Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-14
DISASTER on RED RIVER
The Steamboat Bonuie Lee Explodes
Her Boiler.
N. o. Democrat.

N. o. Democrat.
The sternwhcel steamboat Bonnie Lee,
which left the wharf in this city on
Saturday evening last, bound for Shreve.
port, on Monday night exploded hel
boiler while proceeding up Red River,
pdimmediatcly after sunk.
Mr. William Dillon, one Of the clerks
of the ill-fatcd steamer, reached tho city
yesterday on the Thompson Dean, hav.
ing proceeded in yawl to Tunica, and
from him tho following particulars OF
the disaster were obtained by o Demo.
crat reporter:
The explosion occurred at about
o'clock Monday night, while the boat
was on her way up Red River, and was
of Lone Moore point, about sixty-fve
miles from the mouth OF tho stream.
There was first q jarring and shivering
Of the vessel from bow to stern, as il
some obstruction in tho river hml been
struck, and the explosion Immediately
followed. Its force was upward and to.
wards the bow, and it carried away the
cabin from the clerks Office forward and
threw down the chimneys; it ut the
same time wrecked the hull, aud five
minutes after tho accident, the hoat had
sunk to her hurricane deck.
The yawlboats were launched ay NOON
as possible, and the passengers, two
gentlemen Whose names Mr.. Dillon did
not know, and four ladies', Mrs. Parnell
and daughter, Mrs. Bogcl, of Dallas, and
Miss Nora A. Wood, Of Sherman, Tex,
were carried safely to tho shore.
From the wreck was taken Mr.. jeff.
Poscy, the second clerk Of the boat.
l'c was horribly mangled, his legs being
broken and torn, and his head crushed.
He edied ten minutes after he was placed
on shore. His body was brought down
to this city by the same boat on which
Mr.. Dillon arrived.
A youth, Johnnie McDcrmott, ton years
Of age, the son Of the bar-keeper, Barney
McDer'nott, co"hl not 10 found after
the explosion, and it is supposed no was
blown into tho river, md If not dead
before striking the water was drowned.
Several Of the crew were also missing
and arc recorded ~ lost. Mr.. Dillon
did not know their names.
Capt. Kouns in command, A. Pujol,
tho carpenter, and ChaS Longshaw and
other members of the crew were thrown
into the river, but were picked up by
the y"wls. Pujol was slightly and
Longsh"w seriously injured.
Taylor Rcynand, tho engineer on duty
at the time Of the accident, escaped un-
hurt.
The cause Of the disaster is not posi-
lively known, but it is attributed to tho
jar which tho boat received Just pre-
vions, it being believed that tho sudden
shock caused the boiler to give way.
From the records Of tho office of the
local Board Of Inspectors for this district
the Democrat reporter asccrtaincd that
the boat had but one boiler. Tho boiler
was five years old, and was inspected
and tested by the local Board of lDspcc.
tors in this district in October last. 1t
then stood hydrostatic pressure Of
6265 pounds to the square inch, and au.
thority to carry lA pounds Of steam was
given. 1t was ten-fluc boiler, twenty
two feet long, and forty-four inches in
diameter. 1t was made Of gnartcr-inch
iron, which had stood q tensile strain Of
Go,@O pounds.
1t was examined by local Inspector
Appleton during last week, and in obe-
dence to his instructions u sheet which
had "sagged" Was replaced with new
one.
The Bonnie Lee was built ut Jefferson,
Ind, in 1876; she was 325 tons burden
and was owned by Capt. Noah scovcll.
She was valued at $40 and was in.
surcd for $4,000.
The freight on board--a full load--is
q total loss. The consignccs are not
known and viii be ascertained with
difficulty, as the books and papers of
the boat were lost.
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DOMESTIC STORY.