The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-02-09
TIE MOSEL DISASTER.
What tho PassenEors who have Arrives
Homo have to Say About II.


Homo have to Say About It.
Many of those who had engaged pas
sage by the steamer Mosel and were de-
layed by the dynamite disaster have
arrived home. a reporter who inter-
viewed them says: Captain Franoke, of
the Salier, happened to be a witness Of
the fearful explosion of dynamite on the
quay at Bremerhaven, and he related
the scene as he saw it. he had come to
the wharf to SEQ the captain OF another
steamer, and was in conversation with a
friend when it occurred. He said:
81 had no idea OF what had occurred
when the explosion took place. It was
about half an hour before the Mosel was
to sail, and the first thing I knew a ter
rible report WAS head and the air was
full of flying fragments Of almost every
thing. I was thrown to my feet, and
when T recovered from the shock and
arose fearful scene met my gaze. Be-
fore the explosion I should think three
hundred people were on the quay,
laughing, making adieus, etc. lmme-
diately thereafter there were not more
than fifty standing, and the dock seemed
to be covered with dead bodies. The
spot where the explosion occurred was
marked by q deep black hole In the
ground, and nothing more. 1t was ss
# blast of wind had swept the ground
for few feet around. I saw pieces OF
wood and iron, chests, boxes, all in
splinters flying about, and the air was
full of fragments of human bodies, legs,
arms, heads; pieces of broken glass
were showered down, and the noise par
TALLY drowned the screams OF the
wounded and dying. I looked at the
Mosel as soon as recovered, and after
wards went aboard of her. Her upper
works were nearly ruined; sky-igbts
were smashed in, the navigation cabin 8
mass of splinters, and the rails and wood
work generally torn and smashed. The
hatchways we're broken in, and the glass
ports cracked and rent into atoms"
Francis volk, Of Jersey City, N. J.,
was q witness of the explosion, and he
tells his story as follows: 81 came to
the wharf about two o'clock. and after
getting my baggage aboard I came on
deck to watch the people. The weather
was very fine, and I was leaning against
the mast enjoying the scene when sud
denly I fell fat on my face and heard q
terrible noise. I thought the boiler OF
the Mosel had exploded first, and then I
imagined it must certainly be the boiler
Of the steamtug alongside. Pieces of
wood, iron and glass. and parts OF hu-
man bodies were falling upon and around
me, and as I cut my head badly when I
fell OF first Thought I was badly injured.
I rose to my feet and looked around.
The scene was awful, and I can't describe
it. It makes me shudder now every
time I think of it," .....
William Bormann, of Philadelphia,
said: II saw it up in the air." MIR.
Bormann is gentleman weighing about
two hundred and fifty pounds, and he
was still suffering from the nervous ex-
citement caused by the. explosion. Al
ter describing the scene in much the
same manner as Captain Francke, he
said: 81 was standing on the wharf
alongside, and a,nidships Of the Mosel.
The first thing I knew I was lifted from
my feet, and raised at least ten feet in
the air. I fell on the deck Of the Mosel.
The wreck caused by the explosion
fell around me; and + was struck by
falling timber. I lay nearly insensible
for some time, aud when I recovered
people were Aocking to the wharf in
crowds, and the dying and wounded were
being cared for. e. ."