Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-06
A False Statement In Regard TO the
-4At Missouri Disaster. 4IR


A False Statement In Regard TO fht
AAse Missouri Disaster. -
The Evansville Courier, Ia its &C
count of the disaster 10 the steamer Mis-
| souri,. says: 4W G2fH F fHlff
1.s Fioni the best information new al
hand, it would seem the Missouri
dropped in st our wharf yesterday morn
ing about one OF clock or shortly thereaf
ter. While at the wharf, it was ascer-
tanned that one Of her boilers was leak
ing badly; but the 6res had but been
put doan under the defective boiler,
aud increased under the other to make
up that loss The Missouri bad been
trying her speed with the other boats
named, and the Captain, Hurd, bad ex-
pressed himself determined to. beat
them to Louisville in order to secure o
cargo down. ssssts ,.s-
"We have heard it stated that while iy.
ing at the wharf the Missouri was "red
hot. and by others that she had cnly
comparatively reasonable amount of
steam. The first state that the boat ab.
soIutely trembled from stem TO stern
With the terrible power concealed in her
boilers - A@ -
While lying st the wharf as above
stated, the Dictator whistled and dropped
in. Il seems, however. that the Dicta-
tor left the wharf 6rst and that the Mis-
souri, followed, determined 70 overtake
her, as she had done freqaeatlg before,
and. that in another effort to pass the
Dictator under hesdeay, tbs pressure
on ber boilers was too great and she ex
ploded, blowing taa whole cabin to
atoms. The Dictator than very proba
bly, dropped down to the ill.fated boat
and rendered assistance; but to what
extent il is impossible TO say, as We
only have an account of her as she
stopped for a moment shortly after
wards at Newburg to get on bosrd two
surgeons" harF .fssrfFgrr
Mr. Lawrence Shredder Of this city
vas tbs SECOND engineer of the Missouri.
and was on watch when the boat landed
at Evansville He informs ps that the,
boilers were entirely tight and IN the
best apparent condition. III states dis
tinctiy that there vas no leakage ia the
boilers when be vent of watch. and that
the boat had not been "pushed, bat he'd
been running along at her usual speed,
carrying from l30 to l35 pounds of
steam The statement that the boilers
we're red hot 10 absolutely false. Mr.
Shredder is not only q gentIeman of un
impeschabIe varacity, but is considered
careful aud most competent engineer
His statement, therefore, puts to rest the
brutal assertions OF itnhnmanity and
recklessness O made by the Courier
against the epgineers MrS. vent of
watch at Evspsville. Waqf.f 4fr3e
Mr.. Phillips, the 6rst engineer, who
with Mr. Cox was on wa.ch at the lime
OF the explosion. was known from Pitts
burgh to New Orleans az one of the
most scientific, the best and safest en-
aineers on the Western waters. He was
particularly ed for bis great care
and GOODNESS in the management of q
boats machinery. We do not state his
qualifications. bis prudence and his care
for the safety of passengers too highly
when we say that be enphatieally stood
at the head Of bis profession That such
a man would for nom ent permit boat
upon which he was engineer TO run in
the condition the Evansville Courier
says the Missouri was, is perfectly pre-
posterous, and there Ia not single man
in the wide range of Mr.. Phillips &C
anaintance, but will repel the base state
ments of the Courier az false in toto.
Y Mr. James Cox, who was on watch
with Mr.. Phillips st the time of the ex-
plosion, and who died in this city this
morning, from the injuries be received,
stated. almost with his last breath. that
the boilers of the Missouri, so far as him
self or Mr.. Phillips knew, were in the
most complete repair-no leakage or
other defeat in them being perceptible.
He stated emphatically. 10 view Of the
death he knew soon awaited him, that
the boat was not, and had not been on
race with the Dictator or any other boat.
He further stated that At no time during
the trip had she pressHre of more than
l20 pounds of steam, end that at the
time of, the explosion her ,steam gauge
marked i35 pounds. SE4o '1~-l
The Cbmrier's statement that tbs Mis-
souri's boi ers exploded while the boat
was making au effort to pass the Dicts-
tor is also false. The Missouri was 6f-
teen minutes ahead Of the Dictator, run
ming rather more slowly than usual, and
the Dictator was making no effort toget
ahead, nor the Missouri making any 20
widen her distance from that boat,
We feel called upon 10 make these
statements in justice to the character of
the engineers of the Missouri, sll of
them citizens Of this city, and in refuta.
ton of slander which wouil tarnish
their names with the crime of murder;
for, il the CoGrier's statements were
true the engineers would be as guilty OF
murder as if they had in cold blood cut
the throats Of every man and woman
killed by the explosion. This defence
Of Messrs Phillips, Shredder and Cox
was not needed among steamboatmen
who knew them. or in this city, where
they are so we'll known; but the mis-
statements of the Courier ara calculat>
ed to create strong prejudice against
them for supposed criminal neglect OF
| duty. MhArm fhaw ara mt known NeAg