The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-13
TIE sTEA1Bo4T HORROR.
Details Of the Explosion OF the
Oceanus-The Panic-Strtcken Passen-
gers Between Two Elements-GhustIy
Scenes and Tragic Incidents.

Scenes and Tragic Incidents.
ST. LOUIS, April L.
Additional particulars of the explosion oil
the boiler on the steamer Oceanus, near Cairo,
The most terrible disasters that has occurred
on the Mississippi for many years. The most
reliable accounts put the number killed at be.
tween sixty and seventy, and in most cases
the bodies will never be recovered. The de.
tails OF the disaster are horrible Id the eX-
IRENE.
LArER.-The Belle, Of st. Louis, arrived
of persons who died during the passage. The
books and papers OF the OceanuS we're lost,
and q list Of the persons lost cannot, there
fore, be obtained. Geo. Constable aud his
wife, Of Noye's circus, are missing. The dead
on the boat presented q horrible appearance,
their bodies being swollen, and many of the
bodies were the color OF raw beef, the ekin
having been entirely scalded off. Those not
otherwise designated are not Injured. The
engineer said he wen. on his watch but a few
moments before the explosion and tried five
gauges, Ia all of which he found plenty of
water. He then walked back 10 get a cup OF
coffee. and in five minutes the explosion occur
red. Robert Chew, one OF the proprletors of
the Atlantic Circus, saved htmselfby meanso of
a plank. he thinks that Geo. Constable and his
vile, circus performers from California, and
Frank Stale and Frank Williams, also circus
men, were drowned.
George Keithly, the first engineer, who was
on watch when the explosion occurred, says
the boat had Just struck the bar. Her engines
had been stopped, and he glanced at his watch
to note the time, when the explosion occurred
with terrible force One Of the boilers was
blown back to the cylinders, and the whole for
ward part of the beat, including the pilot
house and forward part OF The staterooms,
were scattered right and left. The boat took
fire instantly, and the startled and half nude
passengers, who were not killed, awoke 10 the
terrible reality. But one boat was left, and
they could to assist the passengers. Captain
Reader and his clerk, Henry N. Worsham,
gathered together the life-preservers that were
left In the back part Of the cabin and distribu-
ted them to the haE%dlstracted passengers.
There were bat two females on board, Mrs.
Constable and a chanbermaid named Wallace.
A Tugboat Blown Up.
NEW YORK, April II.
The tugboat Davenport, which exploded last
evening, near jersey City, had tour canal
boats IL tow when she exploded. The en-.
glneer, named Dextar; the fireman, named
Snyder; the cook, James Caulleld; an un.
known boy belonging TO the tug, and q boy
on q caual-boat were blown q great distance,
falling into the water and drowning, After
the explosion, nothing could be seen Of the
tug except q few floating splinters, and all the
canal-boats were shattered.
A Locomotive Explosion.
Boston, April IL.
The locomotive Atlas, attached to q freight
train on the Boston and Albany Railroad, ex-
ploded this morning, killing the fireman and
brakeman, and badly inJuring the engineer.