Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-26
BLOWN up.
A Steamer on the Pacific Coast
Torn to Pisces by an
Explosion.
All On Board Either Killed, In.
jursd or Drowned When the
Wreck Went Down.
The Towboat Amos" Ground to
Pieces on a Pier at
Pittsburgh.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 25.-The stern-wheel
steamer, Pilot, which blew up this morn
ing has been running some years past in
opposition to the steamers Of the San
Francisco and Northern Pacific Company.
The explosion occurred near Lakeville, q
mile above Donahue landing. The first
news OF the disaster was conveyed in dis
patch from Donahue, which says: "A
heavy report was heard from the steamer
Pilot and an escape OF steam is seen. think
she has blown up, and looks as though
she's sank. second dispatch came stat
ing that twenty passengers were aboard
and it was believed several San Francisco
people were among them.
The Excitement
throughout the city rapidly quickened to
intensity. Notwithstanding every tele-
graphical effort was put forth, no partlcu-
lars could be obtained until nearly three
o'clock this afternoon. Then dispatch
was received stating: "All of the forward
part of the boat was blown away, the after
part tOated three hundred yards and then
grounded on the west side of the creek.
Two persons were killed. seven wounded,
and eleven missing, supposed to be drown
Cd. Mrs. McNear is missing, but her baby
saved. The wreck is almost inaccessible"
The officers of the steamer Donahue re-
ported that when passing DOnahue Land
ing they noticed the Pilot coming down
the creek n mid channel, in few minutes
afterward he saw no sign Of the incoming
steamer.
The kumOr Spread
that a terrible disaster had occurred, and the
Chlefengineer Ofthe Donahue is reported rs
having said he saw the explosion and a
Of nj ,,Ea inn, talx-
following The Domaine drew too much
water Tor navigation above her landing
.eyee. She did not go TO the wreck.
message was sent to Ratulina directing
relief train, with physicians and nurses
for the wounded, and that they be imme-
diately dispatched to Lakeville. When
The train arrived the surgeons on board
found little to do, as Of all oil those known
and believed to be ON board, none but the
captain and two others, one OF them the
pilot, could be found. They were discov-
cred in fields.
Seriously Injured,
the captain the least of the three. Search
was made in every direction In the long
tules near the bank, and one after another
four more were found, all more or less
seriously injured, some with arms or legs
broken in the fall, one but slightly njured
having fallen in tule grasses, and out OF
these he managed to scramble to higher
and dryer ground. Had he been more
severely injured he would have been
drowned at high tide. The last reports re,
ceiyed show eight killed, seven wounded
and ten missing. Most OF the latter are
probably dead, but the bodies have not
vet been found. The names OF the pasSen-
GERS cannot be definitely aSCerta!ned rs no
names were recorded ut
Points of Departure.
II is known, however, that one family OF
twelve was on board bound for Arizona.
The officers and crew OF the vessel were:
T. F. Graves, master; Horace Bell, mate;
Charles Farmer, pilot \. Howes. steward;
y. Silva. calm boy; TnOs. Crawford, engl-
neer: tirernen. Guergen and Shedder; deck
hands Peter McCable and p. Richmond.
John Lanon and an unknown man shipped
Yesterday. 1t is thought that many OF the
passengers who escaped sCalding and man
Cling were drowned, as the boat sunk i'm.
mediateiy after the explosion. The Pilot
Was owned by Capt. Gould, formerly, mas,
ter OF the ship Conquer He purchased
the vessel year ago, together with her
trade and certain other property, Tor nine
thousand dollars.