The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-06-20
RecOllectiOns Of q Disaster.

100 OF 1000, anu ILLUMINATION has DVoh
offered as to the date, but it does not sat
isfy the interest that tho question creates.
Tho writer hereof was n resident of Gin
cinnati at the time of the MoseIle expo
sion, and narrowly escaped the fate which
beteil the victims Of that disaster. The
Noselle was built in Lctherbury's yard
in Fulton, and was launched early il the
spring of 1888, We believe, for we have
not at this moment the data, which we
have slowed away somewhere, that will
fix the date exactly. The vessel was
partly owned by Capt. Perrin, who was
appointed its commander. The Weselle
Yves one among the first "crack' boats,
which were built to take the places of the
Mediator, Algonquin, Nonongdhela, FAIR
pldy, etc, and was intended to beat the
Pike, Ben Franklin, and o.her sharp bow
ed, big sidewhcel steamers that we're carry
ing of all the trade for Southern ports.
1t was the custom of the fast boats, at
that day, to run over a mile or two above
the city. when they were to start on II
Southern trip; then turn, and coming
press of steam, with 'scape pipes turned
into the wheelhouse, SO that the yes, els
had the appearance of fairly flying by
without the aid of steam; and it had 4
very fine effect. On such occasions the
wharf was literally crowded with specta-
tons. The first trip of the MoSelle was to
be signalized by an excursion to New Or
leans. In addition to the regular list of
passengers, considerable number of
persons had been invited by Capt. Perrin
as his personal guests, u make the trip
The writer hereof wa, one of the ia
vOrtd number, but he was unable to avail
himself Of the courtesy. After the yes
sci had taken on her freight, and her city
passengers and guests had got aboard at
the landing, the Moselie steamed up to
Fulton, for the purpose of taking on sew
eral German families, who were bound
for Texas. The emigrants were taken
aboard, and the vessel was swinging
around with the current, for the purpose
of passing down by the wharf, under %
marvellous pressure of steam, intended to
eclipse any previous effort of the kind,
when suddenly the boilers exploded, in
volving in the catastrophe the crowd
who were thronging the decks, and burn
ing and scalding TO death a large number
OF the light-hearted tourists, who were
thus suddenly wrapped in terrible dsas-
ter. The only persons who escaped scald-
ing, and were not more or less injured by
the explosion, were ladies, children, and
few gentlemen, who were fortunately in
the ladies' cabin. The decks above and
below were strewn with the victims, and
a considerable number of persons were
rescued from the river, having jumped
into the water to escape from the scalding
steam.
Capt. PERKINS, body was found among
the tim bers of new vessel, afterward
named the Monsoon, which was building
on the same stocks from which the i'll
iated Xoselle had but recently been
launched The vessel was a frightful
wreck from stem to stern; and she slowly
tioated down the river to the Water
Works. where she sunk close to the shore,
Immediately in tie rear of that building
aud the wreck If the vessel lay at that
point all season, and was visited by
thousands Of curious people, many Of
whom procured pieces of the Inflated
boat, until she was Clipped up into frag-
ments, and carried away piecemcal.
o., Many elderly citizens, young persons
at the time, will remember the constcr-
nation the report of the explosion created
throughout the city, and over the whole
country. The wharf, between Main street
and Broadway, on the evening OF that
terrible day, was crowded with people
who were awaiting the appearance of the
Noseiie, and cheer her with her joyous
human freight, as she steamed 10y the
wharf, but they were not gratifcd. With
in quarter Of an hour after the expo
sion, the frightfu intelligence was re.
ceived 10y the waiting multitude, and
thousands of persons rushed east up
Front street, fastening to the scene Of
disaster! Within half an hour the terri
Die intelligence had been spread over the
entire city, and the inhabitants were fair
ly horror stricken The newspaper read
or of to-day, who is suricited with horrors
every morning at the break fast table, can
not realize the intense excitement which
moved the whole country as the terrible
news Of the Noselle explosion was spread
broadcast. And it was a topic of terror
for years afterward.
The funeral of most of the victims of
the Kosel,e explosion was pablo, and
thousands Of persons joined the pro-
ccs-ion in vehicles and on foot. 1t was
by odds the most extended funeral ever
witnessed in Cincinnati. Owing to the
displacement of the documents giving a
detailed account of the notable event, We
are now unable to give the names of the
victims whose awful deaths were thus
comme.norated. 1t will be remem bered
by many elderly readers of the Gazette
,ha, lama frarmapta of Tho c0llopsad