The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-01-12
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
OF THE po11ERs OF A srRAoI rug
On tho monoUEahola River yestcrdns-TwO
Persons Killed and Others Badly In
iured-rhe Ffightful Force of the
ploslon-BOata Complete Wreck.

/ ffTTSbbH6H, fA.t JIM. tbs-Ah 2A4Ea
beth, Pa, special says: By explosion Q
her boiler the steam tug Mike Donghert,
was completely demolished near here a
I1Oo'clock to-day. Two OF the crew wer
killed and others badly hurt The boa
had put ashore at Belleyllle TO make re
pairs to her machinery that had broker
down. The explosion occurred while sh'
lay there. The killed and injured are
VIM. Holler, steward, Allegheny; Vim
Matthews, deck.hand, Allegheny, lost
Gardner Jackson, captain, Allegheny
badly scaldcd; Hugh T. Porter
engineer, Allegheny, cheek laid open
Thomas McQuain, deck-hand, South
Side, Pittsburgh, leg hurt slightly
The remaining member Of the crew wai
Henry Brown, fireman, OF Allegheny. He
is uninjured. s,}tsR
The hull OF the unlucky steamer and
the vicinity for two hundred yards around
is indeed scene OF desolation. The force
of the explosion must have been terrific.
The hull lies in shallow water near the
shore half exposed, and one side blown
out. The entire upper works are blown
OF. Fragments OF the machinery and
fixtures lay scattered all around on the
ground, and many Of them were blown
far into the river, where they either sank
or aoated of.
THE BURST BOILER.
The boiler which burst lies shattered
and battered wreck fifty yards up along
the shore. The other, but little injured.
was blown fur up the bank, whence it
rolled back into the river. Two hundred
yards down the shore lies the pilot wheel
and section OF the hurricane Geek, while
up the hillside and far back from the river
lies the pilot house stove. The smoke
stack was blown entirely over the hill, al
least 200 feet-high, and lies in hollow
half mile away. Fragments OF wood
work and machinery are strewn thickly
over the ground for great distance
around. :.
sifne lost men have not yet been found.
They are supposed to have been blown
into the river wliichis being dragged for
the bodies. Viewing the wreck and the
evidence OF the awful force expended, it is
u matter OF great wonder that any escaped
alive.
TIE ESaINEER's STORY.
The engineer in broken voice and with
tears in his eyes told his experience us
follows: ave were coming up light, and
everything going right when the valve
stem broke. 1t was not n serious
thing, and We ran ashore to fix
it. This took about half an
an hour and we had got it Just about
finished when l sent the fireman down in
the hold to get bolt. In the meantime
! had one Of the boys try the water lie
found the two guages and about one hum
dred and sixty pounds. We are allowed
one hundred alld sevcnty-fve. i thought
the fireman was staying too long and had
started down the steps myself when the
boiler let go. The fact that i was gbelow.
saved me from serious injury or death, for
the force of the explosion was all upward.
The fireman was in the hold and was the
one unhurt.
The Captain was Just where had left,
and was badly scalded. McQuain was
blown clean out on the shore, aid thus
Ind his leg hurt. Tho other two poor iUl-
lows had gone forward, the steward to get
dinner and Matthews to let the boat loose.
| was careful. Obi l am sure it was not
my fault, and Idon't know what caused it"
CONDITION OF THE WOUNDED.
People OF the neighborhood flocked to
scene startled by the explosion. The in
iured were speedily gathered up and taken
to a neighboring house, where all possible
was done for them, two physicians hap
PLY being in sight when the explosion oc.
Cured. Subsequently they were taken on
the steamer Venture to their homes in
Allegheny. The Captain is severly scald.
ed on the hands and side, hut will prob
ably recover. The engineer had narro
escape from bleeding to death from an
artery severed in his cheek. Otherwise
he is not hurt, but is in great mental
anguish.
The wrecked steamer was a tugboat OF
the screw propeller order, seventy.onc
feet long, seventeen feet wide and draw.
ing six feet four inches. She was owned
by the Brown coal firm, OF Pittsburgh,
and was three years old. Her equipment
was the very best in every particular, aud
well posted rivermen put her value at$l5,.
600. She is a complete wreck.
.h