Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-07-28
THE FANCH0N EXPLOSION.
Further Details of the Steamboat AcciGeiI
Near New Ofloans-A Portion OF tho
Crow Still Missing,

E0rt00E
Near New Ofleans-A Portion OF tho
Grow Still Missing,
E. Quatrevaux, chief clerk of the steam
boat FanchOn, on which fiue OF one Of
the boilers exploded at New Orleans on
Wednesday night, gives the following ac-
count of the disaster: He said he was
sitting near his Office at the time it Oc
Cured, while the second clerk was making
out his extension of charges on his books.
When he was asked what should be
charged for lot of machinery, including
q boiler destined for ono of the upper
sugar plantations, he went below, accom-.
panied by the second clerk, and
after having determined the charges
to be made was on his return
to the cabin when the !explO-
sion took place. First came loud report
when tho flue burst, then the noise of es'
Gaping steam. In an instant MIR. Quar-
trevaux found himself hurled forward
head foremost against large boiler, that
part of the freight which he had just been
Inspecting. He tried to clutch at the cap
stan to stay his further progress, but the
force of the rushing steam was more than
he could contend against, and he was
pitched head foremost into tho river. Sew
eral boats coming up the river at the time
and the swell from these came very near
swamping him. He saw negro rousta-
bout near him vino was evidently making
every preparation to clutch at him, and
that danger had to be avoided too. 1t
was impossible to stem the current, and SO
he struck out for the shore, going down
stream, He was rescued by boat after
swimming some 200 yards from the steam
or. Tho second clerk was more unfOrtu.
nate, he being almost Immediately under
the exploding flue when the accident Oc.
CURED. After being thrown to the deck
he was held there by the seething steam,
from which escape was impossible. He
was severely scalded all over the body.
The rOustabOuts were lOlling around
the lower deck when tho accident occurred
and here the casualties wcre greatest.
Many of these men, driven mad by the
pain of their scalded flesh, which hung
upon them in shreds, jumped into the
river. Unable to comprehend what had
occurred, and still more ignorant OF what
was coming, men and women rushed fran
ticaliy up and nown the deck, calling
loudly for assistance. These consisted
almost entirely of the cabin passengers,
who escaped without a scratch. One lady
wanted to jump overheard, but was held
back by some of her friends.
]. NJ. Hicks, first engineer Of the boat,
stated that when tho accident occurred he
had been absent from tho engine room
less than ten minutes. He had left the
engines temporarily in charge of the second
engineer. John Gillen. Immediately be-
fore leaving he examined the steam guage
and found it registered 145 pounds. He
also tried tho water guages and told Gillen
that the boilers were too full. He never
carried over $50 pounds Of steam. The
machinery of the FanchOn was in excel
lent order, and tho engineer says he is
utterly enable to account for the cause of
the accident. The damage to the boat and
freight amounts to little.
1t is impossible to say how many of the
unfortunate roustabouts leaped overheard.
Ono man says he saw nine in the river.
some of whom it is known were saved,
Another says he saw four of them drown
ing, and this so far comprised the total
loss Of life in all probability. This loss
appears Insignificant compared with the
number on board at the time of the acci-
dcnt-about sixty souls, of which fifteen
were passengers. Nathan Brown, captain
of the watch, aud Gus Clark, a rousta-
bout, both negroes, arc reported drowned.