Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-18
FRIGHTFUL EXPLOSION.
DISASTER ON A STEAMBOAT.

OISA STER On a oIEAMbOAI.
Two Hundred Passengers on Beard, but None
KiIIed-A Number seriously Injurcd-Be-
lieved TO be the Work or Des'Gn.
tBy telegraph to the Dispatch.T
PHILADELPHIA, August ia
boiler explosion occurred on the steam
er 5. NJ. FELTON,, off Chestnut wharf,
this morning. The explosion occurred
Just after she had left her dock on her
trip to Wilmington, Del. As she was
opposite Pier Of the south wharves
the passengers and crew were startled
by the explosion, which shook the boat
from stem to stern, and when the smoke
cleared away it was found that the en-
tire forward part Of the vessel above
the water-line had been badly damaged !
andanumber ofpassengers injured, some
Of them severely. The pilot-house
and the 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 police-tug William S. Stockley,
which was lying near by, at once pro-
ceeded to remove the injured. The am
bulanoe of the Pennsylvania Hospital
soon arrived and took most Of the in
jured to that institution. So far as
known seven persons were injured.
The steamer was, Immediately after the
removal of the passengers, towed down
the river, and, it is said, will be taken
to Wilmington for repairs. She is
owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company.
The mischief was not caused by the
explosion Of the boilers, and there is
already a settled conviction that it
was the work Of design. The explo-
sion occurred in the bow Of the
boat forward Of the boilers, where no
freight was stored. One boiler head
is cracked across and deeply indented,
but the indentation is from without and
not from within, as would have been the
case if the explosive force had been i'm
side the boiler. Many persons affirm
that the air was filed with fumes of
some kind Of powder, and the complete
ness Of the wreck of the forward part
Of the boat suggests dynamite or some
equally powerful explosive Of small
bulk. which could be carried on the
boat as parcel of hand luggage, and the
location precludes the possibility Of it
having been sent aboard as freight.
The air is full of conjecture. The boat
belonged to the Philadelphia, Whining
ton and Baltimore railroad, and is large
and well-equipped. About 300 passcn-
gers were on board when the explosion
occurred. There has been considerable
rivalry between the FELTON, and other
boats running to Wilmington. and re-
ports have gained ground that some ma
licious person placed an explosive on
deck. The wrecked upper works took
fire and frightful panic ensued. This
was speedily checked by the GOODNESS
of a number of men, who drove the
women and children aft and prevented
many frantic women from leaping over
board. Besides those seriously hurt,
large number were almost or quite
stunned by the shock. An incident Of
the disaster was the presence of some
Sisters Of Charity, who seemed in no
way excited or affected by the terrific
upheayal. They passed quietly among
the shrieking passengers, searching out
the wounded, and in one case one Of the
| Sisters was seen to make bandages out
Of her clothing. The promptness with
which assistance came from all sides,
from passing steamers and from the
shore, allayed the panic and prevented
the fire from spreading.
The passengers were taken ashore,
| and the steamer was lowed down the
stream. She is not injured below the
water-lnc. and beyond the tearing
away Of her works forward is unin-
! iured. 1t is said that the cost Of re-
pairing her will not exceed $50. The
list Of injured so far az known num-
bers sixteen, half dozen Of them so
seriously that some of them will die.
A number of legs and arms were bro
ken: one man had foot blown OIL,
ard one was crushed internally. 1t
seems marvellous that half the people
! on board escaped death. Ete-wit-
nesseS say that at the moment Of the
explosion everything became enyel-
loped in darkness, and the boat rocked
as if in a heavy storm.
1t was supposed that no ore had
leaped overheard, but a man who Sc
cured a life-preseryer alterward came
ashore at Walnut-Street wharf, appa-
rently uninjured. The passengers were
mostly women, taking babies for a
iIeSh-air trip on the river. Their re-
markable escape is accounted for by the
proyidential fact that but few of them
were in the forward end Of the steamer,
as the forward canvas awning had not
been set, and the sun shining there
made the passengers seek cooler pas
sage in the stern Of the boat. If the
canvas had been set and the passengers
congregated on the forward deck, a
large number would have been killed
or wounded. If hole had been blown
in the boiler no doubt many Of the 200
persons on board would have been
scaldcd to death.
The Governor of Indiana shot At.
lBy telegraph to the Dspatch.l