, 1876-03-11

elapsed in making the erial flight to enable
the scow 10 float It's full length. The ius ant
the explosion took place tho boat Was torn
loose from the hawsers and was carried down
on the current.
The persons mentioned started on their
upS ard tour from the stern, and when they
struck the water the low Of the boat was on
" few Yards below. IeGinnis was the
frst per-on whom Bassett saw clamher up
On he wreck. Gray was picked mp by the
men n the skilF. ciIngIng 10 a fragment of
the wreck, aud was thus saved. lie WAS
very badly injured and his recovery il ex-
trsmeiv doubtful One a-m il broken,
portion Of the heeI blown away, gsshes IA
hlrte4 on the back Of his neck aud cheek, by
Hving fragments Oi the wreck, and o'h-r
PORTIONS Of his b ,dy bruised. The other ,hr, e
men are more OF !esS bruised, out their iaju-
res -re not coa-i4er=l serious. Son after
the explosion the men We're taken from the
rerk and conveyed ashore.
At CNAEII.LA.
Nr Bas-ett finding be could b OF no service,
concluded u would Dc best for him TO 20 to
Umatl!la and inform them there OF the dis
aster The wreck d hull soon drifted down
over ,he middle rapids, and Bass-tt, suppos-
ing there might bs come of the helpless victims
7ti.I clisEing TO II, Thought It would DO u
wiss plan 10 hurry down TO Cma,iila and get
- number Of boats ont 70 render What assist
ance WAS possible. He accordingly galloped
toward the town, anxious TO get there before
the wrscl. could flat down Mr.. Stone, one
of the contractors, hlr. Tabor, the govern
lnent Employee, and Capt Zoe, az re all stop
p.ns at the ho'el IN Umatilla waen the eN
po-ion took place. The report was very loud
and the violent conclusion shook every build
ing IL the place. These men knew that some
xrrident had hgppeneG, and started for the
rapids without delay. They were met by
NJ. B44-ett about a mile above town. who
told them what had happened They con-
tinucd on, and BaSSett came to Umarilla and
20, several boats 70 look for victims. Soon
alter the wrecked hull loated down, and also
large uu1n.itie, Uf debris. On looking IN the
hull ouly the body of McCahe was found.
lie was he cOuk on board the scow His
body was horribly man2.ei. An effort was
made 10 draw The wreck 10 the shore, but the
current W4s 30 strong that it was unsuccess-
;gl and had to be abandoned. The force of
the explosion was terrific.
About - pounds of the explosive com
pound WIS on board the scnw The cabin
was literally blown into atoms. Scarcely
fragment Of il could be found Mos Of the
unfortunate men on board mnst have been
torn into hundreds Of pieces. Some idea of
he terrible force Ray be had when II il stat
ed thar not even The beds, blankets, clo hing
and Other Eight articles could be found. Not
even f-agn, nrs Of the victims hsts could 5e
discovered. These articles are all Hghr, aud
woul1 undoubtedly hayo Auatcd. y snail
piece of a blanket was discovered after the
explosion, but 1t was r;ddl ] into shrcd- by
the ooucussio,,. One Of the men who c>cap-
ed ~ - L. saw a number Of the heavy drills
-oiu.. np through The air. Thee and other
heavy articles must have struck the men il
their ascent and torn them Irightiully.
There Was about 400 pounds OF giant powder
stored un tae shore opposite whore the scow
was mOorad. and tho wonder Is that he coz
cusS,on l.d NJ, cause that quantity toexplud,. .
The shock anI report was felt and h-ard
for a Ion; distance IN all directions The e.
.oT- Was distinctly heard above NAliula-a
GIs,luoa Ot . miles The total loss 10 the
contractors IN the way OF scow, tools, applI-
rnces, toss If time and e'c., viii be in the
vicinity oi $iGU0. Wori; has necessarily
beeu suspended owing to the disaster. An
effort witl b. made to % btaiu an extension OF
t.nrr "a which to complete the work. We are
unable Gt present 20 state when operations
VIII us r=,um=d--GJsggz,ga.