Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-21
STEAMBOAT EXPLOSION.
SEVEN MEN KILLED AND SEVERAL
INJURED.
Further Details of the Terrible Catas.
tropbs .t wheeling-Over Twenty Lives
Lost The Town of Triadelphia, Penn.'
also has its Horror-Thres Families
DroUned.


of the steam pipe that supplied the engine
from the boilers, caused the death OF seven
men Of the crew of the tug boat convoy
Yesterday The accident occurred twenty
six miles up the river near Westport, Ind,
and most Of the men were asleep at that
time.
The following is a list Of the victims:
William Page, English, about Is years DID,
residence unknown; William Harrigan'
Pa. Robert Jones, about IS years old, mar
ried. residence, Jacks Run, Pa; William
Rigley, ~ years old, married. residence
Allegheny City, Pa; Charles Luster, os
wears of age, residence Jacks Kun, IA.
George McCann, "a years old, residence
Pittsburg; William Kelley, about 30 years
old, residence unknown.
When the boat reached Westport ~
miles up, everything, according to the hrst
mates story. was running smoothly ne
took q walk back to the cabin and found
ali oniet He stopped and talked to his
friend. George McCann, who was lying on q
lower berth near the door. The latter hall
rose in his bed and remarked, "Pll secs DC
at home with my family" Then he lay
down and went to sleep. The mate re-
turned to the pilot house and was convers-
ing with Captain Reno, the pilot They
were then two miles above Westport.
Suddenly there was terrific explosion.
The whole boat became enyeloped in steam
and the machinery stopped. The captain,
who was asleep. hurriedly dressed, called
his men, and made preparations 10 iano:
The yawl was lowered, line taken on, ana
the boat was towed ashore and made fast to
q tree Then the captain proceeded to the
after cabin, where the explosion occurred.
William Page lay near the door dead, the
blood rushing from his mouth and ears, and
flesh scalded off his body.
William Harrigan was in his berth. His
death must have been instantaneous, for
he lay in the same position as when ne re-
tired.
Robert Jones was on the floor and barely
alive. He was horribly burned and lived
but fifteen minutes. He died with his
wife's name on his lips.
William Bigley was still alive when
found, but died in ten minutes
Charles Luster was found outside OF the
cabin. living on his face. He was not dead,
| and told them he had run out there as soon
| as he could recover from the shock OF the
explosion. He was almost baked. his skin
was parched and little jets of blood stood
out from the poors of his body. In two
hours he was dead.
George Mccain lay dead in exactly the
same position he was in when the hrsi
mate left him but half an hour before.
William Kelley was pulled out from un'
| der his bunk and was alive, but be was also
| terribly burned.
Charles Chambers. the other man who
| slept in the cabin, was blown out OF the
door, and had a miraculous escape.
The officers of the boat can give no ex'
PLANTATION of the accident, and claim the
| machinery was inspected last February, and
was then in excellent condition. An in.
| L L II 81, e Of q
| the bodies returned to Pittsburg.
| The Convoy was built at Sweeney's
| foundry. Jacksonville, last February, and
was owned by Thomas Fawcett & Sons, o
| Pittsburg. Those in charge were: Captain
| John Richardson; pilot, Louis Keno; hrs'
mate, William kerins; engineer, Tom Carr
| The boat was on its return TO PittsburS
having left here last night with six empties
The Loss of Life ut Wheeling.
PrrrsBuReH, Pa. July PA Chronicl,
| Telegraph special from Wheeling says thu
| loss of life from the flood last night is a
| least twenty-five About fifteen bodie
have been found 50 far. The money loss j,
about $3.50, 900.
The greatest loss of life was along Wheel
| ing creek and at Triadelphia. A searcl
| in the morning resulted in the discovery OF I
number of bodies near the latter place
| Most of them were found among the drift
which collected at Elm Grove The bod!
4 of William Gaston aged 60 years, prom
| inent and wealthy citizen, was found nea
Elm Grove His wife's remains were foun'
two miles below Elm Grove hanging on
barbed wire fence.
| charles Culbell, of the Wheeling News
Letter. aged fifty years was found anon
the drIitwood. Mrs Jane Fay and her tw
| grown mn daughters. Alice and Mary, wer
| discovered short distance below Triadel
nina and the bodies of two brothers, name,
| Eorman were found in a meadow, wher
thew had been hurled by the furious wal
ers.
| A later dispatch says twenty-three per
| .ons are known to be drowned. Anon
the number was the sheriff of Marshal
county. Two cemeteries were washed GU
and the cofins with bodies hoated dow
the river
Latest Details.
wuxr,,xs w Va. July 2l.-Later an
,,han,;o details from Triadelphia sho,
4hs Jastrnct;on there was more appallin
tban anvwbere else. Fifteen families ar
I.ss ~ soya1 no,bino brt what the
MI ~, Half tb;s y;lIaoe of six hundre
inhah;tants Was swent away. but ali bu
tbnsa named escaped TO the hills. Tn
stnr,n eytended sixteen miles east of Yves
Aierander Pa and the scene all along tn
may - ona Of dssolation and inconceiyabl
horror Wv
Where the Triadelphia school house.
-. S,,;,d;na Of sir rooms stood. tb
iasI !. n"w 3 rsa;no t,ooJ and not a We.
f;oe of even the foundation remains. Tn
So,s NJ =, son,b & half of the town has disappeal
va mno. os oIoar as ;f Il never existed. Th
Wta.I;n.. w a. rai;.f committee which recent
49, tns AZ CO.. The RoweIsburg sufferer
eudaa ,be bsIance for provisions aa
apen;o.u t T,;adsinh;s The r, q o. Pitt
SEM ~ s;n;s;an ~ i practically DESTROYED fc
euis u 81 he Western Union Tel,
49, suh camnanv lost forty miles of wire an
sap sp. of ths noIes
Reports are coming IN rom al paris
| Ohio county, lndicatlng thal the storih w