New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-10
BLOWN UP IN HE'LL GATE.
THE TUGBoAT J. NJ. THOMPSON DESTROYED.
FOUR MEN KILLED AND TWO INJURED BY THE
EXPLOSION OF THE BOILER,

anu tho Tug was pulng and stralning nara 10 make
Roadway against it. When the tug was opposite
Niger" point on Wards Island, the spectators on
shore were startled by terrific explosion. cloud
OF steam and smoke for few moments enveloped
the tug and when it had cleared away fragments
OF woodwork that thickly strewed the surface of
the water in all directions within circumference
of several hundred yards only were visible.
Several boats Immediately put ont from the shore
10 render assistance to such of the of the i'll
f9ted tug could be found and several steam tugs
occupants soon discovered that their assistance
was not needed and they turned their attention
to capturing the fragments Of wreckage.
lhere were six persOpS on board the tug at the
time OF the explosion-John Earle, the captain, and
his wife; Charles Kelley the engineer, and his son,
John Kelley a lad of seventeen, who performed the
Thomas Coffee, igS and john Ga9gRin:
The captain had that morning taken his young wife
on the tug for a little recreation and fresh air.
They were both in the piot-house when the explo-
sion occurred and in all probability they were blown
TO pieces Boats searched in vain for their bodies;
black and red feather belonging to Mrs. Earle,
were all that rewarded their efforts. John Kelley
was last seen in the kitchen preparing dinner and
of him no traces could be found in the water,
Charles Conner, Thomas Coffee and John Gaughln
were standing on the after part OF the boat Coffee,
luckily for him, had Just left the engne-room and
Gaughin was equally fortunate in having just de-
scended from the pilOt-hOuSe. They were blown
into the water but they received no hurts beyond
few slight bruises.
Gaughin and Coffee swan to a schooner which
the tug had been towing astcrn and scrambled on
board of her Then they saw the engineer, Charles
Kelley, elinging to some floating wreck9ge They.
launched the schOOners yawl, picked him out of
the water and rowed him to the landing of the
Homeopathic Hospital on Wards Island, imme-
diately opposite which the explosion had occurred
That he managed to sustain himself aiioat at all
in the water is little short of miraculous
On examination at the hospital it was found that
his face, neck, chest and left arm were badly
eCaldpd. His left leg broken below the knee
Joint both bones of tho lower right arm were
broken, and he had sustained compound fracture
Of the upper right arm. When first taken TO the
hospital he was unconscious and the physician In
charge. Dr. T. VI. Strong, did not think that he
would survive half an hour; but later he rallied
recovered consciousness and was able to converse
little He is man of splendid physique
and with this in his favor, DIR. Strong entertained
some hopes of his recovery. These expectations were
not shared by his patient, however, who muttered
as he lay in bed: Poor Tommy referring TO the
deck hand He will never see me on a steamboat
again" Kelley lives AT No 81 Oliyer-st.. and has
q wife and five small children m addition to his son,
who was killed on the boat. Charles Conner, the
ian, was picked mp by n rowboat and rowed
ashore. He immediately hurried home to assure
, The tug had two schooncrs dashed on one side,
another ON the other side and the fourth was being
towcd astcm The schOOners Immediately along
side of her were the Annie l.. Palmer and The
Josephine :. y. Edgar. loaded with hay and lathcs.
Their decks were Uttered with spllntorcd rag
meuts Of the upper works Of the tug and their Sals
and rigging suffered severely. One schooner had
her mainsail completely blown from the spar.
On the Annie l.. Palmer, Almon Levi sailor, was
struck on the side of the head by flying piece of
wood or iron and instantly killed. Tho lower por-
ton of the right side of his face from the ear 70 the
mouth was cut away as Clearly "a though II had
been gougcd out with chsel. Cakes K. Amcs, boy
on the same vessel received some slight injuries on
tho right arm.
The destruction of the tug was instantaneous and
complete and the schoOners were left 10 DRIFT nj the
mercy Of the tide and were in imminent danger of
being carried on to some OF the dangerous reefs in
Little He'll Gate Channel. But the several crews
were canal TO the emergency. Three of them set
sail and the fourth hailed a passing tug and was
towed down 10 the city.
Within less than an hour after the explosion the
police steamboat Patrol arrived on the scene and
took the dead man, Almon lewis, from he Annie l..
Palmer. The boy who had been hurt did not want
any surgical or medical aid. Lcwis's body was
taken the MOTguc. Some idea OF the force OF the
explosion may be- gained from the fact that the
window Of ono Of the rooms in the Homeopathic
Hospital facing the Long Island shore, was shat
tered and nurse, who happened Ia be standinga at
the window was thrown violently backward. The
detonation was described as being something ter
rifle. II was heard miles away, DIR. Strong said
that il was louder than that produced by the sub
tcrrancan explosion at Halcts Point some few
years since.
LIST OF rHE KILLED AND INJURED.
The following persons lost their lives by the ex-
plosion:
EARLE about thirty the captain Of the tug ~
INK AZ No ~ Summ-t.. Brooklyn. was blown into the
river Ills body. or the remnants OF it, could not be
E,ni Nus age about twenty-five wife of John Earle,
shared the same fate as her husband Her body was
kitty JonSage seventeen son of the engineer living
with his father nj No. 81 Oliyer-st and engaged "a
cook board Of tho tug. was blown INTO tho water
aud his body was not found.
LrwI. AINAS, ago twenty four Of Booth Bay. Me-, a
sailor on board the Annie l.. Palmer, was struck by
some pieces OF flying debris and instantly Killed
The injured were:
KELLEY CHARLES age about Atty, tho engineer OF the tug,
living at No. 81 Oliver st. had his face, neck, chest
fracture Of the upper right arm, and both bones OF
the lower right arm where brokGn. hls irlt lcs
broken below tho knee Joint His recovery Is eA'
trcmely doubtful.
LEWIS r. age fourteen. apprentice on board tho
Annie L. Palmer, received sOmo slight injuries ABOUT
the right arm.
WHAT THE SURVIVORS SAY.
John Gaughin aud Thomas Coffee were seen at
the Homeopathic Hospital. Gaughin is friend OF
Captain Earle and he was the boat only as ysi-
tor. lie said: 60 really know nothing about the
explosion. All | can tell you is that heard great
noise and rash Of steam and then found myself In
shopiJ not be here TO tol of it, When last saw the
engineer on the boat he had his hand ON the valve
cord What caused the explosion dom know, nut
II vasa big One.' Gaughin liyesat No ~ Iconaid-st
Colcc's experience was similar to that OF liaughn
can tell you no more about It Than that tllere
pump" he said pointing to one Of those useIul con-
triyanCCs. | was blown into the water, OF
iumpcd in and swan to one of the schooners, ana
aftcrward helped Gaughin to pick up poor hcIry
on the schoOncrs yawl.' BOth mon NcIo lCcinHh
chilly after their impromptu bath. but they
thought that they had sustained no worse
INJURIES than could be cured by "A
GOOD stiff horn Of whiskcy," which they regretted
could not be obtained on Wards Island.
George w. Stump, the owner OF the tug, ives al
No. 5sI Broomc-st. lie could not be found az ne
was engaged in attending to the wounded members
of his crew and their families. His father sad that
the James A. Thompson was purchased by hls son
about ten months ago and that he hhd had her
thoroughly overhauled and put III order HIS son,
ne said, had intended taking his family out III INC
boat for a cruise on Evacuation DhE
II il n curious coincidence that the surgeon who
dressed the wounds of Engineer Kelley was named
John NJ Thompson, the name of the tug being
William stump, a copper smith at No. 400 Green;
wich-st. She was last examined by the Local.
Steamboat Inspectors on February, II. William
Craig examined tho boiler, which was built N
1867. He subjected the boiler to pressure OF lO2
pounds. aud gave certificate allowing the use OF
20 ,.n,lnla lLn hnilnr huIlL by LoOnAIn OF