Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-08-08
THE JOHN MALBON EXPLOSION.

THE JOHN MALBON EXPLOSION.
P.::,e:l:5: . q ar. q re n..e.ser-H.... .
The raft boat John Malbon, of L.
Crosse, exploded her boiler 1t 1874
O'Clock on Tuesday, about two mile.
above McGregor, and about half mil.
above the scene of the explosion of the
MacD Donald last month.
STATEMENT OF A SURVIVOR. i
From Hub Smith, passenger, I obtain
the following statement. He seems to
be the only. one able TO- give N nc.
count: 81 went to sleep about II
O'Clock did not wake up until nv wife
called me for dinner. Only = fex reds
from McGregor We went to the table,
leaving two small children sleeping in
two state:rooms, some distance apart.
I had just finished dinner, and was
waiting for my wife, when everything
became dark and confusion. Tables
and furniture. were thrown around the
cabin. Almost instantly the centre of
the cabin began to sink. A. soon a
possible I Ic!eared myself aud got loot
hold. Hearing my wife scneam looked
down and saw herin water to the waist.
1 endeavored to draw her out, but her
clothes were entangled in 4 sinking
mass, and could not do 90 until MI.
Ross. the engineer. who was ut the table,
came to my assistance, and then :only
by tearing her clothes Of: I then went
forward for the children, and only dis
covered one by bis crying. I found
the door wedged on him.
By the time I got ell off the water WAS
nearly over him. Mr.. Smith describes
the scene az being fightful. He could
see nothing, the steam enveloping ill,
but as the boat sank it cleared, ana he
was able to save his wife and one child.
Capt. Malbon. had left the table but
five minutes before, to relieve his
brother, Jehn Malbon, ct the wheel, He
didn't see him after. The engineer says
the explosion was caused BY . daw in
the boiler iron, but nothing definite il
known. :' = 81.
AN0THRR sTATRlGHHT. ~
Another passenger, A. G.. Hagadorn,
of Sandwich, H., says he has NO dis
tinct recollection Of any impressions or
warning of threatened danger, but re.
members being thrown several feet
above the boat into the air, and light
ing in the water upon fragments of the
forward part of the boat, which was
blown to splinters. The debris WAS scat
tered some distance in all directions.
He saw the passengers and crew in the
water, clinging to floating timbers, and
others escaping from the smoke and
fire in the stern. Pieces of the wreck
were blown distance of Is rods, and
articles of clothing were, seen hanging
on the banks of the island. The ferry
boats Allamakee aud City of Ac0regor
promptly steamed to the assistance of
the victims of the terrible disaster.
The wounded were brought to Me-
Gregor and carefully attended to by
physicians and citizens.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The following is q list as near ~ can
be ascertained, of the killed and miss
ing: ..-. -..5 .:..
Killed-Capt. Malbon, La Crosse {;
Tom Wilson, Patrick O'Neil,1 Chafles
Young, firemen; Henry Tilburn.. and
the child of Hub Smiths.
"VuAANON" will N2W4OOO1 p41Ve4 U0e
verely; Daniel White, slightly; John
McNorton, scalaed; . Norwegian serv-
ant Mrs. Malbon, wife Of the Captain,
badly scalded in the side. = s';<
Saved-Harxey Piaroe, engineer; !;
Ross, second engineer;.rC. E. Brad
ford, fireman; Alex. Applegate, T. b.
Lafavor, Hub Smith, wife and one
child {; Mrs. Capt. Aalbon, John Dis-
mond, Ole Hansen, A. q. Hagadorn.
1t is supposed that two = passen.
gers got off at McGregor, but
is not known definitely. A boat il
expected tonight from La Cr6sse 10
take the sufferers to that place. An
are doing we'll. It is rumored that the
officers had wager on the time they
would reach La Crosse, but il il do
MED by the passengers. A diver went
down soon after the explosion, but
found no bodies. and says the explosion
was similafto that Of the MeDonald..