Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-08-18
Additional Details.

She was opposite pier NO. o, soutn
wharves, when the passengers and crew
were 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 a number of passen-
pilot house and entire upper deck were
lifted and fell to the lower deck. The
bow presented scene of complete wreck.
Tugs proceeded at once to the injured
vessel, and with the assistance of the po-
lice tug William S. Stokley, which was
lying near by, at once proceeded to re-
move the injured. The ambulance of the
Pennsylvania Hospital soon arrived and
took most of the injured to that institu-
ton. The injured, SO far as known, are !:
John Z. Medium, aged nine years, Sc
verely injured about the legs; Silas Reed,
badly shocked and confused Bessie
Bradley, ankle dislocated; Samuel
Cooper, injured about head and body;
George Erven, injured about limbs
and body. The steamer is owned by
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and
is large, we'll l-equipped boat. II she is
not injured below the water line the
damage will not be heavy. The cause of
the explosion is not yet certain. The
passengers and many OF those who saw
the explosion from the shore insist that
gun -rowder, or some similar EXPLOSIVE,
wa. limited on the forward deck, and
several persons who were standing on
the pier declare that they distinctly no.
ticed the odor of gun-powder. There
has been considerable rivalry between
the Felton, and other boats running to
Whining on, and reports have eained
grouad that some malicious person placed
an explosive on the deck. This is a
mere rumor, however, aud the cause OF
the explosion will not be kuown until
further investigation is made
There were over 200 people on the
boat-men, women ard children-when
the explosion occurred. The wrecked
upper works took fire and trightful
panic ensued. This was speedily check
ed by number of men who drove the
women and children aft, and prevented
many frantic women from leaping over
board Beside those seriously hurt, a
large number were almost, or quite,
summed by the shock. The promptness
with which assistance came from all
sides allsye1 the panic and prevented the
fire from'spreading. The steamer is not
injured below her water line,, and the
cost of,repairirg her will NIT exceed
s5CG. There was some, but little, doubt
about the exnlosicr s ,1,uy uue TO uyna-
mite or gunpowder, though no one seems
to know when it was taken aboard; 1t
seems marvellous that half the people on
board escaped death. Witnesses say
that the moment of the explosion every,
| thing became envel6ped in darkness, and
the boat rocked as if in heavy storm.
| 1t was supposed that no one leaped over
board, but a man who secured life
| preserver has since come ashore at wal
nut street wharf, apparently, unlnJured
| LIST OF THF WOUNDED. -.
The list of the wounded numbers six
teen, as follows:
Jesse Bradley of Philadelphia, ankle
dislocated.
+ b. Chester of Cheater, side injured
George Cockaine of Philadelphia, bacl
and thigh hurt by falling woodwork.
Samuel Cooper of Erankford, hur
aboat the chest and head.
| George Erwin, deck-hand, severel
injured in the side.
James Z. Mcdonald, child, of Ches
ter, leg broken.
Silas Reed of Philadelphia, slightly in
jured.
George Mitchell, a deck. hand,
Bridgeton, n. Y, right hand severel
cut and ankle sprained.
, John McCusker, passenger, lDlure
about the breast. Ill
, Edward Spear of Philadelphia, injure
J internally. 1t is thought he will die.
, John Stevenson of Camden, n. j
: slightly injured. :,
: Chas. Quiulan of Philadelphis, bad
bru sed about the body.
James Valentine of Wilmington, Del
engineer of the FELTON,, cut about tn
John L. Van Tyne of Chester, Pa
complicated dislocation of ankle.
Edward Young of Wilmington, De
: fireman Of the FELTON,, injured about I'll
/ head and face.
n George Wilson. engineer, who W;
j. standing on the wharf when the expl
Is sion occurred was thrown backward ov
It a bench aud sustained injuries OF II
IS right wrist
It THE PASSENGERS
, were mostly women taking babies Tor
d fresh airing on .he river. Their remar
able escape is accounted for by the pro
idential fact that but few of them we
= In the forward end of the steamer as t
4 forward canvass awning had not be
,s set, and the sun shining there made
,t passengers seek cooler spots In the ste
B. of the boat.
m EDWARD YOUNG, THE FIREMAN,
saws that when the explosion occurr
he was carrying only thirty-h five poun
Ia of steam to the square inch. Andr
Tinker said to-day that he inspect
IN the boiler last May and found it in &c
condition. The iron was tested. 1t
ce stamped $4,000 pounds and broke
$4,000 pounds. The indentation IN
- head Of the boiler, however, she
beyond doubt that the explosive TO
te came from without and not from with
Capt. Wiley, Mr.. Lawrence, Mr.. Mersl
IN aud Mr.. Linker made careful examl
ton of the wreck for the purpose OF
tie certaining the cause of the .explosl
The Investigation established the
I'M that the explosion was caused by dy
W. mite. The explosive had been pla
II. forward directly in front OF the heae
M the boiler. The steamer came up II
IL Wilmington at $50 o'clock and la
M her wharf until clock last night.
NV lay at Wilmington in charge OF And
10y Jones of Bridgeton, N. j. He CT
IL not be communicated with to-day
IOapC. w lley says 1hae - oetAHSS,
am boarded or attempted to. board
steamer last night the watchman w
ink have informed him of the fact while
steamer lay at her wharf. This NOR
am the
PASSENGERS CAME ABOARD
- and took chairs on the hurricane d
or aft. The officers and deckhands '
lrs. busy, and no attention was paid to
ON movements of the passengers. SeN
nk- of them carried baskets, so that bu
ICE, or package might have been. cal
1918 aboard without attracting attention.
~ official report made to II. +. ker
22Gy 2;cy superintendent of the Philadelphia,
LEE nnr mington and Baltimore Railroad, I
ahs sh pauy. under whose supervision the DO
9 as operated, says: The head of the b
inc was indented and cracked about fc
,sis- length. The explosion is believe
R. have been caused by cartridge, OF
kind placed under the head OF the b
maliciously." Detectives have beer
oa the case. The FELTON, was ins
'our for $4,000, of which So, 900 was p
ans in the London, Liverpool and Globe
the eo5 00a bald hv the Pennsylvania