The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-12-28
THE WEST POINT DISASTER.
Detailed Statements rs Given by the
Forwarding Agent and Others.

| Forwarding Agent ana others.
THE CRITIC yesterday contained very
full account by telegraph of the explosion
of the steamer West Point on the York
River, Va. A dispatch from Richmond,
dated last night, has the following addi-
tional particulars:
Mr.. Il. II. Adams, the forwarding agent
at West Point, who arrived here to-day,
| gives the following particulars of the dis
aster. He says The West Point was
lying at the wharf, bow down stream, re-
ceiving and discharging freight. While
twenty-five persons were on board the cx-
plosion took place, and in an instant the
boat was in flames. The explosion was
violent, and blew the Off part of the star
board side Off the vessel. The stevedore,
Mr.. Bradford tone of the LOST ,rwas stand
ing near n portfolio, and il Is supposed was
instantly killed. In order to save the
wharf property the boat was cut loose in
five minutes after the explosion occurred.
II drifted with the tide, and, rs it was
known that twelve men were in the hold,
unable to get out, the feeling of the
people on shore was one of inexpressible
horror. A boat was sent after the burning
vessel. 1t picked up little colored boy
named GarliclS, who was floating on
board or q hatch. The steamers cargo was
made up of miscellaneous freight, among
which were 800 barrels of oil in the hold.
The oil, of course, added to the fury of the
flames, and the explosion, the original
cause of the fire, may be traced to It, though
no theory has yet been settled upon. No
lamps were used in the hold, and the
matches had been off more than an hour
when the accident occurred. L had been
through the vessel about twenty minutes
before the explosion. The only fire on
board the boat was under the little boiler
which runs the hosting engine. For
greater security this engine was encased in
n bulkhead, so that it would be entirely
detached from everything around.
The man who was running the engine
was at his post, but was unhurt. As soon
as he heard the explosion he set the pumps
to work, and then ran Off the boat Capt.
j. X. Billups, master of the boat, was on
the wharf near by attending to his duties.
He was unhurt. Both of the mates were
on board. First Mate Peter Geoghagen was
blown overheard and was very badly hurt,
though it is thought not fatally. The second
mate escaped without much injury. Mr..
Geoghagen is q son of the captain of that
name, well known in Baltimore, and at
one time master of n steamer running be-
tween West Point and that city. The
wounded mate is properly cared for, and it
is believed will recover. As soon as the
man running the engine heard the explo-
sion he put his head out of the window
near his engine to see what was the &C.
casion of the noise. The flames Kissing by
scorchcd his hair. He then worked his way
out and made his escape"
Col. Talcott, superintendent and general
manager of the Richmond and Danville &
York River Line, is confident from his re-
ports of the disaster, that the deaths of the
men in the hold must have been instan-
taneous. Mr.. Adams and others say that
not word was heard from the unfortunate
men after the explosion. 1t is thought
that they were crushed to death before the
boat caught fire. AS soon as the officers
were satisfied that all on board had per-
ished the moorings were cut loose and the
boat ale wed to drift with the tide to pre-
vent the company's wharf from being
burned. Col. Talcott feels sure that before
this precaution was taken the men on board
had breathed their last The whole crew
of the steamer belonged to Baltimore.
William Green, n colored stevedOre, of this
city, who was just going aboard the doomed
boat when the explosion occurred, was
slightly hurt. He came to this city. One
Of the colored stevcdores who escaped
from the hold, Col. Talcott says, states
that the disaster, he believes, was
occasioncd by the explosion of
n barrel of kerosene or gasoline This
theory is not regarded as probable The
hatchways had been open half an hour be-
fore the explosion, and had there been any
escaping gasoline in the hold, 1t had full
time to have made its escape. Another
thing, there were no lamps burning in the
hold of the vessel in which inflammablc
material could have come in contact
Superintendent Talcott thinks it is barely
possible that dynamite may have been
shipped in box of dry goods stored away
in the locality where the explosion is sup.
posed to have taken place. In removing
this, case, if it contained such an explo-
sivc substance, may have caused the dis.
aster. Mr.. Adams says that the stevedores
and all of the crew were thoroughly sober
Early in the morning he found some o.
the former, who manifested desire to &C
up in the village and probably indulge in
Christmas merriment and stopped them
They were kept busily at work and ava,
from liquor. Up to this afternoon thu
bodies of twelve men had not been recov
! cred, but every effort will be made to secure
!, them If they are not burned to n crisp
! which seems probable from the immens
quantity of inflammable material know
/, to have been on board. Mr.. Ruben Foster
the agent of the steamboat line, was OK
: pected here to-day. All of the crew of tn
steamer West Point were saved except
: colored man named Jarvis and the mess
how tI,A q l, lnt Nn. t,,Nl-