The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-08-18
DYNAMITED!
A Steamer, With 200 Women
and Children Aboard, is
Blown tU Pieces.
Everything Now Indicates the
Deed was the Result of
n Fiendish PLOT.
stupid Police Fail to Arrest u
Man who sNinis Ashore
with IA Life Preseryer.
knights of Labor Being "snub'
brdv Iuaugurnte IA strike
on the wabash.
A steamer Laden with Passengers
nloMnmp.


PHILADELPHIA, Penn. August Is
| The explosion on the steamer FELTON,
occurred Just after she had left the
dock ON her trips to Wilmington,
Delaware and was opposite pier No. $
South wharves. Passengers and crew
were startled by the explosion which
! shook the boat from stern to stern
aud when the smoke cleared awao, IL
was found the entire forward part of
the vessel above the water line had
been badly damaged aud number of
passengers injured, some severely.
The pilot house and entire upper
deck were lifted and fell TO the lower
deck. The bow presented scene of
complete wreck. Tugs proceeded
TO the injured vessel and, with the as
sistance Of the police tug proceeded
to remove the injured.
The ambulance of the Pcnnsylva-
MIA hospital soon arrived aud
took most of the injured to that insti-
tuition.
The injured so far as known are:
Jno. Il. Medium, aged years, severe
" injured about the legs; Silas Reed,
badly shocked aud confused; Bessie
Brady, ankle dislocated; Samuel
Cooper injured about the head aud
body; George Ervon, injured about
the limbs aud body. The steamer is
owned by the Pennsylvania Hallway
company aud ia large aud well
equipped boat. If she is not injured
below the water line the damage will
not be heavy. The cause of the ex-
plosion is uncertain. Passengers and
many of those who saw the explosion
from the shore insist that gun powder
or some similar explosive was ignited
on the forward deck, and several per-
sons who were standing on the pi r
declare they distinctly noticed the
odor of gun powder. There has been
considerable rivalry between the Fell
ton aud other boats running 10 Will
iniugton and reports have gained
ground that some malicious person
placed an explosive on deck. This is
mere rumor however, and the real
cause of the explosion will not he GER
tainly known until further investiga-
ton is made.
There was over POO people on the
boat, men, women and children, when
The explosion occurred. The wrecked
npper-works took fire and frightfiil
panic ensued. This was speedily
checked by the GOODNESS of number
OF men who drove the women and
| frantic women from leaping over
board. Besides those seriously hurt
large number were quite stunned by
the shock. The promptness with
which assistance came from all sides
prevented the fire from spreading
The steamer is not injured below her
water line and the cost of repairing
her will not exceed $500.
There now seems but little doubt
about the explosion being due to dvn
amite, though no one seems TO know
how il was taken on board. Ii seemi
marvellous that half of the people es
capped death. Witnesses say that a
the moment of the explosion, every
thing became envelOped in darkness
and the boat rocked as il in a storm
} 1t was supposed that no one had lean
ed overheard. but man who ba,
secured life-proseryor has sine
come ashore at Walnut Street wharl
apparently uninjured.
l The passengers were mostly wome
taking their babies for fresh airin
, ON the river. Their remarkable o,
l cape is accounted for by the prov
: dental tact that but few of them wer
on the forward end of the steame
us the forward canvass awning ha
4 not been set, aud the sGn shining ther
= made the passengers seek the coyere
: spot in the stern of the boat,
Edward Young, the fireman, sa,
that when the explosion occurred i
was carrying only thirty-flye pounl
of steam. Andrew Linken said |
tested the boiler last May aud foup
a II in good condition. The iron w,
n tested, II is stated, 10 10000 pound
and broke only at $4,000 pounds. III
indentatiOn on the head of the boile
however, shows beyond doubt th
- the explosive force came from wit
y out aud not from within.
!, Captain Wiley, Mr.. Lawnna. M
- Mershon and Mr. Tinker made a car
" full examination of the wreck for II
purpose OF ascertaining the cause
the explosion. The investigation {
tablisned the fact that the explosi,
l., was caused by dynamite. The expI
II siye had been placed forward direct
s. in front of the head OF the boiler.
III The steamer came up from w
u mlngton at $50 o'clock and lay at {
nc wharf u"til o'clock last night. S
d. lay at Wilmington in charge of A
he drew Jones OIL Brighton, N. j,
70 could not be communicated with
m. day, but Captain Wiley .,
~ that u stranger had board
W or attempted 10 boaId the steau
n. he would have been informed Of