Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-11-07
EIPLOsION OF A sTElMBoAr BOILER.

A terrific explosion of one of the boilers
of the steamer ST. John, occurred Il North
river, near New York city, on the both ult.
A gentleman who was on board at the time,
gives the following thrilling accoants-
think the accident occurred a few hin
utes before six in the morning, AT least
remember that it was Just twenty minutes to
six when 1 arose from NY berth to dress N.Y.
self, as l thought we must be nearing the
city, and l wanted to tie on shore as soon us
possible. My stateroom was Situated in the
forward part of the cabin, on the port side.
iooke ID out of the window and raw that the
western sky was gust Frightening with the
reflection of daylight from tile east, and then,
OPENING, the door, stepped out into the saloon,
which was dimly it, only one or two burners
Of fbejmain chandelier boing lighted.
had hardly reached the centre of the sa-
loon, On nay way Oat to the open air, tefure
heardp strange report, which thrilled me
With pnacconntnble apprehension. 1t was
not SO loud as 1t was deep and terrible. l
once beard some gun cotton explode in
close aPartmcnt, and the present report re-
semnled that nearer than anything can COM
psre It to. 1t was Immediately followed bya
terHDie shock, which shook every plank in
the teamer, and before l could make up my
mind What 1t meant, l saw the side of the s;l-
loon, Z short distance i'll front of the wheel
house, smashed in as if by canuon-shot,
'4!sllh a terrible crashing sound, accompanied
by one wild yell which rings III my ears at
this moment with terrible distiuvtness.
a great cloud of steam rrshed through
the aperture, speedily filling the entire sa-
loon; but first 1 saw shapeless mass flying
across the cabin. This proved to be the
corpse of child, who had been sleeping in
state-room No. l23; l thihk heard the cn-
gines stop. a great light illuminated the
saloon through the drifting steam. l gave
myself up for lost and for moment could
not stir. The steam vas almost Immediately
followed by vast bodies of hot water, which
seemed to burst into the saloons in perfect
deluge. 1t covered THE floor so rapidly that
had just time enough to spring and gain
hold on the .h1in chandelier before it was
seethlng under my feet.
In few seconds [ was securely perchcd
above the water, but l witnessed scene of
destruction aud horror which will abide with
me to my dying day. The water did not
spout nor gush into the saloon-it absolutely
poured III. Had it not had the appearance Of
being boiling hot should have thought that
we were sinking, and that the broad fifer
Then there occurred terrible scene among
the passengers. most of whom were asleep in
their berths at the time of the explosion
The impulse, which nearly all Of tliGn obevcd,
upon being rudcly awakened and terrified by
the shock, was to spring to the floor, and their
screams and yells as their feet teeht ankle-dcep
INTO the scalding flood are literally indescrib-
able. Few of them had presence of mind
enough to climb again into their hunks. but
In u few moments, or ratI,kt seconds, the sa>
loon was Peopled with terror~strickcn and ag-
onizcd forms, mostly IL their ni"ht-cIothes,
splasiing wildly about in the boiling water.
One man, in his AGONY, tried to pull me
from my perch, but my repeated directions,
at length induced him to get upon chair.
saw a mother, With little child on either
arm, dashinS trsutically through the water,
and every time she would lit up her naked
feet | could SIZE that they were boiled to Il
crimson hue. Reaching down l lifted one
OF the chil4ren to my side, but she let the
other on+ fall into the water, scalding it
severely: but not fatally, | think, before l
could also possess myself of it. l then seized
her by the hair, and assisted her TO position
on chair, where she managed to stand
until the water had subsidized. might relate
numerous other instances, but, in all con-
science, the above are horrible enough The
water subsidized very rapidly, it having all run
out IN very few minutes after its first APP
pearance.
But the groans and shrieks of the scaldcd
and mut!lated was the most dreadful cx>
per;encc ofmy life. In about fifteen min
utcs after the ev Plosion, the ferry boat Nor
rlstown come alongside; and took off about
$50 of the passengers