New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-28
A FERRY BOAT BLOWN UP.
MORE THAN TWENTY PERSONS KILLED.
FEARFUL ACCIDENT ON AN OLD PETROLEUM.
BURNING STEAMER, NEAR SAN FRANCISCO
The VESSEL TAKES FIRE, BURNS To THE
WATERS EDGE AND SINKS - HEROIC
EFFORTS or SAILORS AND FIRE
MEN TO SAVE LIFE AND
PROPERTY.
rBr TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE. '

MEN TO SAVE LIFE AND
PROPERTY.
lBr TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE1N
DAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 27.-An explosion occurred
thls morning on tho Southern Pacific ferry steamer
ae oouth Vallejo, by which twenty people were
Killed and many injured. 1t may be that the
loss OF life will be heavier. as the bodies could
not all be recovered to-day. After the explosion
the steamer took fire and burned to the waters
edge and than sank
The steamer is named Julia, and took passenL
gers from Vallejo Junction, on tie main line of the
central Pacific, to South Vallejo where they took
the train for Napa and Calistoga At am
the boat was crowded with worxingmen employed
at the Selby Smelling Works and other factories
on the Contrac sta side. There were about
seventy on board and these. owing to the cool
ness Of the morning, were gathered about the
smokestack They were thus exposed to the
full force Of the explosion.
just as old Captain Gedge was walking on
board preparatory to giving the order to start.
the explosion came. The scene following the
explosion was frghiful. according to the descrip-
ton OF those who wcm at the wharf. Just what
had exploded, whether the boiler or the oil tank
that furnishes fuel for the engines, was not
known NJ hrst. The shock was terrific and was
felt long distance away. The entire upper
part OF the steamer blown off-cabin, pilot
mouse ana lower apartments. Only the paddle
! boxes rising from the floor of the lower deck
remained. The timbcrs were blown in all drec-
lions and the water was filed with the wreckage
FIRE ADDS TO TIE scENE OF HORROR.
Cries Of wounded burned and drowning men
were heard. The wharf and long row of sheds
by which the steamer was moorcd took fire.
and the fast spreading flames added horror to
the scene. The news Of the disaster spread
rapidly and assistance came from all quarters.
The Motel employees and the railroad men at South
Vallejo busted themselves in rescuing men from
the water and removing the injured out Of reach
of the spreading flames.
A body. headcSs, went floating by In tho
current and portions of other bodies were seen
by rcScucrS VINO were out in small boats about
the wreck. The railroad fire engine at Vallejo
there and before long an engine from
the Vallejo department was on the sccnH with
crew Of active fremen. Residents turnd out
and aided in the work OF checking the fames
Tidngs of the disaster went TO the Command
ant at the Mare Island Navy Yard. just across
the channel, and he immediately dispatched the
Navy Yard launch and other craft TO the scene.
The launch took over twenty or thirty sailors,
who worked, only sailors can work IN heading
off fire. The flames spread, enveloping the long
SD row 1o Of hod SnSG sheds oospCd sGuh T vos wefe
storage place for railroad property used
on the Napa Valley branch. The telegraph and
ticket offices were soon deStroy.d. ne Iauncn nn
and other craft sent from the Navy Yard were
kept busy at the work of rescue. Several wounded
men were picked up and taken over to TN" hos,
like hospitals, wounded men being taken there
until surgeons could care for their injuries.
WHAT AN EYEWITNESS SAW
An eyewitness of the explosion said Just as
the deck hands were hauling in the lines there
was "a loud explosion and a sheet of flame shot
high into the air. Those who were on deck at
the time hurled overheard and several were
killed outright by being struck by pieces
OF dr57ls. Most Of the passengers were below
vel n nd pit killed
the water poured in on them. The few who were
on deck and were not rendered insensIble by the
shock quickly assisted ashore by men ON tue
wharf. Fifteen minutes after the explosion about
GOO feet of the wharf, the freight depot ana the
Telegraph Office were burning. The hremeu tried
to get water from the edge Of the wharf but
the tide was too far out and they could DO nothing
TO save property"
Many wcalthy residents of San Francisco 60 up
TO their vineyard, in Napa Valley on Saturday
and come down early on Monday morning TO
business. They al mad IA narrow escape from
fearful death. The fuel used on the Julia was
crude petroleum She was fitted with petroleum.
burners at about the same time as the Oakland
fcrries-about eight months ago. Before that
time Rocky Mountain coal was used when tho
change IN fuel was made, it was found that about
100 gallons of petroleum were equivalent to ton
Of coal The boat carried about 1000 gallons
Of petroleum in a heavy bOilerlron tank, which
was placed forty feet away from the furnaces
From this tank small pipe, about an mch In
diameter, conveyed the crude oil to the furnaces;
where IL blown in by steam and consumed
under the boilers 1t was contendcd that the
az paratus was perfectly safe and that leaking from
the tank would have only the effect OF making
a hotter fire.
,AusE OF THE EXPLOSION MYSTERY.
The steamer had two boilers, which had often
been criticised They were Of the locomotive
boiler style, and engineers considered them not
we'll suited for marine purposes, although they
were admittedly i'm good order These boilers were
inspected last June and the certificate didn't eX-
pire till next June. What caused the explosion
Is still mystery, though it is said to have been
IL. gat fha tan
The boat was completely Ovcrhauled about year
ago, hut she twenty-five years old. She had
bad record as IN September 1866, when sne was
on the Stockton route the head OF her boiler blew
ont killing nine of her crew and scalding the
clerk and another officer so badly that they dled
in n few days. Ibis accident WAS due to flaw
I'm the boiler and fr Il time she was summed but
the IMPRESSION wore oH
VAIIFJ". Cal. Fob. 27-Gcncral Press Dispatch
II is believed that between thirty and forty lives
were lost Up 10 a late hour this afternoon twelve
bodies had been recovered. two Of which were
burned beyond recognition The names of the other
ten victims follows:
man. Orf Nelson. Alfred Madison. Michael Bran
lev John Brevicll. William Stark Edward Rule
and man named Higgins.
Tho names of probably less than hall OF the
passengers who were on the steamer AT the tlme
Of the explosion arc not known. which mak"s 1t
impossible to tell how many sank with the wreck,
hut at least fifteen who are known to have been
ON the 81 amer are still missing Captain Gedge
Of the Julia severely injured as was also
Charles Heath. the pilot. Twelve Others were
also very severely injured.
Vallejo is situated on the northeastern shore OF
san Pablo Bav. at the month Of Mana Creek,
twenty y-seven miles north northeast Of San Fran
cisco. II has Iarge and safe harbor and is access
sbc to the LARGEST sea-gong ships. II is built on
tho stones Of hills which rise gently to the height
of 100 feet more above the level of the bay. IL
has n popul1to ion of about 10000, mostly or the
mannfac uring classes South Vallejo Is part Oh
Vallejo proper.
FATALLY STdBBFD BY 4 RELAII( E
JAMES BRENNAN IN A FIT OF ANGER. PLUNGEs A
KNIFE INTO Ms COUSINS BREAST AND EsCAPEs'