The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-04-18
FRIGHTFUL STEAMBOAT Ex-
PLOEION AT. CINCINNATI.
Destruction of the TowbOat Raven.
Three Persons Killed and Ten
Wounded.

Three Persons hllIcu anu Zen
Wounded.
From SGtRrfayS Enquirer.
A terrible steamboat catastrophe occur
tedlat this port about II O'clock last night
the explosion OF tho steam tug Raven,
opposite Washington street, in Fulton,
The Raven was on T0ut6 from st. Louis to
Pittsburgh, with three bargcs of iron ore,
aud had also two empty barges In tow.
Arriving hero she found one Of her
boilers In bad condition, md put IN ut
Stewards Landing for repairs. She had
four boIleIs, 2B feet long and SO inches in
diameter; provided eacli with two eleven
inch llueS. They were six years old antl
were manufactured Of charcoal iron, one
fourth Of an inch thick, ut tho InRnulac-
tory Of Isaac West in this city.
Having completed her repairs she raised
steam last night, and about II o'clock
started to resume her journey. She had
barely got under weigh when Joe Martin,
one OF the engineers on duty, observed tint
tho boiler TO which had been Rddetl the
new sheet was leaking badly. She was
carrying ut the time one hundred AMI
forty pounds Of steam. Becoming alarm
cd, the engineer prevailed upon the Cap.
t0in to head for tile shore.
The boat with her heavy tow WAS ut
once started for the landing, but had pro-
CeetIe1 hut q short distance when the
leaking bOilcr exploded with terrible
i0rcc, tearing and sliattering the craft
from stem 10 stern. Tie conclusion also
caused the two adjacent boilers To cX-
plOdc, alNi these added their force To the
catastrophe. 3
The boilers were we'll filled with water,
and the explosion must have been caused
by the organic weakness Of the boiler in
question. At the instant Of the explosion
the entire forward part Of her cabin was
lifted into the air, und her Chimneys and
pilOt house were thrown upward and into
iIle barees alongside. Fragments Of the
wreck we're hurled hundreds Of feet INTO
the mir, anil the report Of the explosion
was heard throughout that entire portion
Of tho city.
The steam and hot water permcatctl the
tlisnAntlcd hulk from stem TO stern. and
few there were Of those who escaped
blowing overheard from among the crew
Of twenty.thrce persons who did moi fall
victims 10 its terrible fury. The shrickS
and grOans Of these were distinctly heard
by those who witnessed the calamity from
tic shore. The boat was q complete
wreck, and, us the dismCmbercd tlmDers
fell crushing inward, many were caught
md MANNED or sti1ed
The scene in the darkness and gloom
which followed was one Of terror and
agony, A number Of those who were
blown into the water were either so stun
ned Or confused US 10 he helpless, aud no
aid was prompt at hand. The first res
cuer to put forth II helping hank was
Joshua Tucker, and old fOremAn In Good
hills stUne.yarti II few hundred feet below.
lie heard the report of the appalling ac"
citlcnt, and, though in bed, hastily arose,
and together with his son, set out for the
scene Of the disaster.
Procuring skifl, tlcy rowcd out to the
wreck. 4 short distance from the shore
they found one Of the victims floating, and
lining him out Of the water, hurried him
TO The shore. They returned again, and
again fund another human life to save
| lGilCllIub lllt WEtCh Nv hhHGt hIS WV to'S
man met scene which caused his stout
heart TO GuaIl, ,::but SummOning oil his en-
ergics, and procuring the assistance o
Those on board who were comparatively
unlur,. he succeeded In getting q line tc
shore, thereby checking the progress ol
tie hull, which was slowly drilling down
stream.
The wreck, together with the clumsy
barges, was swung in ut the foot Of Butler
street. Several other parties had by this
time been attracted to the scene, among
them James Kennedy and Peter Sharp
When the boat reached shore, these Of the
crew who were able LEFT the wreck in the
confusion, anil muny Of them straycd of
or fouMl quarters along the river. Capt
Dc Wolfe was found partially buried l'G
meath the debris, his head being badly III
Iurctl and his right arm broken. lie wtIt
ut once placed In u earrings and taken Il
the Broadway Hotel.
The wreck, soon alter being landed
sunk, leaving the bargcS alloat The ferry
lOaL Newport Belle then came up ant
took charge Of the barges, which wer'
safely landed.
THE CREW.
The crew Of the Raven consisted, Us VI
II tl,nnn