The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-03

them back from the slip where the Scattered
boat was lying. As quickly as could b2 the
wounded were taken in wagons and amou
lances to the nearest stationhouse-t in
New street-where they received all the atten-
tion that the surgeons could bestoW upon
them. and were afterwards sent to the hos
nItals. Some of the dead were frightfully
murlated. Many of the bodies were brought
to the stationhouse imme mediately after the oc-
currence. They presented horrible appear
ance. One man had his head blown almost
completely of, only portion of the forehead
and face remaining. Among the dead was one
woman, apparently about thirty years OF age.
Her head had been crushed In by timber
falling upon her from the hurricane deck.
. The scene In the streets as wagon after wa.
gon passed along, each with its cargo OF hor.
ribly mangled bodies, created the greatest ex-
citement, and in very short time the intelli.
gence of the horrible catastrophe was spread
all over the city. Hundreds of persons who
had friends on board the boat hastened from
up town in the; direction OF the Whitehall slip
when they heard the news, aud soon the crowds
became so great that an extra force'of police
had to be called out to preserve order.
STATEMENT OF THE ENGINEER.
Henry Robinson, the engineer, who Is col.
ored man of good deal Of Intelligence, and
reputed one of the best and most reliable men
In the employment of the company, states
that, t0r twenty years, ne mas oeen au eu-
gtneer, and that.he has spent sixteen years IN
the service of the company. He has the usual
engineers certificate, and states that he has
passed at least one examination. 1t appears
that 1t is not necessary for the engineers en-
ployed on this ferry to have certificates.
Robinson was In complete charge of the West
field at the time of the explosion. At twenty
minutes past o'clock, he went down into the
fre-room and saw Patrick Finnegan, one OF
the,fremen, and inquired how the water stood.
Finiegan answered him that it was all right,
but, In order to see for himself, he approached
the boiler and tried the third cock, and found
the water flowed, and, therefore. considered
that everything was right. On quitting
the fre-room, Robinson went to the engine
room, and saw that the boiler carried
twenty-seven pounds of steGm, and then left,
going on to the dock. In couple of minutes
Robinson again went on board and into the
pilot-honse, where the captain was standing.
After few minutes conversation 10 the pilot
house, Robinson was about TO descend, when
the explosion took place. The only cause
which Robinson could assign for the catastro-
phe, was the existence OF patch on the boiler.
which, he says may have given way, though
he saws that he examined It so late as Thurs
day, and that 1t appeared to be then In a safe
condition. Beyond this, Robinson could not
give any explanation of the explosion. The
fact that Robinson seems to have had some
doubts as to the soundness OF the patch on the
cylinder of the boiler, suggests some very un-
pleasant reflections as to the value to be
placed on the certificates of the United States
inspectors, who are supposed to have eXamin-
ed This boiler 80 late as the 18th OF June.