Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-04
FORTY LIVES LOST
Appalling Disaster on the Miss.
 issippi River.
A STEAMERS BOILER BURSTS,
Some of the Passengers and Grew are Saved
 by Passing Vessel.

The Steamer Kent In Two By the Explos- ion and Instantly sun!1--Tha First Trir
 Alter an ovcrhaullns that was Supposed to be Thorough List of the Dead and Accounts By Those Who Were Saved. NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 1.-The steamer Corona, of the Onachita Consolidated Line, exploded her boilers at False
 Bottom, nearly opposite Port Hudson,
 yesterday, causing tho loss of the steamer and about forty lives.
 The Corona reach cd Baton Rouge at about 1O:3o yesterday morning, taking on number of passengers at that tary of State, and his wife, and Mrs. E. w. Robertson, wife of Congressman Robertson.
 While opposite False River Settle ment one of the boilers exploded sud- denly and in a most unaccountable manner. No one who witnessed the ex- plosion directly survives to tell how the accident did occur. The explosion knocked down the roof of the cabin and sent splinters flying in every direo- tiop, wonnding number of persons and splitting the vessel so that she sank al- most like lead.
 Although it was in the middle of the day, and every one was on the alert, both passengers and crew found it diff cult to escape. It is probable that the explosion killed Immediately the fire men, roustabouts and number of the other deck hands. Others were seriously hurt by the SpllnterS and escaping steam. There was no time to get out the boats and some of the passengers with difficulty secured life preservers Within 8 fcW seconds tho Corona had sunk in deep water, and nothing was left of her but portions of tho wreck drifting down stream. The passengers and crew were struggling in the middle of the river and clinginG to life pre- servers, blanks and pieces of the wreck age.
 Fortunately the City of St. Louis was coming down the river when the explo- sion occurred. She came to tho relief of the people struggling in tho water. and. landing, took on board thoso who had already been rescued by the people of the neighborhood, bringing them all to Baton Rouge. Here those who wished to remain were landed, and the others were taken to New Orleans.
 The City of St Louis remained at Baton Rouge for some time, so as to al- low the wounded passengers to receive the medical treatment they needed. Some of them were badly burned by the steam, but it is not thought any arc mortally wounded.
 The following persons were lost:
 PASSENGERS.
 I. D. Scott, Smithield, La.; Dr. At well, William Davis, a stockman from Texas; Mrs. l.. Kocnch. Opelousa, La.; Mrs. Thos. Hough. Opelousa, La, sister of the captain Mrs. Kaufmans. nurse, and eldest child. Mrs. Nelson, of Red River Landing.
 OFFICERS AND CREW.
 J. w. Blanks, captain: J. V. Jordan, clerk: Charles Cellas clerk: Swimp Hanna, clerk: Fred Dunl1e1, barkeeper; Fred o. Berman, barllecper: Pat Ryan, Dick Curtis, fireman: Tom Shook, engineer; Henry Doyle. porter; Jim Swipc, porter: ---- Tate. barber, (colored); Henry Davis, deckhand, (colored): Tom Cook, sailor: Billy Young, second mate: Sam Steel (col- Carter, fireman, (colored); two captains i of the watch, both colored; eight rousta- bouts, all colored.
 The Hon. l., T. Mason, Secretary of l State, said that he was in the ladies' cabin at the time of the explosion. | There was no time for any prepara tion IS the boat went down in a few minutes l He managed with difficulty to get life l preservers for himself and two ladies. | md the next moment they were all l struggling in the water.
 None of the bodies have been recov- cred except that of one of the barkeepers The body shows that he was killed by 5he explosion and not drowned, and the | pro Liabilities are that most of the other members of the crew met their death in , similar wav