The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-08-17
ST. LOUIS. August 8.

ST. LOUIS. August g.
Engineer Bowers, Of the steamer Golddust,
states that at the time of the explosion he had
just looked at the steam-gauge, which regis
tered 140 pounds. The boat was allowed 166
pounds. He had just tried the water-gauge.
The water was flush with the upper cock. He
was in the blacksmith shop, and Intended TO
blow out the mud-drum. There were twoex-
plosions in quick succession. One boiler re-
manned in place, one went off and stuck end
up through the cabin floor, and the third
stopped in the engine-FOOm and lay with one
end on each engine. The pilot, Ed Gray. and
his son, who were on watch, and Miss Hilda
Smith were in the piEot-Aouse. Tom Gray was
asleep in his room over the boilers. Those in
the piot-house fell among the wreck, but got
out without scratch.
There were 1O6 persons on the Golddust. OF
these sixty-fOur are on board the City of Alton,
thirteen arc dead twelve badly burned and
left at Hickman, and seventeen are missing.
All the ladies on board were saved.
Henry Dietrich, the first clerk, who was in
charge OF the Office of the Golddust at the time
the explosion took place, arrived in St. Louis
this evening from the scene of the disaster.
He spoke lightly of his injuries, and when
asked to detail his experiences Immediately
after the explosion replied that he could say
very little of his own knowledge; as the first he
was aware of was when he awoke to conscious
ness at the hotel, whittier he had been re-
moved from the burning boat by some of the
crew. applications of cold water he con-
tinued, ''were being made to my fece when
revived, and finding that my injuries were not
serious returned to the boat. This was about
half an hour after the explosion, and she was
being carried out from the bank by the.eddy,
at the time, enveloped in flames. There was
no one in the water, as all had been rescued very
soon after the explosion occurred. The fact
that it was election day caused large number
of people to be in town, and the alarm
once given every one rushed to the scene of
the disaster and worked hard and nobly in res-
cuing the passengers and crew and alleviating
the sufferings of the wounded. When the
boilers burst the wind drove the boat to the
shore, whore it was tied with a rope, ana thfs
enabled every one who had retained presence
of mind enough to remain in and not jump In
to the water to walk ashore. In the confusion
and excitement which generally results on
such occasions, few bad jumped into the
river and these were quickly rescued by
skiffs, a number of which were at the spot
ready to 50 to the rescue Of the drowning.
The boat gotIoose from its moorings by some
means. probably BY the burning Of the rope.
and the upper works having been burnt the
hull was carried away from the shore and sunk
about 100 yards Distant
"was there any panic among the passen-
gersp
'sNot me slightest, by what I have hesrd.
We had about fifteen men and five lady
passengers on board as near as ! can Judge,
but certain. as the DOCKS were all lost
Henry Dietrich, son of the first clerk, who
was on the boat as a pupil to his father, was
in the blacksmith shop. looking for a nail
punch when the explosion occurred He
said the entire starboard side of the boat
fell in, and the only way out for himself
and the engineers was through the little
window in the shop. He climbed a fe1d-
or to the hurricane-roof. and was taken
on The line was made fast. but Ehe
ing blown in shore nV the wind WnfriaN
out by the eddy above the rocks. He said there
was no excitement at all and tho lady passen-
gers behaved like heroines- Said he: II talked
with Billy Ingraham and Billy Travis while
they were being cared for. They didn't think
their injuries were serious but they died soon
" How did the explosion occur, and what
. w hfle was on my way to the blacksmith
shop the engineer. John Bowers, had just I'm
TO turn of the surplus of water. He secured
the wrench a second before the e4pio-
cyiInder-head blown out, bHt Bowers knew
what had happened. The pilot-house and the
upper portion of the boat forward of the art
end of the boilers were lifted up and settled
down with crash. The people. OF Hickman
sufferings Of the victims and but for their eff
forts the loss OF life would have been three
fold what it was
Miss Louisa Howard. Of Burlington,
has given President Buckhan1. of the
University of Vermont, s., 600 to estat-
lish five scholarships which must be as
signed to Green Mountain boys Of good
mind, manners and morals. - Boston
Transcript
"A bene6cent association in Boston
makes a specially of giving poor people
tickets for rides on street-cars. Inva-
lids have the preference, the idea being
| that q ride to the SUBURBS and back i
| quite as beneficial as medicine.