Marshall County Republican., 1872-04-25
TERRIBLE BOILER EXPLOSION.
The steamer Oceanus Blown Into Fra g
ments-Sixty to seventy of the Passengers
and Crew Killed or Drowned.

and Crew Killed or Drowned.
The steamer Oceanus, from Red river
to st. Louis, when near Brooks Point,
thirty miles above Cairo, at a. M. on
Wednesday, April 10, exploded her
boiler, blowing the upper works almost
entirely away, Immediately after which
the wreck took fire, burning to the
waters edge. Pilot Thompson, of the
steamer John Lumsden, lying a few
miles below, on seeing the light from
the burning wreck, manned yawl and
proceeded up the river to ascertain the
cause. He found a small party of sur
vivors on the head of the island, but
passed on to relieve those on the wreck.
Ten or twelve were clinging to the
wheel, but it dropped before he reached
them, and all but four were lost.
The steamer Belle of St. Louis, bound
up, took on board the survivors, thirty
six in number, many of whom were
badly burned or otherwise injured
Seven died before reaching St. Louis.
George Keightly, the first engineer,
who was on watch when the explosion
occurred, says the boat had Just struck
bar. The engines had been stopped,
and Mr.. Keightly glanced at his watch
to note the time, when the explosion
occurred, and, 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 state-rooms, were
scattered right and left. The boat took
| fire instantly, and the startled and half
nude passengers that were not killed
awoke 10 a terrible reality. But one
boat was left, and that was badly broken.
The officers did all they could to assist
the passengers. Pilot Harris stated that
Virgins, their Red river pilot, was
drowned. Harry Trip, the pilot on
watch, and also Capt. Reeder were
buried in the debris and were heard
calling despairingly for help, but the
fire had gained such headway that they
could not be reached and were burned.
! Various statements have been made
by the survivors of the disaster, but
they relate almost entirely to personal
experience, and throw little or no light
on the cause of the explosion. The
bodies brought to St. Louis by the
steamer Belle will be held for inquest.
| Those of the wounded not able to take
care of themselves have been taken in
charge by the city, and sent to hospitals.
One of the pilots states that it would
have been impossible for the steamer
to ground at the point where the explo-
sion took place, as asserted by George
Keightly, first engineer. The passen-
gers and crew numbered about 100
souls, as nearly as can be estimated, OF
whom only thirty-six have been found.
The Earthquake in Fifteen Hun.
dred Persons Swept into Eternity.
London april 81 Dispatch to the New York Herald
A telegram from Constantinople, re
porting the occurrence of most fearful
and fatal visitation by earthquake in the
East, reached this city during the morn
ing to-day. The dispatch states that the
city of Antioch, in Syria, has just been
visited by an earthquake, causing ter
rible loss Of life and almost general ruin
of property. One-half OF the city was
totally destroyed, and 1900 persons
swept from existence suddenly. A rum
bling noise, of almost unearthly sound
pervaded Antioch at an early hour this
morning. The people became alarmed
and startled. They were not permitted
moment for reflection as to the cause,
when the town was visited by three sue
cessive shocks of earthquake and earth
waves, the force of which caused the
buildings to vibrate and rock to and fro
Houses commenced to topple over, and
the inhabitants rushed from The falling
buildings terror-stricken and shrieking
in dismay. They endeavored to force
their way from the town to the open
country, but very many of them perished
in the attempt. The river Orontes rose
and swept over the lower portions of the
CITY, The two bridges which spanned
the river have been carried away, and
great portions of the city were thrown
down. Great distress prevails in that
portion of the city which has not been
demolished, and the inhabitants are
sadly in need of the assistance which Ii
being forwarded to them rapidly from
the cities and towns more adjacent to
the scene of disaster.
The city of Antioch-or, as it is now
called, Antakiek, now again, for the