Daily Republican., 1885-08-18
srArrMENr or THE MATE.

side, and was going TO the pilot house. |
At the instant OF the expiosinn," said
the mate, "I was standing outside of
the pilot house on the port side. Not
/ knowing what had occurred, / rushed
down the stairway TO the main deck
and tried TO attach the fire hose. II
found that it was blown out of shape
and could not attach The hose. Find
ing that there was no fire turned my
attention to the passengers, who we're
in q state Of panic. A man, woman
and two children, who we're sitting for
ward in the main saloon, fell through
with the debris 70 the main deck. Il
went to their relief and helped
them out. None Of them seemed to be
badly hurt except the man, who was
smoke did not smell like powder nor
dynamite, but more like nitro-gly cerine.
1t smelled like burning oil, and there
was black smoke.
STATEMENT OF THE PILOT.
Captain George N. Curry, pilot of the
steamer Samuel M. FELTON,, says that
they were not more than 300 feet away
from the wharf when tho shock came.
He was at the wheel, and fortunately
was standing on the port side of the
pilot house. cit is impossible 10
describe the sensation, for it went off
like cannon and the vholaptlot-house
seemed to raise and then drop back
below its proper position. The floor
on the starboard side was blown up
and some large fragments were
/ blown clear over the wheel and
landed near where l WAS standing while
q long splinter of the floor was driven
hard into the ceiling.
! Ny compass, was blown clear out of the
I box and the clock turned upside down.
though singularly enough it did not
cease running. My wheel was not in
ljured, but my steering gear was all
blown out OF shape, so that it was of no
use. Mate Downs was just coming for.
ward to the pilot house from the after
part of the hurricane deck, and had the
catastrophe occurred few minutes
later he would have been standing over
the identical spot where the floor was
blown up. l believe 1t was powder or
idynamite placed on the main deck be-
tween the forward end of the boiler and
the forward gangway leading to the
main saloon in a space only few
inches wide Captain Wiley was stand
ling beside the king-post on the star
board side, which is his post of duty
luntil the steamer 10 out in the stream .
A mum ber of others have also made
statemeuts, but they do not differ In
any Of the material facts from those al
ready given.
AN IMPRE ssIvE SCENE.
The steamer Brandywine was but a
short distance from the FELTON,, and was
in the act of turning when the explo-
zion occurred. The shock was felt all
over the boat, and for moment or 30
the greatest confusion prevailed. Men
became excited, while women and
lchildren screamed, and had 1t not been
for the GOODNESS and eelf-possession oi
Captain Wilson panic would no doubt
have resulted. He seemed to be every
where at once, assuring all that there
was not the slightest danger. He
ordered the hose TO be manned, and
ievery thing was got in readiness TO ren
} der any assistance necessary 70 the III
/ fated FELTON,, or her passengers.
al While the turmoil was at Its heigb
/ on the Brandywipe, . gentleman who
q loud and commanding voice tha
| was heard all over that part OF th'
8 boat said:
a, You are safe. and you ought TO bt
| very grateful for your escape. Those
moor people on the other boat deserve
. your sympathy and should have your
3 care. Think about them aud forget
4 yourselves, but let us thank God fol
D lour safety All those who can now
Q repeat " it'll me the apostolic creed
q stand up; and then he led off IL
the words of that beautiful confession
3 of faith, his own voice ringing out
q clear, and strong, and hopeful above
Il those OF the rest, and when the amen
e of that heartfelt prayer had been said
|. a II fear seemed to have left the passep
9 gers. The beautiful and affecting In
' cident dispelled the panic that hat
O seized them, and instead there was
o peace and quiet rs though nothing hat
d happened. Nobody seemed to know
Is the gentleman, and upon the conclusion
y lof his remarkable and self possesses
conduct quietly took his seat asid
n from the rest.
IT BROUGHT TO THIS CITY.
MI The FELTON, arrived ut this city short
re- tly after 3 O'Clock, under convoy OF th
1t tugs Lizzie Crawford and Greyhound
"a THE wharves along Christiana cree
AZ were crowded with people. The new
re of the explosion had created intense 81
at element In this city, as ali the officer
n. of the boat and large proportion
n. the passep gers. belonged .here, and tf
"a lmeagre information which had been r.
ne ceived served to increase rather tina
q, allay popular apprehension.
va The boat presented q curious appea
of lance. From distance 1t could be see
that something was wrong with Il
lpilot honse-that it WAS q great de-
os lower than it should be. 1t looked
70. If a great weight had PRESSED down u
he on il until it was nearly on lev
m with the main deck. When the DO
ad came nearer to the wharf 1t was 81.
n that the damage was greater than u
frst view indicated. The upper dee
f. was shored up by timbers supported
itrsstles. All the forward wood wo
: was gone and the hurricane deck slo
N, ed down in q dilapidated way, indie
on tive of an Absence of solid support
,ra meath A great litter of ground timh
no and smashed furniture occupied t
r. for ward deck.
10 The FELTON, was towed to Pusey
,at Jones' wharf and made fast. TheI
Ito curious crowd went on board Amo
.S, tho people was Captain r. j. Lindt
10 n'superintendent of the hiladelpf
&c agency of Pinkerton's = detf etive for
a who had been called upon by the Per
IN Isylvania Railroad Company to make
ter in YES tigation of the explosion. Capti
nd Linden took, a hasty view of the wret
aar examined the splintered woodwo
n, from the hold to the hurricane deck
~ then said, in answer to the inquiries
a., a reporter: "rhis damage was !
,ad caused by powder. There is no tri
hat of the blacksning effects powder alws
,an leaves behind il. The explosive mat
ava ial was either dynamite, nitro.ely cer
eh or something of that kind. Nitro-g
=. 4 cerine leaves very little trace, and ,