Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-28
AT BREAK O. DAY.
Explosion on the Steamer
Julia at Vallejo.
THE BOAT AND WHARF ON FIRE

THE BOAT AND WHARF ON FIRF
Fighting the Flames-Exciting
Incidents-List of the Killed
and Injured.
Associated Press Dispatches to theHERALDl
VALLEJO, February 27.-This morn
ing there happened the most terrible
fatality in the history of Vallejo.
About ten minutes after six, just af-
ter the whistle had blown to signal
ize the departure of the steamer
Julia from the South Vallejo wharf on
her first trip and before she had got
loose from her moorings, a terrific
explosion occurred, rocking the YES
sci through its whole extent, and fill
ing the air with smoke. The early
trip takes all the workmen living on
the Vallejo side to work in various in
dustries on the Contra Costa side
also those going to San Francisco.
Consequently great many passen-
gers were ON board. The morning
being cool, most of them had gath
cred around the warm smoke stack in
the lower cabin. As the explosion
came from the boiler, these men
were directly exposed to the terrible
shock. Besides this the petroleum
used for fuel was scattered through
the steamer, setting it on fire. There
was terrible confusion and heart
rending cries from the crushed
and burning men.
THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION
Is shown on body that was dragged
out Of the wreck by Constable Longan
without head or limbs, utterly unrec.
ognizable. The burning steamer set
fire to the wharf, and for hours the
flames held sway until the boat was
burned to the waters edge. AS far as
can be learned, eight or ten are killed
or missing and many badly injured.
1t is declared that there were sixty.
seven people on board, of whom only
seventeen have been accounted for
and the fear is now entertained thai
the calamity is much more serious
than at first thought, indicating that
fortysspersons at the outside were
killed.
THE DISASTER WAS DUE
To the explosion of one of the petro
leum vats, and within few minutes
after the explosion the steamer sanl
in the mud. The water now covers
her upper deck, and all that can bt
seen Of her is the flagstaff. The
wharf caught fire and is still burning
The telegraph Office was also de
stroyed. The full scope OF the dis
aster cannot be known for severa
days.
When the news of the disaster
reached North Vallejo the fire depart
ment turned out, but was unable to dc
anything towards saving the wharf
The Starr Touring mills were
threatened, but luckily escaped.
There was no water to combat the
fire, and as the tide was out the
engines were unable to go to work.
Over 600 feet OF wharf was destroye 4,
but the fire was under control by
o'clock.
THE CASUALTY LIST.
Five bodies have been recovered so
far. They are Michael Brannelly
Albert Madison, Oliff Nelson and
two burned beyond recognition
John Oliver was rescued alive, but
died from his injuries. 1t is believed
that ten bodies still remain on the
steamer. Captain Gedge and most oi
the crew escaped with slight injuries
Among the missing are Edward and
James Rule, John Campton, Timothy
Hurley, Joseph Williams, William
Connolloy, John Hodgkins, Michael
Dolan, William Lamar, John CLARK
and Z. G. Mcdonald.
UP TO ONE O'CLOCK
Nine bodies had been recovered, but
only seven were identified: Joseph
Fragas, longshoreman; William
Loman, shipping clerk; Melvin
Hodgkins, tallyman for Puget Sound
Lumber Co. and a man named Hig.
gins.
THE CORONER AT WORK.
At 4 O'Clock it was known that out
Of the missing men there remained
still ten to account for. Deputy Cor
oner Whitaker, who had been on the
scene all day, decided to hold an in
quest, for the purpose of identifying
the bodies. From the many stand
ing around he speedily selected a
jury, and after they had been sworn,
Identification commenced. The work
was not easy, as all of the bodies
were more or less disfgured. In one
corner of the shed lay mass of hui
man remains, charred, bruised
and mangled beyond recogni-
tion. Near by lay a second, the
skull frightfully disfgured, and
one hand blowa off. A third was the
body of a young man, the face raw
with burns, legs broken, and pre-
senting pitiful spectacle. Many
men were married, and leave families.
In the shed only jurors and press
representatives were allowed, but
outside there were crowds of anxious
ones, and many cry was heard, as,
peering over the gates or between the
bars, glimpse was caught of some
familiar body. When the jury's
labors were suspended they had iden-
titled thirteen, and by inquiry among
those around.
THE FOLLOWING LIST
Was compiled -
Olof Nelson, fisherman, aged %
years, single.
Michael Brannely, laborer in the
lumber yard, 81 years old, leaves six
children, and wife in the insane