The Portland daily press., 1874-04-13
The Great Explosion on Steamer
Iigress.
Captain BartIetss Statement.


NEW YORK, April ia ST. Johns IN. F
special has the following: Since her return from
Bafin's Bay in search of Buddington and the
Inflated Polaris, the Tlgress has been consider
ed sort OF marine prodigy, an object of rever-
ence to fishermen hereabouts, owing to her mar
vellous escape from the bergs and hurricanes
she then encountered on the northwest coast of
Greenland.
After the Palaris matter had been disposed
of, she was fitted out fer seal fishing trip, and
was returning south at the time with her catch,
when the terrible disaster already reported de-
prived her of all steam facilities This (Fri-
day. morning had an interview with Captain
Bartlett, of the whaling steamer Panther,
which brought the intelligence He did not
think there was any doubt that the Tigress
would reach land in safety, as he did not believe
the vessel was materially injured by the burst
ing of the boiler. Capt Bartlett makes the
following statement:
Con Friday, the Sd inst, the Panther was in
long. 51.15, lat. 1922 north, on her return to
st. Johns. The lookout reported the steamer
apparently moving only under sail. AS we ap-
preached her it was discovered that she had her
flags at half mast. Subsequently and after
signalling her ordered boat to be lowered
and went on board myself, when 1 discovered
her to be the Tlgress. Her captain and chief
officers were on deck when I got on board. 1
was then informed that on Thursday, April I'd,
at two o'clock in the afternoon. the vessel was
shaken all over by terrific explosion of her
boiler, which created great confusion, as the
escaped steam completely enveloped every COM
partment below In consequence all steam IA
cities had been destroyed, and they had been
uuder sail against head wind for twenty-four
hours
When reached the deck of the Tigress I OBJ.
served that number of men were engaged in
carpenters work, making up and mailing to-
gether number of rough pine wood boxes. 1
asked the commander what they were for and
he said that they were designed for receiving
the bodies of the unfortunate men who had
been killed by the accident on the day of the
explosion. Said the captain of the Tigress to
me
The weather was dreadfully cold, with the
stiff breeze blowing and heavy swell on. A
number of the men mad gone below after
boiler for the sake of warmth. Nineteen of
the crew were reposing in this way when the
crash occurred, and some of them were literal
ly scaldt beyond recognition. The consterna-
duty at the time and were both killed.
left them on the afternoon of the Sd, max
ing for land under sail, and promised to report
the disaster Immediately on our arrival. L did
the officers of the Tigless appeared in great
grief, and could give but few particulars. -
The above is Captain Bartletts simple state
ment Since hearing him 1 have learned that
the Tigress had arrived off the coast and put
into Bay Roberts, where in all probsb lity she
will land her Dead and wait for assistance to
reach this place, and whence also we shall
probably receive further details.
Another Account.
New YORK, April ia Herald special from
st. johns, N. F., gives the statement of Capt
Isaac Bartlett, commander of the Tigress, to
her owners. Capt. Bartlett says: On Thurs
day, the ID of April, at 3 p. M, was standing
on the bridge. The vessel at that time was
slowly steaming through the ice. All at once
l saw smoke and steam issuin from the ea-
CINE room in great violence. Personally had
felt no shock and was not aware of any explo-
sion having occurred till saw the men rushing
up through the hatch. Some one exclaimed:
1.-The boilers have burst Three men jumped
overheard but were subsequently rescued and
taken on board the vessel. Ten men were kill
ed instan taneOusly and eleven others died in
great agony the day following. Among these
were the first and second engineers. The first
engineer was a native of Dundee, and the sec
ond, named Booth, belonged to Philadelphia.
All the evidence could gather from the stokers,
coal beavers and assistant tends to show the
flame sheet and tube plate gave way. The
shock was felt below deck very much as the
explosion tended downward. 1 am unable to
give the specific cause of the explosion. At
the time the guage indicated sufflclency os
water, but it is supposed the guage was out of
order. The boiler was built in Phlade,ph by
Neafe & Levy, and in January last was tested
for 100 pounds pressure to the square inch, the
test being made in the presence of the first en-
gineer and myself. On the day of the explo
Sion the steam guage indicated sixty pounds
pressure, and on the day previous there was
pressure of eighty pounds. All the men killed
were on top of the boiler at the time. They
were mostly men in poor circumstances, and
leave sorrowipg families, for whom it is propos-
ed here to get up subscription.