New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-20
EXPLOSION ON STEAM TUG IN THE SCRANTON
DOCK, JERSEY CITY.


Another disastrous explosion IN this vicinity
cudcd with loss Of life, occurred shortly before hye
city startled that early hour from their Stun
10y heavy and deadened sound Of an unusual ma
al the me hdstoned to the spot whence it proceeded
only he IN time to rescue three men struggling among
the mass uf ice then floating in the dock. lt was
then that the boiler of the steam tug Unit had
exrO lrd, immediately destroying and sinking the
Vess. The three men taken out of the water terribly
shocked and speeches. were instantly recognized as
three of the crew Of that boat which only lew no1ens
before was mOOred alongside the dock where II had been
aaiItd from O'Clock yesterday afternoon a. IL Was
tuCWu that four men were on board at the e Oh INC
RxuluSp search instantly instituted IOf the MISS
iut mas. and at daylight his body was found distance
OF over 100 yards from the scene OF the explosion, lying
a. tt, "a, coal DR. Hunt of Washin gtOn-st. was i'm
mediatc.y summoned, and after examining the injured
r,r, lrJuouced none OF them very seriously injured.
H. following particulars Of tins melancholy affair
arr aii that We could obtain from the survivors
and others: The steam-tug Unit = owned by
YORK o are also the oWpcTs Of the tug Epsilon. Both
baIs ne usrd general tOwage, and generally lay MP
IN liz scranton Dock The crew the Unit consisted of
ave ma, nj the time Of the explosion, follows Captain
~ K. Loyclaud Engineer, john Durnlngi steward, 10
saph ilupi,: Fireman. Samuel BritOn, and deCkhand,
Eautd u IA Bond. She is IS feet long 10 ioot Dea ana
foot mold. Yesterday she was ehSaged t9Wlls Dts
out to +, d. and returned TO the Scranton Dock shortly
after O'Clock IN the afternoon where -! vas 70 coal
aptain WHO resides in Brooklyn, left for his home
giving Instructions to Button, the fireman, 10 nave
cam up at halfpast hye TINS morning. Bilt
lu replied: CAPTAIN, II I'm living man man
board and slept III the orecaste Inc D0lIei Wa u
Of when they retired and the res under the Doe
Tr
HANDY the steward, woke up the fireman by order OF the
engineer who, upon being aroused, immediately Weh 10
sork getting mp steam. The engineer says That ne asked
BrttOn he had plenty OF water IN the boiler Wheh te
fireman responded in the affirmative. Nothing more Ook
place until burning, Bond, and Handy awakened TO ma
themselves struggling in the water. The boiler is the
CHIT marine boiler usually found In sucn DOats
aud manufactured in 1862 by Messrs Nafey q Leave!
q Philadelphia. Its dimensions were ~ leet I9ns,
"a slen and G feet front Two patent sucty
ValVes adjusted 10 It, OF them Deng Tue resu
ton valve which the law requires should DC dhAeu' i
which shoud blow OF all steam over pIcseulV VI W
rounds Tie steam drum, which acts on the shell, ana
ghich must weigh over pounds was torn completely
Il the boiler aud blown into FOCgs woodward III isStA-
ST. distance Of at least 800 yards Inc oeIeAseI ny
man had only been employed about two weeks on DOaLu
the Unit though said that he has had considerable
experience in riugup He Is about y years Oh age M
married. aud resided at kenton, NeW-Jetsey' His
sustain ed a few cuts about the head and race.
The body. have remarked before, was down
the huge heaps of coal piled up on the scranton
pier and found at daylight ON one OF me heS, ~
Instance yards from the scene OF the EXPLOSION
The her three survivors had most provdenal escape
with their lives Bond. the deckhand, ana burning te
engineer, both sleeping alongside the DOeT az Tue
time Of the explosion, and were blown OUT ~
different doors. burning was the most seriously
Injured, having sustained severe scalp wound
and being burned badly around the lech' NJ
was taken TO the New-York Hospital. Bond
aid Handy were only slightly burned about tie
face and both are able 10 be about this morning.
Mr.. Patrick Mccullough, who was joiheLiy
reporter that he had much confidence IN me bCe
and that he had been Of the opinion that the heshtc
were worn out long Strips ana spnnteIs from Iy
heaps are fairly strewn with the fragments OF the III
lated vessel The portion OF the boiler which was carried
In Capt. FOggs woodward went right through IuIES
aud in its descent knocked large mole through
the nigh board fence which incOses the yard large
billet OF wood struck the iron railing OF dWcluSHOso
IN Greene-st, breaking it into pieces.