The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-18
WILD CONFUSION
CAUSED BY AN ExpL OSiON ON 4
STEAMBOAT.
The Disaster Occurs When There Are Five
Hundred People on Board Its Cause
Mystery Persons
Severely Injured.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1S.-The boiler OF
the steamer Samus =. FELTON, exploded witt
a terrific report at % O'Clock Monday morn
ing A scene Of wild confusion and terror
ensued, There were 800 people aboard, and
their shrieks we're heard above all Other
noises An alarm of fire was at once
sounded, ami dozen engines hurried to the
wharf. II was reported that many lives
were Lost and that scores OF people were
badly scaled. These sensational rumors
caused intense excitement throughout the
city.
The explosion occurred just after the
steamer had left her dock on her trip &c
Wilmington as she was opposite pier s,
south wharves. The passengers and crew
were startled by an explosion which shook
the boat from stem to stern and when the
smoke cleared away il was found that the
entire forward part Of the vessel above the
water line had been badly damaged. and
a number Of passengers injured,
some of them believed fatally. The pilot
hon e and upper deck was lifted and fell tc
the lower deck The bow presented a scene
of wreck Tugs proceeded at once to the
injured vessel, and with the assistance OF
was lying near by, at once proceeded TO re.
mov5 tn. injured. The ambulance of the
Pel.-:sy wanna hospital soon arrived and
toot most Of the victims TO that institution
The injured. so far as known, are as fol
lows: john +. M'Dunn, aged 3 years, living
in Chester, severely injured about the legs;
Silas Reed residing at l62 Hancock street,
badly shocked and contusel; Bessie Bradley,
residing at 2S9 Spruce street, antle dislo-
Gated; Samuel Cooper, residing at 400
Frankfort road, injured about tn head
and body; John Stephenson, residing at
l22j PavOnia street, Camden, shocked by
the concu sion; George Cockayre, re idine
at 269 South Front street, thigh cut; George
Erven, injured about the limbs AMI body.
The steamer was Immediately after
the removal of the pas engers, towed down
the river, and, it is said, VIII be taken Il
Wilmington for repairs. She i, owned by
the Pennsylvania Railroad company. The
caue Of the explosion is as yet uncertain
The passengers, and many Of those wht
saw the explosion from the shore. insist thai
gunpOwder or some similar explo
sivs was ignited on the forward deck
and several per sons who were standing on
the pier declared that they distinctly notice,
the odor of gunpowder There has been
considerable rivalry between the FELTON, ant
other boats running to Wilmington and re-
ports have gained ground that some ma
hciouS person placed an explosive on the
deck. This is a mere rumor, however. anC
| the eau of the explosion will not be know
until further investigation Is made.
| LATER--There now seams little doubt
| about the explosion being due to dynamit,
| or gunpowdsr, though no orc seems to know
! how it was taken ON board. 1t seems mar
velouS that half the people on board es
| capped death. Witnesses say that at Jh
| moment of the explosion everything becam
enveloped in darkness ant the boat rockaC
as If in IA heavy storm.