The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-01

boiler. The Collector asserts positively
that there could not have been more
than $50 persons on board the boat
The West6eld being an extra boat, and
but few persons aware that it had been
placed on the line, he holds that it was
not possible for so many to have been on
her as though she had been on regular
trips. Mayor Carroll, Of Syracuse,
says: az was standing on the main
deck leaning against the rail. reading a
newspaper. Mr.. Eckel and Mr.. Sher
lock were standing beside me. Mr..
Phillipson and Mr.. Leir were sitting in
the forward cabin; suddenly there was
a terrific explosion, the violence Of which
hurled me into the air, and l fell into
the hold among confused mass of dead
and dying men, women and children.
was nearly covered with debris. and was
almost blinded by dust and dirt"
Recovering in moment | groped my
way through the darkness and clam,
bered out without assistance. 1t seem
ed as though everything ! took hold OF
was red hot. My hands were dread
fully burned. A jet Of steam struck me
on the forehead and some falling pieces
Of wood or iron burned my ankles as |
was cropping my way out. The scene
was frightful, and the groans Of the
wounded appalling. With the explo-
sion the air seemed rent with shrieks.
finally made my way through the
debris, and as the cloud of dust cleared
away | gained the deck and was assist
ed to the landing. There was no pre-
monition, no sound Of escaping steam,
but while all were gaily chatting or
looking about the explosion took place
with a heavy rumbling sound like the
blasting of rocks. | saw people hurled
hither and thither, and then all was
darkness for a moment. | hope never
to behold another such fearful scene.
Mr. Sherlocks statement:-l was
standing alongside of Mayor Carroll,
smoking cigar and watching the peo-
pie, when l was suddenly hoisted into
the air. 1t seemed to me that should
never come down; but l did and fell
headlong into the water, sinking | do
not how many feet deep. The splash
into the water brought me to my senses
and being an excellent swimmer rose
to the surface. My head came in con-
tact with something hard, and believing
that | had risen under the boat, l held
nv breath and struck out for the light
Reaching the surface, was helped
out of the water by the people on the
wharf.
The Mayor and his associates, on
making their way through the crowd,
were driven to the Grand Central Ho.
tel, where their wounds were dressed
by DR.. Fisher. When visited by the
reporters last evening they were COM
paratively comfortable, and hope to be
able to endure the journey home by to,
morrow. Mayor Carroll was bolstered
in large armchair, with mis- Eands
enveloped in cloths, which were contin-
ually moistened by soothing liquids
Their associate, Alderman Brady, was
all attention, and doing all in his power
to alleviate their suffering. If one-halt
the reports are true, the Government
Inspector should be indicted by a grand
Jury. Had his examination OF the
boiler been thorough, the disaster
could not have happened. 1t seems
that the engineer apprehended an eH-
plosion, for he says that he looked at
the patch on the cylinder last Thursday,
and an examination of the cylinder
which was blown out shows that
the iron had been eaten out
around the rivets until it was as thin
as four sheets Of letter paper. Crap
pling for the dead bodies was kept up
all night and Is still going on. Shortly
after midnightWarden Brennan reported
that there were over forty dead bodies
in Bellevue, and that there were about
sixtv who were most horribly sca!ded
and bruised, many OF whom will donbt-
less die. He said that over ten thous
and persons had visited the hospital al
ter dark and that the whole force Of sur
geons and assistants were completely
worn out. Late yesterday afternoon
the vessel was taken in tow by her SIS
ter vessel Mortified, and is to be taken
10 the foot OF Eighth street for repairs.
The character OF the explosion was such
as to tear away and entirely ruin one
half OF the vessel. Nothing can be
seen hut one mass Of iron timber, hats,
shoes, parasols, umbrellas and pieces OF
torn clothing OF every description. The
windows and doors aft, had been
shattered and torn from their hinges,
and the benches and settees laying IN
confusion. The company estimates the
damage Of the vessel at Sl2,OOo, the
principal loss being the wreck OF the
boiler. The boat was known as an extra
one, and was only used on Sundays and
HOLIDAYS, or at hours when the tide OF
travel sets strongly to Staten Island.
She was accustomed to make three trips
on SUNDAYS, starting at ll3 o'clock
A NJ. and 81 and y P. NJ, from White
hall Landing, coming between the regu-
lar boats. which make hourly trips
She was about to start on her first trip
Yesterday, and was two or three minutes
behind her time when the boiler ex,
ploded. There were from two hundred
to two hundred and fifty passengers on
hoard at the time, according to the
statement of the officers and the tickets
taken. Most Of the passengers were
congregated almost directly ever the
boiler on the southerly part of the boat,
in order to catch the fresh breeze blow
ing from the south. ..Ft .2 =.
James A. Whitman, an engineer of,
long experience, having examined the
boiler and machinery OF the Westteld,
which exploded yesterday, states that: