The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-08-27
AN AWFUL CRIME.
A Philadelphia Ferryboat Wrecked by
Dynamite MaiiciOusly Placed
Under Her Boiler.
Sixteen Persons More or Less Injured
and OK 200 Lives In
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An explosion occurred on the steamer g.
N. FELTON, Just after she had left her dock
this morning on her trip to Wilmington.
Del As she was opposite Pier No. 3. south
wharyes, the passengers and crew wero
startled by an explosion which shook the
boat from stem to stern, and when the
smoke cleared away 1t was found that the
entire forward part Of the vessel above the
water-line had been badly damaged and q
number of passengers Injured. some OF
them severely. The pilot house and the
entire upper deck were lifted and fell to
the lower deck. The bow presented q
scene of complete wreck. Tugs proceeded
at once to the injured vessel. and with the
assistance of the police tug William s.
Stokley, which was lying near by, at once
proceeded to remove the injured. The
ambulance, Of the Pennsylvania Hospital
soon arrived and took most OF the injured
to that institution. The list Of wounded
numbers sixteen. as follows: Jesse Brad
ley, of Philadelphia, ankle dislocated; j.
b. Chester. of Chester. side injured; Geo.
Cockaine. of Philadelphia. back and thigh
hurt by falling woodwork; Samuel Cooper,
of Frankford, hurt about the chest and
head; George Erwin, deck hand, severely
injured in the side; James K Mcdonald,
child, of Chester. leg broken; Silas
Reed, of Philadelphia. slightly injured;
George Mitchell, deck hand. Of Bridgeton,
N. j., right hand severely cut and ankle
sprained: John McCusker. passenger, in
jured about tho breast: Edward Spear. Of
Philadelphia. injured internally-it is
thought he will die; John Stevenson, Of
Camden, N. j., slightly injured; Charles
Quinlan. of Philadelphia, badly bruised
about the body; James Valentine, of vii.
mington, Del, engineer of the FELTON,, cut
oh <Aa hx, Axrfp 10, r.
Vantine, of Chester Pa, complicated dis
location of ankle Edward Young. Of VIII
mington, Del, fireman of the FELTON,, in
iured about head and face; George l.. Will
son. the engineer, who was standing on the
wharf when the explosion occurred,
was thrown backward over n bench,
and sustained injuries of the right wrist.
The passengers were mostly women TAX
ing babies for fresh-air trip on the river.
Their escape is accounted for by the provi-
Dental fact that but few of them were IN
the forward part of the steamer, as the
forward canvas awning had not been set,
and the sun shining there made the passen-
gers seek cooler spots in the stern of the
boat
Edward Young, the fireman, says that
when the explosion occurred he was carry
ing only thirty five pounds of steam to the
square inch.
Andrew Tinker said today that he in
spected the boiler last May and found it in
good condition. The iron was tested. It
is stamped 50,000 pounds, and broke at
$4,000 pounds. The indentaton in the
head of the boiler, however, shows beyond
doubt that the explosive force came from
without, and not from within.
Capt. Wiley, Mr.. Lawrence. Mr.. Mer-
shon. and Mr.. Tinker made careful ex-
- no for fha -
ascertaining the cause of the explosion.
The investigation established the { ct that
the explosion was caused by dynamite.
The explosive had been placed forward,
directly In the head of the boiler. The
steamer came up from Wilmington at $50,
and lay at her wharf until 10 o'clock last
night. She lay at Wilmington in charge Of
Andrew Jones, of Bridgeton, N. J. He
could not be communicated with day.
but Capt. Wiley says that if a stranger had
boarded or attempted to board the steamer
last night the Waterman would have in
formed him of that fact.
While the steamer lay at her wharf this
morning the passengers came aboard and
took chairs on the hurricane deck or aft.
The officers and deck hands were busy,
and no attention was paid to the move
ments of passengers. Several of them car
ried baskets, so that O bundle or package
might have been carried aboard without
attracting attention.
The official report made to III. F. Ken
nedy, Superintendent of the Philadelphia,
Wilmington aud Baltimore Railroad Com
pany, under whose supervision the steam
boat is operated. says: "The head of the.
boiler was indented and cracked about
foot in length. The explosion is believed
to have been caused by cartridge of some
kind placed under the head of the boiler
maliciously.
Detectives have been put on the case.