Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-07-31
NEW YORK.
the Terrible Explosion of the Fer.
rybont WesffieId : FIFTY Fersons
Killed aud over Two Hun"re"
wounded.

~ honf XeaffieId = FIFTY Persons
Killed aud over Two H"""re"
wounded.
New YoRK, July 3l.-It is exceedingly
doubtful whether the cause OF the terri
Bile explosion on board the steamer
west6eld yesterday will ever be ascer-
tained The officers Of the company
claim that the boilers were made of the
best material, and, having been lately
inspected, they cannot account for the
explosion. 0lliii28ii ~
The engineer, Henry Robinson, a mu-
latto, has been in the employ of the
company several years. He is said to
have been a very careful, steady and
competent man, in whom every conf
dence was placed by his superiors. He
went on board another boat Immediately
after the explosion, probably fearing
that the survivors would lynch him if he
remained on the Westield and became
known TO the crowd. In conversation
with one of the officers of'the boat on
which he took refuge, he stated that he
could not account for the explosion. 1t
was NOT owing to lack Of water in the
boilers, because on leaving Staten Is
land there were four cocks of water,
and sufficient time had not elapsed to
work down to more than three at the ut
most.
The fireman was badly scalded, and
cannot yet give any information with
reference to the cause of the explosion.
The force Of the explosion was very
great. A portion of the boiler which
exploded was opposite the fire box and
toward the bow Of the boat. The upper |
half of the she'll of the boiler, twenty |
feet in length and weighing two tons or
more, was torn off and hurled distance
of twenty-five feet or more in the bow
of the boat, where 1t wedged fast. Where
the starting point of the fracture was, is
difficult to tell. The iron sheet is torn
as clearly as though it had been COM
posed of cloth instead of metal; in some
places the rent follows line of rivets,
and in others the tough metal is torn
straight through the center. The main
portion of the boiler, weighing several
tons, was lifted ftom its sitting and
twisted several feet out of position, and
laid across the boat instead Of in the
center.
1t is estimated that nearly fifty per-
sons were killed and over two hundred
wounded. 1t is probable
large number of the wounded will not
survive their injuries.
The Coroner win hold an investiga-
lion as to the cause of the explosion.
he will impanel jury to-day but the
Investigation will not begin for several
lays, and perhaps not before next week.
L is intended that it shall be searching
Ind thorough, and the opinion OF several
Experts with reference to the condition
# the boilers, the material of which
hey were made, and the amount o.
team carried, viii be obtained.
By order of the Coroner no permits
or removal Of bodies we're granted yes
erday or last night.
Boatmen are still dragging for bodies
n the vicinity Of the disaster.
At eight o'clock this morning as the
men were graphing at the Staten Island
ferry-boat for bodies of the victims Of
he explosion, yesterday, one of them
rev up the body Of girl named Ma
ida Nelson, aged seventeen, residing
IN Saekett street, Brooklyn. Thus far
he number Of deaths has reached sixty
lbrsa