The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1871-02-04
DEATH ON THE RTyr.
Particulars OF the ExpIos,ou Of
the w. H. Arthur.

| the w. X. Arthur.
| We find full particulars of the acct
dent in the Memphis papers of Sunday,
and copy from the APPEAL the following
statement, made BY the Captain:
Capt. Brolaski, of the Arthur was on
watch up to one o'clock. The nipht was
bitterly cold and the wind blew fereeIy.
He went the rounds and everything
was 10 proper working order, aud there
was no excess of steam; the boilers we're
tested and he went off watch at his usual
hour. Half an hour sfterward the ex
plosion occurred. The Captain saws he
was aroused by the terrific explosion. aud
almost at the same instant his wife child
and himself, were crushed beneath the
weight Of the roof. His condition was
well calculated to inspire terror. His
wife lay beside him, and when be became
conscious his first thought was in ref
erence to her safety and that of his child.
He saw that they were helpless Such
was the weight of timber that hedged
them in that escape seemed wholly impos
sible. Then they heard the rushing of the
waters that swept over the bow of the
boat and almost immedia ely thereafter
the flames began to shoot up and became
visible to the imprisoned Captain and
his wife. He then thought he was DOOM
ed His efforts to extricate himself we're
almost superbuman. In his struggles
to escape his hands were lsceraieS, his
body bruised, aud there is an ugly cut
across the forehead But success at
length rewarded his struggles. He Sc,
cured an axe hewed his wayg throuh the
timbers to his wife and child. His wife 5
forehead was bruised, but she will soon be
we'll again The greatest injury they sus-
stained resulted form the terrors OF the
night and from exposure to the cold blast
and rain and sleet OF the fearful night
and from long Frotraeted anxiety. The
wife's sister is a charming, black-eyet
little girl. seven or eight years of age
Her arm was broken when she was ez-
trieted from the cabins wreck, and yet
the child never gave expression to an
emotion of fear, and even yet, while
other occupants OF the same apartment
at the Peabody House, often gave en-
dences of suffering, this brave little grl
endures ever anguish without murmtr.
Captain Brolaski says he can give 10
account, and imagine no cause for tae
explosion. The boilers were good, ard
had been properly tested in accordance
with the requirements of the law. The
boat. to use the captains exact words,
''had a sort of compound engine that USED
a vacuum as we'll as steam, and never
] carried greater pressure than l23 lbs
or 100 lbs, and never as great pressure
as the law inspectors permitted. The
noise of the explosion was like that of
park of artillery to those on board and
by its force the boat at once was made
helpless wreck One of the boilers was
''blown entirely through her" The
wreck sinking slowly, foated down the
/ river and finally the stern rested On 0
sandbar, leaving part of the cabin above
water This portion OF the boat was on
fire several times but was quickly extin
( gnisbed. the ladies never being suffered
to know the extremity of their dagger
Many persons leaped into the water and
finding it impossible to reach the shore
returned to the boat; others were drowned
IN the effort to escape; Others made rats
of cabin doors and drifted away. Alock
Erayzer and wife of Cincinnati aud Mr.
Paxon and his mother, of PhIadelphia
remained on the wreck and were saved
while Mr.. Paxton's daughter. just grown
who had won the hearts Of all on board
the vessel was lost.
; Mr.. George Richie and Joe Bryan
pilots, were both in the pilot house a
the time of the explosion. Neither wa:
very seriously injured. Henry Kerr
the steward, escaped, was bruised and
J suffered much from exposure. He il
pow doing well and will soon return e
his home. John Bowman, first clerk
: and Miller Allen, mate, were both lost
Allen was formerly of the steame
. GAINESVILLE. His leg was horribly crush
ed by the falling in of the roof and tn
. pilot house. AL the officers Of the boa
escaped, except the two lost, above named
, The porters, cabin aud deck crew wer'
nearly all drowned, with Mary Carey
: the Captains servant.
Mr. Ben. f. Wilson and wife. of thi
place, who were returning from New Or
leans, on their bridal tour, were amoni
2 the saved.