The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-13
The Belle Of st. Louis Arrived
with the Survivors.
THE DEAD, MISSING AND BURNED
Horrible Details of the
Crew and Passengers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPLOSION
The Commander, Surrounded By Flames, Cut
or from All Assistance is Burned to
Death-The Scene on tie River.

Death-The Scene on tie River.
ST LOUIS, April IL, 1872.
The steamer Belle OF 81. Louis arrived here this
morning with twcnty-eght survivors OF the Occanus
disaster and the oodes OF seven VINO DIED on the
way The books anu papers OF the steamer are
lost ana complete list OF the passengers anu crew
cannot therefore, be given.
The following Is a list OF the dead, missing ana
saved rs lar rs Is now known
PASSENGERS DEAD.
c. d. Hail. OF Coving,on, KY; J. II. Linderman,
OF New York; Charles Blacksmith, OF Chicago
CREW DEAD.
Alexander Connely, second engineer Jonn
Riday, deck nand; Morgan Foley, roustaoout; J. B.
steward, fireman.
PASSENGERS MISSING.
\. NJ shght. OF Girard, Pa; George Boren, or
Lyons, Iowa: George Constable ana wife, OF Noyes
Circus; Peter Wagner. OF Mount Pleasant Texas
Albert Johnson OF Bloomington, Ill.
GREW MISSING.
Alfred Reeder, captain; II. M. Worsham, first
clerk; Charles Worsham, second clerk; Hurry
Iripp, pilot; John Harris pilot; George Virgins
pilot; william owens, barEecper; Mrs. Wallace
chambermaid; James Johnson, fireman: Allen
Cook, fireman; Henry Mogustky, cook; William
Wise, porter; Charles Burket, second steward; Ben
Buck, cabin boy: George Clark. texas tender;
Billy Hart. deck sweeper; Matt. OShea. deck hand
PASSENGERS SAVED.
F. Johnson jenkins, OF Shreveport La Charles
Carpenter. OF Portsmouth, OHIO; John Frey, OF
Mount Pleasant Texas badly burned; Matthew
Scuy, OF Grand Rapids Mich: d. Is. RourKe OF
Corscana. Texas; o. Boomer, of Bloomington; C.
/. Beatty. OF Henderson, KY, badly bruised; John
N00nan, OF st. Louis. badly burned; c. Looman OF
Carlisle, slightly burned; Frank Williams, OF 81.
Marfus Texas; Robert Chew, or junction City, Kan,
slightly burned; Joe unke; John b. Martin or Belle
vle ILL.,. Chris Zellsdorf. OF Rochester. MIMI, and
Daniel Mcclure, OF Memphis.
CREW SAVED.
George Kelghtley, chief engineer; Patrick Lawn,
Waterman; Oscar Joyce, mate badly burned; Willis
Webb, fireman; J. u. Stewart, fireman. badly
burned; Forest Lamme, roustabout; John Gibbons,
roustabout; Martin Needham, roustaDout Mike
O'Nealy, roustapout Henry Smith, rousrabout;
Martin Ball. deck hand: John Ross, cabin boy;
Charles Zimmer, third cook, not hurt
THE DEAD AND THEIR APPEARANCE.
The bodies OF Second Clerk Worsham and the
Steward, Demperwolf. arrived on the Cairo short
Line this morning In charge or 5. Il. Fisher, the
carpenter. The dead on the boat presented horn-
Bile appearance, their bodies being swollen, and
many OF the bodies were OF the color OF raw beef
the skin having been entirely scalded OF.
Those not otherwise designated are not injured.
II was the middle boiler that exploded. The en-
ainecr said ne went watch but lew moments
before the explosion and tried ive gauges IN all OF
which he found plenty OF water. lie then walked
back to get cup OF coffee and in five minutes the
explosion occurred.
Robert Chew, one OF The proprietors OF the Allan
tic and Pacific Circus saved himself by means OF a
plank. He thinks George Constable and wife. circus
performers from California; FRANK Slate aud Frank
olS nj man a
CASE or sUPERHEAriNG AGAIN.
George Keightley, first engineer, who was on
watch when the explosion occurred, says the boat
mad just struck the bar the engines had been STOP
ped and he glanced al his watch 10 note the time
when the explosion occurred with terrible force.
One OF the boilers was blown back to the cylinders,
and the whole forward part OF the boat including
the pilot house, texas and forward staterooms were
scattered right ana lett. The boat took fre In
stantly, and the
STARTLED AND HALF-NUDE PASSENGERS
who were not killed awoke 10 the terrible reality
But one boat was LETT and that was badly broken.
The officers did all they could TO assist the passen-
gers. Captain Reeder and his clerk, Henry NJ
Worsham, gathered together the life preservers that
were left In the back part OF the cabin and dis
trlbuted them 10 the half-distracted passengers.
There were, 1t is SAID, but two females on board,
Mrs. Constable and the chambermaid, named
Wallace.
HEARfRENDING sCESE-AFrER THE EXPLOSION.
special despatch from CAIRO relative 20 the ex.
plosion OF the steamer Oceanus says that Fisher,
the carpenter, describes the scene as terrible and
hearirendng, The river around the wreck mas
covered with deorls, baggage, bedclothing, beds.
&c, much OF It burning. The cabin and about
half the deck had noated of and was burning.
The captain was In the midst OF the fire, screaming
for help, and men and women in the water were
throwing up their hands and sinking, rise no
more SIX or eight persons were on the forecastle
ana Fisher goa out tae stage PLANK and all except
himself got upon It, but as soon 1t struck the
water the plank careened and all upon 1t persisted
The steamer John Lumsden saved John MeeKer,
Chris. Ielsdorf and John Is. Martin Virgins the
Red River pilot, and Tnpp. are both dead. Mr.
Worsham, the first clerk; captain Reeder the com.
mander; the steward; &. +. Hun, passenger OF
Covington, and many others are missing II ia
thought from sixty 10 seventy persons were lost
Recovery of the Bodies OF the steward and
second Clerk.
CAIRO ILL.,, April II, 1872
The bodies OF Charles worshan. second clerk,
ana J. Dempewolf, steward Of the Oceanus, were
forwarded to ST. Louis this morning for burial.
The steamer Richmond passed the scene or the
disaster last evening, but brought no additional
particulars here.
No opinions are given as to the probable cause OF
the explosion.
Government Orders Investigation.
WASHINGTON, April H. 1872.
Secretary Boutwell, to-day ordered Supervising
Inspector Houston to Immediately investigate the
cause OF the explosion Of the boilers or the steamer
Oceanus and TO report the details OF the investlga-
ton without DELAY, that the proper steps may be
taken TO fix the resp onslDility OF the disaster.
TIE TUGBOAT EXPLOSION.
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