The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-18
A Steamboat noller Eexplo.lon

A Steamboat Boiler Eexplosion
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. T,--lO:O5 a. m.
"A boiler explosion has just occurred
on the steamer S. NJ. FELTON,, off Chest
nut street wharf. 1t ia reported that
several lives have been lost.
The explosion on the steamer Eel.
ton occurred just after she had left
the dock on her trip To Wilmington,
Delaware. She was Opposlt pier No.
s, of the south wharvos, The paasen-
gers aud crew were startled by
the explosion, which shook the
boa. from stem TO stern and
when the smoke had cleared away it
was found that tho entire Tor ward part
of the vessel above the water line had
been badly damaged, and number OF
tho passengers Injured, some severely.
The pilot house ami the entire upper
dsck Wers lifted and fell 10 tho lower
deck. The bow presented scene OF
complete wreck. Tugs proceeded TO the
ipiursd vessel and with the assistance
OF the police the tug proceeded to ro'
m0Ys tho injured. An ambulance Of
tho Pennsylvania hospital soon az
rived and took most OF the iujured to
tknt institution. The injured, 80 far as
known, are;
John E. Medium, aged cara, 40.
ri0usly injured about the legs.
Silas Reed, badly shocked and con.
fused.
Bessie Brady, ankle dislocaIsd.
Samuel Cooper, Injured about tho
head and body.
George Erwin, injured about the
limbs and body.
The steamer Is owned by the Penn.
syivania Railroad company. She is u
large and well-equippsd boat. II she
~ not Injured below the W ster line the
damage will not be heavy. Tho cause
| OF the explosion IL uncertain. The
passengers and many psraons who ssw
tho explosion from the shore Insist
that gunpowder or aOms similar eXplo-
awe was lguitsd on tho forward deck,
and several persOls who were stand
Inc on the pier, declare thae they dis.
iinctly noticed tho odor of gun row.
der. There has been considerable RI
vUlrg between the FELTON, and other
boats running 20 Wilmington, aud Tao
reports have gained ground that some
malicious person placed an eXplOa W
on the deck. This is mere runOr,
| however, and the cause CT TIE eIplO-
siOn will not DO known until tUr her
Investigation is made.
| There were over 200 people or the boat
| when the explosion occurred. Tho
wrecked upper works took Il ., and II
| lriehtiul panic ensuod. TtiA was
speedily chposod by the cooln9s1 of y
| nunbor of men who drove tho women
| and children aft, and prevented many
lot tho frantic from leaplng
overheard. Besides those seriously
hurt a large number NorO stunned 10y
the shock. Tho promptness with which
assistance came from oil siies pro-
Vsated the fire from spreading. The
IsiaGmer Is not injured below h3r wal6f
line aud tho cost 20 ropair hor win not
exceed $500. There now seems but
littlo dcubl about tho explosion being
tdpo to dynamite, though nc
one seems 10 know how 70 was takan
on board. IL seems nlNrYel0us that
ono half the persons on board escaped
ldeGth. Witnesses say that at the mo.
ment OF the explosion everything bo'
camB 0nVGloped in darkuess and tho
boat rocked a. if in storm. IL was
supposed that no one leapsd over
board, but man who secured life
nrOserver has since como ashore Al
Walnut street wharf, apparently un
iniUred,
THE LIST OF THE WOUNDED
numbers l6, as follows
| jesse Bradley, OF Philadelphia, ANKLE
81 located.
| j. b, Chester, OF Chester, sido in
iursd.
George Cockaru, of Phlladelphia
back and thigh hurt by falling wood
work.
| s. Coop, Of Frankfort, hurt about the
chest aud head.
| George Erwin, deck hand, asvoroly
Injured In TIE side.
James II. Mcdonald, 4 child, o.
Che, er, leg broken.
! Silss Reed, Of PhiladBlphis, slightly
| injured.
George Milcholl, n dook haod, right
hand cut aud ankle spralnod.
John McCutohor, y Passenger, IN.
iurol about the breast.
Ei. Spear, OF Philadelphie, injured
internally Itil THOUGHT he will die
John Stevens, of Camden, New Jer.
sey, slightly injured.
Charles Quinlan, Of PhilaGelphia
b ldly bruised about tho body.
I JRmOs Valentine, OF Wilmington
Delaware, engineer OF the FELTON,, Gu
about tho head by dying glass.
John Il. Nantyno, OF Cnester, Pom
sylvania, complicated disioution .
tne ankle.
Ed, Young, of Wnmlngith, Della
ware, fireman of the Fclton, injured
about tho head and irCe.
Tho passengers were moatly wOmer
taking their babies for fresh air
Their remarkable escape ~ accounted
for by tho providentlat fact that but
tow Of them were on the forward end
OF the steamer, az the forward nwnins
had not boon set, aud the sun ahiuiUl
theie made passengers sock u covore
spot In the stern OF tho boat. EDWARD
Young, the iiroman, says when tao eN
plosiOn occurred he was carving Ouly
30 pounds OF steam.
Andrew Linkcr says he Inspected
tho boiler last May, and fornd IL a
gond condition. The iron is stamped
$1,000, and broke Ut 5000. The in
ention on the head OF the boiler showi
that the explosive force came from
without aud not from within.
Captain Milly, Mr.. Lawn %, Mr.
, Mershon aud Mr.. Tinker mace care
iul examination of the wrtoa for th,
purpose OF asc0rtainiug the iauso o
the explosion. Tho invtalig alton or
labuAhed tho fact that the explosion
I was caused by dynamite.
VI Tue oxploslve he'd been pl icOd for
ward directly In trout OF the head O
tho boiler. fhe s.eAmos cane iron
. Wilmtnglon At $3.50 o'clcok ana lay a
The whsf until last night. She lay a
Wilmington in charge OF Audrev
Jones, oi brighton, New Jorsty. II
c0ulu not b0 communicated with ~
day, hut captain Wiley aavs that IL
stranger had boarded OF attempted 4
board the steamer last nitht IN
watchman would have infpriaod hiu
OF the fact. While the steam ,r lay a
the wharf this morning tue D p,sssuter
came aboard and took ohaira Un 90
hurricane deck or aft. The Of
GERS and the dock HANDS NrI
bus and no attention waA paid 10 IA
movements OF tto passengers. : v
or OF thom carried baskets, 20 ,h.,
ne attention was D. Ia to thptH, aud
I a 4.