Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-12
THE BOILER LET GO
And an Awful Catastrophe was the
Result.
MEN BLOWN INTO ATOMS,
A Terrible Accident that Caused Fearful
Suffering and Loss Of
Life.
soEEts ABOUT the MILL.

ELIzABErH, Pa, January ll.-8y the
explosion If her boiler the steam tug Mike
Dougherty, was completely demolished near
here at 10 o'clock to-day. Two Of the
cIew were killed and the others were badly
hurt. The boat had put ashore at Bale
vile to make repairs 10 some machinery
that had broken down. The explosion oc-
CURED while she lay there. The killed and
injured are:
WIN. HOLLER, steward. Allegheny.
WIN. MATTHEWS, deck hand, Ale
eny, lost.
GARDNER JACKSON, captain, Ale
gheny, badly scalded.
HUGH /. PORTER, engineer, Allegheny,
cheek laid open.
!. THOMAS McQUAIN, deck hand, South
Side, Pittsburg, leg hurt slightly.
The remaining member OF the crew was
Henry Brown, fireman, of Allegheny. He
is uniniured. The hull of the uDlucky
steamer and the vicinity for 200 miles around
is indeed scene ofdesolation. The force Of
the explosion must have been terrific. The
hull lies in shallow water near the shore
half exposed and one side is blown out.
The entire upper works are blown of.
Fragments Of the machinery and fixtures
lay scattered all around on the ground and
many of them were blown far into the river,
where they either sank or Aoated off. The
boiler, which bursted, lies a shat
tered and battered wreck about fifty yards
up along the shore. The other but
little injured, was blown far up the bank,
whence it rolled back into the river. Two
hundred yards down the shore lies the pilot
wheel and section OF the hurricane deck,
while up the hillside and far back from the
river lies the pilot house stove.
The Smoke Stack
was blown entirely over the hill, at least
two hundred feet high, and lies in hollow
half mile away. Fragments of the wood
work and machinery are strewn
thickly over the ground for q
great distance around. The two lost
men have not yet been found. They are
supposed to have been blown into the river,
which is being dragged for the bodies.
Viewing the wreck and evidence of the
awful force expended it is matter of great
wonder that any escaped alive. The en-
gineer in a broken voice and with tears In
his eyes told his experience as follows: I'VE
were coming up light and everything was
going right whom the valve stem broke. 1t
was not a serious thing and we ran
ashore to fix it. This took about halt
hour and we had got Just about finished
when | sent the fireman down into the hold
to get bolt In the meantime had one
of the boys try The water. He found two
gauges and about l60 pounds OF steam
We are allowed us. thought the FIRE
man was staying too long, and had started
down the STEPS myself when the boiler Ie
90. The fact that / was below saved
me from serious injury or death, fol
the force OF the explosion was all upward
| The iremsn was in the hold and was th(
| only one unhurt. The captain was jus
where ! had left and was badly scalded
McQuain was blown clean out on the shore
and thus had his leg hurt. Ths other two
poor fellows had gone forward with the
steward to get dinner, and Matthews to lei
The boat Loose. l was careful; oh! | am
sure it was not my fault and don't know
| What Caused 1t.
The people Of the neighborhood hocked
10 the scene startled by the explosion. The
injured were speedily gathered up and
taken to q neighboring house, where al
possible was done for them, two physician'
happily being in sight when the explosion
occurred. Sal sequently they were taken
on the steamer Venture to their homes II
| Allegheny.