Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-23
BOILER EXPLOSION AT HONG KONG.
Terrible Scenes Of Suffering Among the
Scalded Passengers OF a Chinese
Steamship.
China Mail.

Scalded Passengers OF Chinese
Steamship.
China Mail.
A fearful accident occurred this
morning shortly before eight o'clock on
board the steamship Yesso (Captain
Ashton, belonging to Messrs. Douglas
Lapraik q Co. The steamer had lust
arrived from the coast ports, and was
being safely moored alongside the
wharf. The passengers were all pre-
pairing to leave her, when loud re-
port was heard and the vessel was
shaken from stem to stern, while large
volumes Of steam issued from the fore
hatch and engine-room. A scene of
CONSERVATION and dismay followed, and
as many of the Chinese passengers as
were able rushed on deck, all who were
forward having been more or less scald-
ed. 1t was easy to perceive what had
occurred, and it only remained for the
officers to do what they could to allevi-
ate the sufferings of the unfortunate
passengers. AS soon as the steam had
cleared away most horrible sight pre-
scented itself. Men were seen crawling
along the decks fearfully disfgured,
some of them having the skin literally
peeled of their bodies. A large supply
OF OH was at once procured from
Messrs. Lane, Crawford & Co.'S store,
which, together with lint, was literally
supplied to all; chairs were at once
procured, and the poor patients were
sent as fast as possible to the Civil Hos
pltal. Chair after chair was brought on
to the deck of the steamer, and the
woeful appearance of the poor crea-
lures was most pitiable; many of them
were lifted into the chair Il helpless
mass Of scalded quivering flesh, and
there was dazed look of unconscious
ness on many Of their faces. Captain
Ashton and the other officers of the
ship, the police and several gentlemen
did their utmost to facilitate their re-
moval, Dr. Adams being in attendance
to superintend. After the living were
seen to, the dead were taken up, to the
number of twelve Most of these
must have been killed instantly, to
judge by the positions in which they
were tound-they were nearest to the
fOre-hatch when the steam from below
forced itself upward, lifting the hatch
Oft and carrying all before it. One was
found sitting on his luggage, cross
legged, leaning against the bulkhead,
others were lying on mats and many
had been manned by pieces of splinter
ed wood. Strange to say, there was
one family that escaped unscathed,
their miraculous escape being in great
measure due to the presence of mind
of the woman, who shut the door of
her cabin and this excluded the steam.
Two women also, from presence OF
mind or terror, wrapped themselves in
their blankets, and thus saved them
selves from being scalded. After the
removal of all the unfortunates. the
deck was found strewn with skin of
legsy feet and hands which had
fallen off entire The number of per-
sons scalded is about eighty, including
four of the crew. OF these sixty-four
were sent to the hospital, twelve were
dead, and the remainder were only
slightly hurt. The only European in
Jured was the second engineer (Mr. w.
Haggat,) but his injuries are not con-
sidered serious. The cause of the cata-
strOphe was the blowing out Of the for
ward end of the starbOard boiler, but
we have not learned full particulars
and, probably never will The boiler
has, we believe, been in use only three
years and seven months.
the steam was. we understand, being
blown down at the time of the explo-
sion, and it is said showed pressure of
not more than fourteen pounds. Of
this, however, at present we need say
nothing. The result Of the explosion
was that the upper half Of the forward
end of the boiler was blown away; the
bulkhead made of diagonal planks and
portions Of tea packages being strewn
about the hold. One of the beams of
the ship was damaged, having evident
ly been struck by the iron when the
explosion took place 1t is "a curious
circumstance that the forward deck, i'm
mediately above the forehold, is seldom
occupied by passengers; but on this
disaster.
The police were most assiduous in
preventing robbery At the Govern
ment Civil Hospital nearly all the navy,
military and civil doctors in the colony
were hard at work, and the Jail Hos
pital had to be awaited of. Admiral
Hilyar very promptly signaled for med
ical assistance from the ships Of war;
and we understand that HI. E., the Gov
ernor visited the hospital, we're the
sufferers were being attended to. A
number Of the men are at the Tung
Wah Hospital. Several Of the patients
have succumbed since being taken to
the hospital-deaths are, in fact, hourly
taking place; and it is feared that
many Of the injuries will have q fatal
termination. An inquest will be held
this afternoon at o'clock.
The Hong Kong Daily Press of the
9th Of November says that the totaI
number Of deaths from the explosion
on board the S. S. Yesso amounted, up
to that date, to seventy.
Lead and Mercury Poisoning.
The value Of ioclide Of potassium to