, 1865-11-01
THE SAINT JOHNS CALAMITY.
Thrilling Account by an Eyewitness
PASSENGERS SPLASfZING IN BOIL.
ING WATER.

From The New York Tlihane Oct So,l
A gentleman who was On board The boat at the
sfmc of the explosion gives the following thrilling
5nk The sseasnt 1Es En- ssss ss.t Il
5sai 5e' to dreas snyse11 as thonEhs We must s.,
nearing the city, and wanted TO b: On shore a.
Eacn as posnbte- Ny stste.roon vas eltna!sd u
iooEed oui of lie window nd sav that de western
SKY was inst frightening With the feaection Of aay
light FROM the east. and then. opeatns the doof,
stepped out inlo the aaloou, Mhioh vas din1y Ut
oniy one or two b2Ine1a Of the main chandelier
being lfrhtcd
l had hardly reached the center Of the saloon, on
my way.ont 70 The open al, before hestd strange
htns.pn- i WAS not 80 loud % 1t Was deep and
terrible. once heard some gun-cotton explode In
close apartment. and she present report rescm-
i. nss immediately followed By u terrtblo shock,
which ebook eve1T plsnk in the eeancr; and before
1cou'd make up my rniud Whnt 1t meant, Saw tha
s6e G &c N o.
With terrible crashing sound- accompanied by one
Wild ytA which rings IN my eass 1t this monens
1 great cloud Of steam rushed through the
aperture, speedily lins The enisre saloon but first
Itau a shapcless nate lying across the cabin. This
gss y n b as So sh as Ese .oass a s9
light Illuminated the saloon through The drifting
Gould tes sss aost et in
diatey followed by vast bodies Of hot water which
seemed to hurat into the ra1oon in perfect de'4ge
enough 10 spring and gain bold On the main ch44-
dc,ef before 1t mas seething under my feet.
Ina few seconds was secorefy perched aboge
md horror which Vim abide viii ne to IN, ny dying
day. The water did not spout or gush into the a.
hon-lt absolutely po1sedtn. Had It not bad the
appearance OF beng boiling hot I should have
ffHf fFr4ff Hrf>df
river ltself Eas enEulfrC Us.
Then there occurred a terrible seene among. the
b1tss i tha f line % of tSa Sss @ impulse
which nearly ali OF them obcyed, upon being rndey
awakened and terrified BY The slocS, was to spt1n.
feet went anlfcdeep ipto tho sealding food are LII.
erally indescribable. Few Of them bad presence OF
mInd enough 10 climb sca!n Into their hunks but
IN few moments, or rather seconds, the 6aloon
va peop!ed with ter7oE4tI.tken md ayuaiysd
for1ns, mostly IN their nigat-clothes. splsshtns
wildly about IN the boiling water. -
One ntan, In his acnny. tried to pull me from mF
perch; but, by repeated directions, at length In
sa5sa h to Ss, % eoa &C. s aasSar aats
ally through the water, and every time she would
Lift Up her naked feet l could See that they were
boiled to = crimson hue. Reaehtng down. lsffed
one Of the children to my side; but she let the
hut not fatally, think, before could also possess
mssen Of It. then seixed her by the na1r. and
assisted her to position on a chasr- where ehe
ma1 aseA to etard until the wafer had subs!led.
might relale numerous other instances, but. th
al conscience, the above aze horrible enough. The
waIcr suhsided ye1y Fapsdly-is having ali run out
in very few minntcs alter It's appearance b9t the
gruans and sh sks Of the era]ded and mni!ated uat
Inc most Dreadful experiences Of ny LIE. La about
At1een MINUTES after the explosion the lersy.boat
Mo ris:own came alougslde and took OF about 80
Of ihe passenecrs.
several ol the passcngcrs occupying the stag.
roupue Immediately adjacent to the explosion
uere hu,Ied from their berths completely ACROSS
the saloon, and terribly maugled, while others were
literally boiled In their heds.