The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-08-22
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
| The Attempt to Blow Up the Steamer $. NJ.
| FELTON,, III Philadelphia.

minutes after ten o'clock Monday
morning, causing considerable damage
to the boat end injury to several per-
sons. That the affair was not an acct
dent due TO machinery or caused by
oversight or Carelessness was made
manifest almost Immediately after the
explosion. Some powerful agent, for
eign to the boats equipment did the
work for which it is believed it was in
tended and which had been placed
upon the vessel for the purpose of de-
struction Those who have made an
investigation are still undetermined as
to the nature of this agent, but agree
that it was either gunpowdcr, nitro ely
cerine or dynamite. Two hundred
people were on board, many of them
women and children. No lives were
lost, but number of persons were in
jured, some of them seriously.
THE EXPLOSION.
The FELTON, is run by the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company, in conjunc-
ton with its railway lines, and by It's
low fares has materially. affected the
other boats in the Wilmington trade.
The FELTON, arrived from Wilmington
soon after 9 o'clock and Immediately
after discharging began to receive pas
sengers for the return trip down. There
was scarcely any freight for either way,
only a barrel and a box or two being
taken on in Philadelphia. Her hour
for leaving her moorings at Chestnut
street wharf is 10 o'clock, and at that
time she began to take in her cables.
Next to her was the steamboat Culum
bia and alongside the Columbia was
the Brandywine, one of the opposition
steamers plying between Philadelphia
and Wilmington. The FELTON, backed
out slowly, her stern line still attached
to the wharf so as TO throw her bow
| down stream.
When all was clear and two revolu
tons of the wheels had been made the
shock came. 1t was loud detonatlon
like that of cannon. The forward
upper decks toppled and fell with a
crash and the boat quivered along its
entire length with strong vibratory
motion. Near where the explosive
material was placed, under the forward
companionway, the floors above parted
and the decks and pilot house fell
through the openings. There was very
little if anv sway to pilot house or decks
the strength of the conclusion causing
instantaneous destruction, as though
the support of body in mid air had
been suddenly removed, allowing it to
drop.
| TERRIBLE Scene.
The noise was almost deafeninS and
in the rear cabin, where most of the
passengers we're, many were thrown to
the floor or hurled into corners. There
were nearly two hundred passengers
and the scene presented at the instant
of conclusion was described as terrible.
No one knew what it was, but all feared
the worst. For almost minute after
the shock the boat trembled. The
calmest of the passengers grasped life
preservers and threw them to the fright
ened women; some of these were
kneeling on the floor, clutching their
children and with arms uplifted prayed
aloud to Heaven. Several became
hysterical and scream after scream sent
thrills of fear through even those men
who felt that there was no immediate
danger. The officers and hands of the
boat ran up stairs and with assuring
words tried to quell the panic and pre-
vented few from leap!ng overheard.
Nine male and one female passenger
received injuries.
| TAKING OFF THE PASSENGERS
The FELTON, was not hundred yards
from the wharf when the explosion
took place and great many tugs and
other steam craft were in the river.
Several of these immediately started for
her relief and the police tug Stokley
cut loose from her fastenings and also
went alongside. One of the Ridgway
Park boats, commanded by Captain
McGlinchy, the Churchman and the
Stokley were the first to reach her.
The passengers made rush for the
Park boat, climbing over the ratings
and getting as far away as possible
from the wreck, which most of them
thought would sink.
Nearly a dozen remained on board,
unable to move. The men on the
Stokley and the officers and men of
the FELTON, turned their attention to the
wounded, who were earthly picked up
and transported and six of them were
taken to the Pennsylvania Hospital.
Another was sent to St. Mays Hospital
and two more, Mhose hurts were slight,
had their wounds dressed and went
home. The FELTON, went on down the
river under tow of the Crawford, and
was taken to Wilmington.
WORKING ON CLUES.
The Pennsylvania Railroad officials
are making every effort to find out
whether the explosion was the result of
accident, carelessness Or malice. The
police investigation of the case has
been placed iii the hands of Captain
Linden, of the Pinkerton Detective
Agency, and a number of operatives
are engaged in hunting out clues.
"There are any number of clues"
Captain Linden said, "but thus for we
have found nothing tangible. One
thing is sure, and that is that the ex-
ploson was caused by either dynamite
Or nitro glycerine, but whether acci-
dentally or maliciously is the question
| want to solve"
Superintendent II. F. Kenney, of
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal
timorc Railroad, believes that car
fridge of some kind was placed under
the head of the boiler malicously. This
view is not as generally accepted now
as on the day of the explosion. The
Wilmington Esc,y E9cning of Thurs
day says that Captain Eugene Reybold
in conversation with a reporter last
Wednesday night said he had no faith
in the theory of that the explosion was
Intentional He believed it was an &C
cident that some fellow wanted dyna-
mite or nitro -glycerine for some pur
pose and had purchased it in Philadel-
phia and attempted to remove it here
in a satchel, and it exploded by acct