Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-06-17

The D. A. MCDONALD ExPLosIoN-CAPT.
PIeRcE BLOWN Two HUNDRED FEET From
THE BoAT-How he CALCULATED HIS CHAN
cEs OF COMING DowN SAFELY-PA
LARS OF THE TERRIBLE DfsAsTER.-Tn addi-
ton to the telegraphic account of the explo-
sion of the boat d. A. Mcdonald. near Nc
Greger on Friday last, vehave the following
from Capt. W. Il. Pierce, one Of our citizens,
who was on board OF the fAted boat at the |
time of the accident. The boat left our
levee on Thursday, with about thirty men
on board, including Capt. Pierce, who, though
an invited guest going to La Crosse, took
the wheel until they had passed the Rapids
as he was better acquainted with the chan
mel than the engineer, Robert Solomon, or
the two pilots who were in command. The
men on board were q returning raft crew
under round pay. Safely over the rapids the
pilots took the boat and every thing went on
smoothly, the engines working Handsomely
and four o'clock on Friday afternoon, Capt
Pierce, while half asleep in one Of the ber,hs
felt slight conclusion which was instantly
followed BY another and terrible one which
partially stunned him, bat OF so but that be
was conscious of what had happened, as he
telE himself going up 10 q great mass OF ru-
ins-doors. windows, boards bedding and
flooring, clashing and crashing all about him
As near as be could calculate, it being his
6rst ascension, he went up about hundred
feet, when he came to stop and suddenly felt
himself shoot out of the ruin head down wards
When about half way down a stick Of tim
Der coming up struck and pArAlizsd one OF
= his legs, which turned him around aud he
shot feet foremost into the water. With rare
/ presence OF mind, he took long breath be-
fore going down, which enabled
4 him to remain under water until
the wreck that went up with him
came down. On attempting to come
. to the surface be found himself under por
lion Of the decking. but after swimming about
' a little he came up aud after trying several
T. portions of the floating wreck secured some
floating boards on which lie took a seat and
Il did some good service i'll directing the
!. skiffs that came to the rescue. A terrible
sight presented itself 10 him, Of falling auC
Y floating runs, men bloody and mAugled
coming to the surface some to secure 4
r, temporary support but mostly all only tC
! cry on! in agony and then to sink forever
II here and there q hand or a boot, or a heaC
d would come to the surface aud disappear
Amidst this scene of ruin and death th,
crew of the ferrybost AllAmAkee SCENE,
d psrAlized until Capt. Pierce called out t.
e them to come TO their assistance. Ia
Ct short time ski1s commenced to come frou
r all directions and the survivors we're taker
J. in and cared for. Capt. Pierce was taken t,
Ct the Evans House, McGregor, kept BY Capt
rs Flanders, who cared for him Just 81 wortl
Ie until Saturday morning wheu he was put OIL
le board the good Northern Liner, LAX
lie Superior, whose officers, Capt. Worden
Clerk Tatum and that excellent Steward
e Ed " siney took every care of him until b.
D. was landed st home in this city. Th'
e further psrticulsrs-su Substantially correc
will be found in our telegra phic columns
e where another chapter of death is added T.
Re the long list of uuexplsinsble steam explo
Of sious that seem to defy all theory ant
investigation.