The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-20
EXPLOSION AT JERSEY CITY.

teen Lives LOst-Several Persons In
jured-LOss over Million Dollars
Several Vessels Consumed - Exciting
Scenes and Incidents.
shortly before o'clock yesterday morning
the inhabitants of Jersey City and Hoboken
were alarmed by loud rumbling, like thunder,
that shook the earth, aud coniured up to timid
hearts premonitory symptoms OF an earthquake.
Immediately after volumes of black smoke rolled
into the air and 1t was perceived to proceed
from spot adjacent to the PavoEla ferry. Fire
bells rang furiousy, and the hurry and hustle
observable in the police and fire departments
betokened something unusual. The fact
that when these bodies reached the scene they
found sheets OF flame waving over land ana
water, which had enveloped in their embrace
every thing perishable. The kerosene oil dock
leased by G. H. Valentine Co., the tobacco
and cotton dock held by Jarvis d Co., and the
Erie Railway dock, were all on tire.
The latter escaned pretty well, through the
extraordinary exertions OF the hremen, but the
whrling surge elsewhere had struck with such
terrific ehecG that it mocked the puny efforts of
man to cope with it. StorehOuses on land and
vessels in the water succumbed 70 the fiery ele-
ment, and in the general ruin thirteen human
beings perished. One man lies agonZing at the
verge OF the grave, several others are undergoing
more or less suffering and, considering the
sudden and devouring sweep of the tre, it is
miraculous how the Others escaped. Neither
life nor property was spared, and the occasion is
one not soon TO be forgotten.
The Origin.
At ten minutes to eight o'clock, yesterday
morning, Henry KeuTal mate of the schooner
Alfred Barrett, of Boston, brought breakfast to
Captain Kelly, who was lying i'll in the cabin.
Another man was in the vessel, familiarly known
as Arthur besides the mate and Kelly When
the mate was returning he heard something
crack under his feet like match, and instantly
he was surrounded by sheet of flame. He ran
on deck. and having reached the deck sank
down from CONSERVATION and the prostrating
eft ct OF the heat through which he had passed.
He was quickly aroused by the crash and
run bling OF the barrels which were falling after
the explosion, and lie reached the clear air with
difficulty. His hair and beard were burned oH,
his clothes almost consumed, ana when he
reached the hos pital it was found that his face
was badly burned and his fingers were almost
crisp. There was scarcely part of his body
that escaUed the fire. 1t is thought that he can
not possibly recover.
Casualties.
Captain Kelly and his brother, the mate, with
Arthur, above allude 1 to- perished. Two women
and child, on a canal boat were seen rushing
on deck i'll flames, and, utterlng fearful shrl2ks,
sank back INTO the merry pool The child tot
tered overheard. Three other children who
were IN this boat were also lost. The captain
and two men of lighter lying outside the Bar
ret fell victims to the flames. On the lighter
S1ndh man rushed wildly along the deck in
flames, and seeing no hope of succor, plunged
lnJo the water and disappeared. The mate
Kelly, OF the Barrett, was seen hanging over the
stern of the vessel, while his clothes were on
fire, and his body remained in this position for
nearly three-qua"terS of an hour.
sailor of the brig MdtrOn had his vest
burned off his back; still he persevered in
efforts to save his vessel A captain of lighter
burned about the face. He was so terror
stricken that persons who pursued him were
left lar behind in the chase. Few, if any,
escaped uninjured. In the explosion of the
| lighter lying next the Barrett, mentioned above,
a man was blown up sixty feet in the air. and
| fell into the river. Those who witnessed the
| frantic rushing 70 and fro of the women were
almost paralyzed with terror. One of them
| who appeared to be the child's mother dashed
| forward beside the little one wild and frenzied
| with despair.
Their terrible condition was horror in all its
phases Reason must have departed, for they
| rushed across the deck in places where they
| could have found no footing, and they seemed
| to tread on air. A murmur of terror and grief
| burst from the bysJandeTs as the Inflated beings
sank into the water. The tenacity with which they
] Clune to life must have been strengt nened by the
: assurance that help would momentariy arrive.
The little fellow instnctively resisted the decree
| of an ineXorable fatality, but in a few moments
he had passed with his mother beyond the por-
tails OF this life into the region of eternity.
Fearful Sight.
| Soon after the flames broke out man was
| seen rushing wildly from the burning pier
| through the rapidly exploding tanks of oil, into
| the open street. one side of his face was dread.
| fully burned, being completely covered with
busters, while his hair and beard were burnt
close 10 the skin. Every effort to stay him was
unsuccessful but merely uttering few incohe
rent words, IN reply to questions, he rushed on
and was soon lost to sight. He was reported to
be the captain of one of the liGhters, and it wa:
| believed that he was severely injured. Partie:
| who met him stated that he entered house or
| PaYonla avenue.
Incidents.
As was natural in fire of such dimensions
the incidents were numerous some being of I
erotesque and Others OF tragic nature. Al
incident OF the former class occurred on boarC
OF the brig MntrOn, which was scuttied auC
sunk. In their alarm, on the first explosion
| taking place, the captain and mate of thu
| above-named vessel ran on shore, leaving in the
cabin lot of fine clothes. After the brig haC
| been scuttled, and there was no immediate dan
| ger Of her masts and rigging taking fire. th
officers returned, and on entering the cabin dis
covered that some clever roeues had walked OF
with the clothes leaving bundle of dirty rags
in their place.
An accident occurred to a fireman which CAM
very near resulting in his death. Having occa
sion TO 90 TO the edge of the burning pier, h
stepped upon plank which, giving way, pre-
cipitated him into the water. Being unable II
swim, he sank beneath the water and all hope
OF his being saved we're given Hp. On rising
hoWeYeT, he luckily came in contact with
plank, on which he rested his head, and in tina
position hoated to the railroad pier, by whiC
he supported himself above the water unit
rescued bv a boat. Several of the fremen Wer
, nearly suffocated oy the smoke, but no deaths
nor serious injuries to any were reported.
.' River Thieves About.
| The CheuaRerS dindustTie of the river wer
out IN tull force, and would have obtained
large amount of plunder had not the vigJlanc
OF Lieutenant Chase, of the United States revC
nue. cutter, aided by the Hudson river police
ioiled the plans of the thieves Several OF ther
| were caught in the act of towing off bales