The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-01
VTCIIMsAT THE HOSPITAL.
The Dead Being Identified

New YORK, July Silt is exceed
;r,'y doubtful whether the cause Of the
terrible explosion on board the steamer
Westield yesterday will ever be ascer'
.siped. The officers of the company
claim that the boiler was made Of good
material, and having been inspected
,Ley cannot account for the explosion.
The engineer, Henry Robinson, a mu'
,a,o, has been in the employ of the
company for several years, and is said
to have been very careful, steady and
competent man in whom every conf
Ience was placed by his superiors. He
went on board another boat immediate
y alter the explosion, probably fearing
that the survivors would lynch him il
be remained on the Westfield and be-
came known to the crowd. In conver-
>ation With one of the officers Of the
boat on which he he took refuge, ne
stated that he could not account for the
explosion. 1t was not owing to lack oil
water in the boiler, because on leaving
Staten Island there were four cocks OF
water, and sufficient time had not elaps-
ei to work down to more than three at
the utmost. The fireman was badly
>calded and cannot yet give any infor-
nation with reference 10 the cause OF
the explosion. The force Of the explo-
ion was very great The portion OF the
boiler which exploded was op-
posite the fire box and toward the
oow of the boat. The upper half
Of the shell Of the boiler, twenty feet in
.en.th and weighing two tons or more
vas .orn off and hurled distance Of
twenty-five feet or more into the bow Of
The boat, where it wedged last. Where
the starting point OF the fracture was 1t
+. iiihcult to tell. The iron stack was
;o:n as easily as though it had been
composed OF cloth instead Of metal.
The main portion of the boiler, weigh
ns several tons, was lifted from its
,e,tng and twisted several feet out OF
Is POSITION, laying across the bow OF
The boat instead Of in the centre. 1t is
estimated that nearly fifty persons
we're killed and over two hundred
wounded. 1t is probably a large num-
.er Of wounded will not survive from
their injuries. The Coroner will hold
sn Investigation as to the cause OF the
explosion He will empannel a jury
to-day, but the investigation will not
,egn for several days, perhaps not be-
lore next week. 1t is intended that 1t
.hal be searching and thorough and the
opinions of experts with reference to
the condition OF the boiler, the material
oi what it was made and the amount OF
seam carried at the time will be obtain
rl By order of the Coroner, no permits
'o' the removal Of bodies were granted
yesterday or last night. Boatmen are
,t'.I dragging for bodies in the vicinity
OF the boat.
Al eight o'clock this morning as the
men nwere grappling at the Staten Island
Ferry for bodies of victims Of the explo-
.on Yesterday, one of them drew up
the body Of a girl named Matilda Mel
,on, seventeen years OF age, residing on
Sockets street, Brooklyn. Thus far
the number Of the dead have reached
s'xty'three.
Another Account.
New YORK, July 3l.-Coroners
heenan and Young visited the scene
Of tue explosion last evening. Coro-
Der Keenan, will hold an investigation.
tie will not begin for several days;
perhaps not before next week. 1t is in
ieHIcd it shall be searching and
thorough, and the opinion o. several ex-
p~rts with reference to the condition Of
Me boiler and the material Of which it
made, anu the amount Of steam car
'ei at the time will be obtained. The
jury will be composed Of business men
ot practical merchants able to render
an Intelligent verdict according to the
evidence, and place the blame for this
appalling calamity where it properly
Belongs. The jury will view the bodies
at the morgue and permits will then
given by Coroner Keenan, for their
removal by their relatives or underta-
NsFs, By order ofthe Coroner no per-
mlis for their removal were granted
Yesterday or last night.
No theory is offered by the officers o.
the company as to the cause Of the dis.
a'ter The engineer Of the Mortified
says that when the Westfeld steamed
out from the island she had four cocks
Of water, and from the fact that only q
sight report accompanied the explo-
non, he thinks there could have been
Spt . small head Of steam on. Mr.
stevens, Secretary of the Staten Island
ferry company, says there was gov
ernmeus safety.valve attached to the