The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-12
THE TUGBoAT EXPLOSION.
Particulars of the Accident in New York
Marber--A Bath Vessel Suffers.

NEW YORK. Nov. 10.The bodies of Captain
Earle and wife, two of the victims of the ex-
plosion OF the tugboat James N. Thompson
which occurred at Wards Island yesterday,
have not yet been recovered. Captain Lewis
and son, Oakes R Lewis, of the schooner An
ME e. Palmer of Bath, Me-, were but slightly
injured, and remain on board the vessel. The
body OF Edward Lewis, second mate of the
Palmer, who was instantly killed, has been
taken to the morgue, whore it awaits such
disposition as his father, who has been tele-
graphed at Boothbay, Me-. may designate.
The cause of the explosion is attributed to
over pressure OF steam, the tug having a
heavy tow and adverse tide. The Palmer was
loaded with laths and lashed to the starboard
SIDE oi the tug, the schooner Wentworth being
on the port side. The explosion occurred
without the slightest warning. The deck
house of the tug scared above a column of
steam, cinders, broken iron and wood work,
The bulls of the Palmer and Wentworth di-
verted the force of the explosion lateraily,
cred with broken wood work and scraps of
iron. The air was instantly filled with steam.
smoke and cinders. All on the Palmer and
the Wentworth were thrown down. Nothing
could be seen by those on board of them for
several seconds, and then, as the wind blew
away the steam and dust, it was seen that the
tug had disappeared. On the deck load of the
Palmer lay the dead body OF the mate, Edward
Lewis, second cousin to the captain. A frsg
mont of the wreck had struck him on the
right side of the neck and nearly severed his
head from his body. Oakes r. Lewis, the son,
IA years old, Of the captain, ley near him,
partly stunned by the explosion and injured by
piece OF brick striking him on the right
shoulder. Captain Cook, who was on the deck
of the Wentworth, was struck on the head by
piece OF timber aud thrown down. The port
rigging of the Palmer was badly damaged
The rigging on the starboard side was badly
damaged. The maipsail and topsail of the
Josephine were torn to tatters. No damage
was done to the George and Edgar. Those on
the schooners dared not stir for minute or
two because of the falling wr wreckage. The deck
cabin OF the tug fell last, wish a loud splash to
the port quarter of the Josephine. The first
lntimation that some OF those on the tug had
not lest their lives was when Connor, Cough
lin and Coffee scrambled on board the George
and Edgar. Neither was hurt nor able to tell
exactly what he was doing when the explosion
occurred. Neither remembered an explosion.
The engineer, Kelly, was found on a heap of
wreckage. He was insensible and was taken
Immediately to the Homeopathic Hospital. He
recovered consciousness and was able to give |
the names of those on the tug and to say that |
he could not account for the explosion. His |
face, breast and neck were scalded, his scalp |
was lacerated, his right arm was broken in |
three places, his left leg was broken and he |
appeared to be injured internally and to be in |
danger Of dying from the shock. The physi |
clans who attended him say his case is not o |
hopeless one.