The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-18
EXPLOSION ON BOARD 4 STEAMBOAT.

stricken and unfortunate wanderers OF the ocean,
have recovered from the fghu rsctals another catas
trophe, full Of suffering death and loss Of valuable
property those who follow the water occupation.
comes waiting to our minds s sad details, more viyidy
impressed thsreupon the Of the disaster Is but
biscuit toss from this CITY Reference is made TO shs
explosion Of the boiler Of the samtug James A. Wright
while proceeding up the bay yesterday morning, making
her complete wreck, setting her on fire, frghtfully
injurng her captain who also her owner her pilot
and engineer, and in oil probability killing her dro.
man.
The business Of the tug at tho time Of the frightful
accident the damage 1t sustained the character OF the
injuries received by the unfortunate men, the SUPPOSE
ton Of tho Whereabouts OF the missing fireman and the
appearance Of the shattered hul told reporter
last evening by Of her officers he lay suffering
from frghfu scads upon Of the many beds at the
City Hospital.
JAMES A wsGnr--HER CREW
This Inflated tug was a wooden propeller, quite SINH
lar In construction to tho hundreds daily darling
quickly about in the and bay OF New York She
about nnetyfyo feet in length, was fitted with direct
acting engine, having cylinder twenty-five inches In
diameter by twenty inches stroke Of piston She was
constructed in philadelphia four ago. where her
present owner purchased her In tho matter OF atng
In the engineers department is represented that she
was fully and sufficiently furnished
The Of this tug as she oii her moorings at Jer
sey City yesterday morning, was composed OF six men,
whose names and relative positions duty were aa fol-
lows:--
Captain and Ornsr-silas Dayken.
Mute William T.. Jaycox.
PiLt-Benjamn FishoE
ERgineer--Andrew J. Finch.
FuemGn-Alonzo Diver
,Ste,turd-Thomas r. Heron
The Wright has been unfortunate boat indeed,
three weeks since. while sseamng along the East nver
by misconception Of signals she into by the
ferry Pacific, cutting her down 10 the rail and
cesstang an expense Of nearly 81 10 again put hcr
In condition suitable for The rough work OF towing This
O'Clock Captain Dayken, overjoyed that he could
certainly come singy, gave the order his officers 70
''cast of, !" and The boat sieameds1toward the sea
sine. her repa,s ON were n ' made 70 catch incoming
remarked .ns. the Captain and his cncsrs as Inc
that char cteristic verssiity men Of their Tx are
noted for held pleasant in regard 70 previous
the future. Thus the nigh. passed, and At daylight
they ten miles beyond the lightship, where be-
o'clock they fell In with the bark Gangene Roe Terms
OF towing, d0ckags &C., were quickly made when the
Wright took her hawser headed for the city and began
The explosion Of her boiler and its attending incidents
OF disaster and suffering with tho superstition in regard
70 its cause at this time be ascertaned
derived, as alluded TO, from
STATEMENT WILLIAM yAYcoI,
now in ward No o OF tho City Hospital He said We
had arrived opposite Governors Island when Captain
payken and pilot Fisher who we're In the pilot house,
suggested that wo should drop hawser and her
lines TO enable US to dock the bark Our engine was
stopped the hawssr let CO. and as we were nearing her
TO take the lines then in readiness !, who
against the pilot house door, suddenly feh .
thick volume OF steam arouud my head, and before
could reflect loud report heard and simultaneously
against the rail of the bark II knew that was badly
climbing il as well possible fell over and down
upon tho deck, when helping hands from the
sSsre they relieved me as Wen a. they could under
the circumstances Within few moments Captain
payken and pilot Fisher were carried past me- each
rightfully cut and bruSed about the head force
OF the explosion, heard them say had blown them out
Of the pilot house the deck Of the bark whore they
wero found know but little else, save the tugboas
badly damaged Mr.. Jaycax 10 badly burned about
tho lower portion Of the body and his head By
contact with tho rail OF tho brrk.
MscuERs-THE INJURED AND rHMR cosu,rioH.
The explosion, with its accompanying laundering
report and inc scattered Goals from .ns M
ton Of the many boats In the ncighborhood, and
instantly the s,eamtug Howard, Captain Burger; the
Staten Island erryboat Northfeld Captain Isaac Cree
land, and the United states revenue steamer Una,
Captain Thomas W. Leary, went to her assistance.
quickly extingushod On searching the wreck for
injured persons the engineer, A. j. finch. was found
OF the woodwork with OF his legs broken in two
places Besides he was badly scalded and bruised
about the body He WAS at once transferred 70 the
fcrryboat, where an army surgeon, who was fortu
nateiy on board, attended him, making the broken
limb comfortable possible Extending their search,
they found the steward Thomas Heron, IN the AFTER
part OF tho boat but fortunately he had escaped
win but slight injury, That OF his chin
of shattered WOODWORK On boarding the Rolf
whose had administered the suffering captain,
pilot and mate in tho meantime the two former were
found frghtful condition. Toe force OF the steam
had blown their clothes into srpa their faces cut
N every conceivable way, portions OF the skin had
that tho captain has lost eye Taey presented
such frigntul spectacle tina, many Of the hardy
and familiar with death in eyory Shape were almost
moved TO tears The feelings or the captain, thar he
should thus he tho victim OF much misfortune, that
when business was again beginning 70 smile upon him,
whom tho future looked so bright more then bis
nature could bear, and hs cries Of where " my poor
boat ~ resounded through the bark. All al this time
were accounted for but the fireman, Alone Diver and
although the hold Of the wrecked vessel Wac searched
as well themass OF the debris he could net be found
II ~ supposed that he IL buried under portion Of
tns boiler In the hold.
The disposition made or the injured was:-Cap-
tain Dayken and pilot Fisher taken TO the Long Island
Hospital Brooklyn; mate Jaycox TO the City Hospital;
seamens Retreat. the steward rcmalned on the wreck,
which was with all praciicabiy, towcd TO Jersey City
by the tug Howard. 10 prosab, that all the injured
raoBiWR TIE KrPIosToN
The Of ths frghtlu accident not known; the
lent man Tor such position, yet - s feared that tue
boiler lacked suhcisncy If wafer This 70 eonectufed
D minutes Ssiors ~. .rposon Mr. french Stepped oa.
Of the engine room, and calling the captain sad:-
/ Engnser-c.p,sin one Of our tanks leaks, and u
cap.sia-Csnt We gel TO the city without using salt
water2
Erginesr--1 hope 90, and will try.
II the supply OF fresh which the boiler had
been using found TO be Deficient and sails
afterwards used In H. some little clue may BE- obtained
OF She Of this disaster. II 70 alleged that the
boiler afterwards srsmined found 10 BE- quite old,
rather almos, out rsvsra OF the braces bel
effective SIX Of them showing marks OF old fractures.
ArpsanSCs o. TEE suArrusp Vessel.
visit 70 the wrectsA tueboat lying half submerged
In Smiths basin, Jersey Oty mprosses the observer
with ,he violence Of the explosion the after end Of
the boiler blown on aat the boiler itself torn from ,s
faaenings snd plsa up upon Tho engine which has also
been forced several feet from s original position The
entire forward deck hes been blown away, and
svsywhsrs the piles Of joiner work, ropes
L ana piaakine bear Testimony 70 The terrific
Force n. sssspes ssssm rhs cabin rssk prssss@