The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-12
TUG BOAT EXPLOSION.
The Tug Mike Dougherty Completely De-
molished and Two OF the Crew Killed
and the Others Badly Hurt.

PITTsBURG Jan. 1.-THE Dispatch's Eliza
beth, Pa, special says: "By an explosion
of her boiler the steam tug Mike Dougherty
was completely demolished near here at 1G
o'clock to day. Two Of the crew were killed
and the others badly hurt. The boat had
put ashore near Bellyue Landing to make
repairs to some OF the machinery that had
broken kown, and the explosion occurred
while she lay there. The killed and injured
are: William Holler, steward, Allegheny,
lost; William Matthews, deckhand, ALLIE
gheny, lost; Gardner Jackson, Captain, of
Allegheny, badly scalded Hugh ]. Porter,
enfineer, Of Allegheny, cheek laid
open; T. McQud, deckhand. South
Side, Pittsburg, leg hurt slightly.
The remaining member of the crew was
Bepry Brown, fireman, Of Allegheny. He
steamer and vicinity for 200 yards around,
is indeed a scene of desolatlon. The force
of the explosion must have been terrific.
The hull lies in shallow water near shore,
halt exposed, and one side blown out. The
entire upper works are blown of. Frag-
ments of the machinery and fixtures liz
scattered all round on the ground and many
were blown far into the river, where they
either sank or 1oa;ed Of. The boiler which
burst lies a shattered and battered wreck
fifty yards uD along the shore and tho
other, but little injured, was blown
far up the bank, but fell back
the shore lies the pilot wheel and q section
of the hurricane deck, while up the hillside,
and far back over the river, lies the pilot
house, while the steve and smokestack were
blown entirely over the hill, at least 200
feet high and lie in a hollow half mile
awsy, and fragments of woodwork and ma
inhs &S.so 4
for a. great distance around. The two lost
men have not been found yet. They are
suppose 10 have been blown into the river
| which is being dragged for bodies. View
| ing the wreck and evidence OF the awful
force expended, it is matter of great won
der that any escaped alive. The engineer,
| IN q broken voice and with tears in his eyes,
told bis experience 10 your correspondent as
| follows:
I'VE were coming up light, and every.
| thing was going right, when a valve-stem
broke. 1t was not serious thing and we
ran ashore to fix it. This took about half
aa hour, and we had got just about finished
| when sent the fireman down in the hold to
| get bolt. In the meantime had one of
/ the boys try the water. He found two
gauges and about 160 pounds. We are al
| lowed 175. l thought the fireman was stay
| ing too long. had started down the steps
myself when the boiler let go. The tact that
| 4 WAS D61OW SdVSO NE lFOl0 serious
| injsry or death. for the force of
the explosion was upward. The fire.
man was in the bold, and the only
one not hurt. The Captain was just where /
left him and was badly scslded. McQuaid
was blown clear out on shore and thus had
his leg hurt. The other two poor fellows
had gone forward. the steward to get dinner,
and Matthews to let the boat loose. / was
| careful, and am sure It was not my fault
and don't know what caused it."
The people of the neighborhood focked
| to the scene, startled by the loud report. The
! injured were speedily gathered up and Ia zen
to neighboring house, where all possible
was done for them, two physicians
| happily being in sight when the ex-
posion occurred. Subsequently they
we're taken on the steamer Venture to
their homes in Allegheny. The Captain Is
very severely scalded on his hands and side,
buI will probably recover. The engineer
bad a narrow escape from bleeding to death
| from an artery severed in his cheek. Other
wise be is not hurt. but is in great mental
| anguish. The wrecked steamer was a tug
boat OF the screw propeller order and draw
| ing six feet four inches. She was owned by
the Brown coal firm of Pittsburg, and was
three years old. Her equipment was the
very best in every particular, and well
1 posted river men put her value at SIS coo.
She is complete wreck.