Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-30
Associated Press Report.
From New York.
Explosion.


II New YORK, October 20, 10 A. M.-The
steamer st. John, of the Peoples Line, ex-
ploded her boiler. at the foot Of Twenty
Third street at 1870 this morning. killing
hlteen or twenty persons, and wOunding
many mOre-some say 1OO
NEW YORK, October 29-This morning
at quarter to 6 o'clock, while abreast OF
Twentieth street, North River the port boiler
OF the st. John, from Albany, exploded
seven persons were killed, seventeen scald-
| ed, and one missing. There were only
about 100 persons aboard, SO that the cas-
ualties were not so great as they would
have been during the summer. At the time
of the accident the engine was making
thirteen revolutions per minute, and carry
ing pressure of steam ranging from 26 to
2S pounds, she is licensed to carry IS, but
the safety-valves are weighted at 3s3 pounds.
None of the engineers can account for the
explosion. +.El - Ets-se
At the time of the explosion there were
two fremen in the boiler-room, one of
whom, a Frenchman, name unknown,
jumped overheard and swan for the shore.
1t IS supposed that he was drowned. The
other escaped. --..
The steam, owing to the position and
character of the explosion, did not affect
the main deck so much as the saloon deck.
One of the deck hands was severely burned.
When the explosion occurred the steam was
followed by tons of scalding water, which
passed through several state rsoms, and
rolling across the deck, entered the state
rooms on the other side,and in few minutes
the boiling water was at least fifteen inches
deep on the floor. The explosion also tore
off the hurricane deck, making the splinters
hy for long distance around. The gallery
and state rooms over those which were
destroyed below were terribly shattered.
The large pillar IN the centre of the saloon
is perforated with fragments. Rooms I26
in the main saloon, and AZ in the gallery on
the opposite side of the saloon. and over
twenty feet from the place of the explosion.
are shattered and drenched with water.
Mr.. Hines, the baggage master narrowly
escaped death. The steam forced the bulk
heads Of his room several inches.
There were many narrow escapes.
As soon as the accident happened the fer
ryboat MoTristown went to the assistance of
the st. John.
Medical assistance was immediately Sc
cured.
Captain Peck and Mr.. CaIgrove, Clerk of
the boat, and all the attaches, did every
thing in their power to alleviate the suffer
ing of the wounded.
As soon as she came 10 the dock the po-
lice took possession and kept off the throng.
The scene on board was sad. Forward |
the engine bulkhead lay the dead. First a
mother and her children, next mother and |
child, whose husband and father lay at the |
other end of the saloon suffering extreme |
tortures. Next mother and wife. BY her |
head sat her husband. He was alive, so |
was the child. He had gone out of their |
room just before the explosion. A man lay |
in this group.
= The following are the names: +: Mr. Brooks, !
of New York Mrs. Wallaber and two chill |
dren, ofAlbany; Mrs. Arehambly and child, |
of Albany Mms Julia E. Reynolds, of
Brooklyn. Mr.. and Mrs. Archambly and |
child occupied room %, and Mrs. Wallaber |
and children room No. l2I. The others oe-
cupied rooms over these.
The scalded were disposed of in other |
parts of the saloon and in two state-rooms,
where they lay grouped around. Their
names are: Mr.. Searies, baggage-master,
cannot live; Mr.. Arehambly, severely; Mr., |
Lyon and wife, of Yorkville, severely, Mr..
L. can hardly recover; S. NJ. Northup, of
Albany, severely; L. Seaver, Batavia, !
slightly; j. T. Cunningham, of New York, |
his wife and two little daughter, all their |
feet terribly scalded; C. e. Saulspany, of |
Rome, and wife, feet badly scalded ! Mr.. |
Coyle, of Albany, slightly; H. Dudley, |
of Brooklyn, slightly; Mr.. Caldwell, of Al !
bany, slightly; John Anderson; h. st. |
John, scalded; Donald st. john, sealded in
feet.