fe.. Her trarSom ard - lights
were broken. chimney guys paried. and many al her
mberS shivered and Displaced. loosingg' N the
Captains room Was among the fcv uninugcd 1f es on
the boat In tue same room abrrc1u bad every ..awer
burst open.
The Maria Deuning was considerably injured or one
side. Her sarboard wheel was diSl0dstd, and her
machinery injured She 1t Kind Of receiving snip
for the Meet or tho 500 tuns II ammunition board
The city oi Madison IL is supposed hat than
the fact that II was all securely boxed Had The Whole
hccome gnitcd The damage 10 transports and buildings
would have been probably tcnfOld greater
INCIDENTS.
-Four men were blown On board the Walsh. distance
III more than loo feet. One IL hcm fell on the CNas.
the others the deck One OF the latter Was he ally
bnie ot fire from head Ia foot The loly WAS saved
rom beng entirely burned by the speedy use OF q
bucket Of water Lieut.. Mitchell ordnance officer y
the ls, Missouri ARTILLERY was standing ON the forward
part u the boat experimenting the loading. lie was
blown some twenty feet. and instantly Killed. Tho
head aud shoul,r Of negro were found nearly np 10
Washington street "a distance of one square, and the
"a i,,l OF IN. leyee from the boat A mans leg was
f,un, on the guard of the Dening. and the head OF
" bite man was discovered about my yards above the
boat on the leyce.
AZ the time of the occurrence the usual large number
Of teams hlledhe wharf OF course, gererastampede
was the consequence ard the streets leading up nom
the river were completely jammed with mass OF iran.
Il, mules ana broken wagons. The crowd oil citizens
and soldiers that rushed toward the leyee 10 learn tho
nature OF the disaster had give before the stm-
pCie aud the race from below Washington street TO
The top Of the hill In which correspondent took
active part will always be remembered by the paItCi.
pants r the unprecedented speed OF the mules and the
scientific lodging Of the people.
As soon rs safe access could be had 10 the wharf
yonr correspondent hurried TO the scene. Smoking EN-.
ers were srewn for several hundred feet up ami down
the levec and we're seriously threatening number Of
piles Of ammunition that yet on shore awaiting
shipment The provost guard, assisted by several
hundred volunteers engaged in tho delicate task
II extinsuishing them. The Inflated steamer was
wing mass OF ruins from which was issuing IL dif.
places thin streams of white smoke hich seemed
20 iorcrc further disaster. Every spark Of ire how
,,oT in the ruins and the evec was salc, eAtin.
,uishcd.
When the accident occurred there were about 40
uns OF ammunition on board, consisting OF 800 rounds
II artillery ammunition, 900 OOo rounds OF infantry
and 200 packages Of powder for mortar
lse. The number Of killed h variousiy estimated
eighteen or the boats regular are known TO DO
nucd and IL Is thought not less than sAiy soldiers
axe shared the Same fate.
From Fortress Monroe.