The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-08
Terrible Steamboat Explosion
Shocking and Hcartrending scenes.


MANY Of our readers will remember the
account given during the past summer OF the
launch Of the splendid new Hudson River
steamer. .St. JOHN Of the Peoples
Line" the largest river steamer yet built IN
America. It is upon this boat that one OF
the most horrible accidents Of the year hap
paned on Sunday morning, Oct. aTn. Inc
boat was Just passing Twentieth street. on
the trip down from Albany to New YORK, the
passengers being nearly all in their oer'ha
asleep, when, ut precisely b:'o,
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
was-heard. the cabins we're TILED WIN nov,
b;ss;,a a,an, the floors were flooded with
boiling water an. rush 81 mlgh ~ r ~ sna
wares shook the 81 EN- iio a 80. ~ .i,b
Quick IS thought, the 10 go . nor,;on Of
I'll its mighty power, tore q. !. ,housand
the steamers side, broke into .r.s Nos,
5p,'n'efS ,ae parti'ions oet"eeh fot tha
furniture, scalded and burned and mutilate,
theabodies Of a lady and two sleeping child
rem in one room, b.oated and mang led and
slew a mother and infant in the other
whirled swiftly through the upper ceiling,
uproo'ing the flooring Of room No al, seized
the occupant of Tho lower berth, enyeioping
him in its blistering folds, filed his lungs
with its torturing heat, drove the lite from
him, and then passing with fearful violence
into the adjoining room, No. ~, IL rlasted
the sleeping form Of wife whose husband
was by her side, separating forever and in
the most marked AMI terrible manner. those
whom God had joined together. While the
crash Of broken glass and fractured furni-
ture above, drowned tie death shriek5 Of
these victims, the passengers in their rooms,
awakened by the noise and frightened by the
tumult, jumped hastily from their.belths and
rushed reckiessly and foolishly for the sa-
loon. The majority Of them were in their
night-dresses, and with uncovered feet step
ped into
THE BOILING WATER
with which the cabins were flooded, and
opened their lungs for the inhalation Of the
scalding steam.
OF the horrible sights 70 be seen after the
accident, one account speaks as follows:
Led by curiosity, we walked toward the pill
lar, when our footsteps were stopped By a
dreadful sight, upon which no living man
could look unqualified, A large white cloth,
curiousiy outlined with elevations and de-
pressons, spotted with blood stains, darken-
ed with matter and smeared with gore,
suggested q more terrible revelation. Just
to see if she was there. the sheet was raised,
and OH dreadful siglt, the victims of the
slaughter lay before US. No battlefield
could exhibit such mutilation, no thicket
inhabited by wild beast could boast more
perfee, dishguration. The steam in its op-
GRAFTON must have been instantaneous, and
death most likely carried off victim ere
seconds agony had followed the blow Of the
assailant. No one of the adults lay straight
out. but with clenched fist, uplitted knee,
blosted count enance, disfgured features, and
in most instances, with skin entirely peeled
away, they lay. hideons and rspulsiye.
More touching than pen can paint was the
hfeles. forms Of three little ones, that un.
consciously kept their mothers company to
the unknown shore beyond One pretty
child, not more than three years Of age, s.i,h
tiny hands outstretched, alone preserved lie
.emblance even Of humanity: upon the rest
we gladlr 3ror the cloth Of forgs'fulnsss.
! Turning from tins tableau of the dead,
/ rigid and terrible, We were attracted by the
screams and means of
THE BAGGAGE MASTER,
i Mr.. Addison Searle, who lay stretched upon
! blood-stained mattress in the further cor.
ner. The poor fellows head and face was q
mass Of cuts and bruises and blisters Hi:
head was tied and handaged, and his body
comfortably covered with blankets. Ii he
raved it was with much good sense, for his
constant ut,erance was prayerful. While
~ stood near him, We were the unwilling
witness Of most
HEART-RENpING SCENE,
one of those normal, but hardly necessary
sequences to troubles Of this character. The
friends Of Mr. Searle, instead of waiting
until his wounds were properly dressed, his
blood washed away and he ready for re-
moval, fastened 10 his wife with the tidings
of his condition. instantly she determined
to see him, and it was Of her interview with
him that we spoke. Wildly entering the
saloon she rushed with all the fervor Of
affection 10 his couch, and throwing herself
upon him, cried in the bitterness Of her sor-
row, with ulterances that were heart-rending
to the hearers and exciting to the sufferer,
who turned and tossed in helpless wrstchsd.
ness.
One man escaped the boiling water that
was flooding the cabin. by grasping the
chandelier and raising himself on Its arms.
Amoug those who were scalded to death
was newly-married pair, re,urni. from
their bridal tour. They had been married
a. st. Luke's Church, in New York, on the
Thursday previous by the Reverend
J. Il. Tut'le. On Tuesday following, their
funeral obsequies were solemnized in the
Same place By the same clergyman. In all
some eleven persons were killed, and four.
teen soy oraly waNnlpd