Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-10-10
a TERRIBLE CAL AMITY.
A steamer Blown Up aud FoIty Lives
Lost

The steamer Corona, OF tho Onachi-
tn Consolidated Line. left New Orleans
on the evening Of the End for Ouachita
river with full cargo Of freight and q
good list OF passengers. She exploded
her boilers at Falls River, nearly OPP
posite Port Hudson. at Has y. M,
causing the loss OF tho steamer and
about forty lives. The Anchor Line
Steamer, City OF st. louis, with Capt.
James O'Noil, was near and ,ased
many lives. The surviving passengers
and crew were taken on board by Capt.
O'Neil and kindly cared for,
The Corona was on her first trip Of
the season and had but recently cone
out OF the dry dock, where she had re-
ceived repairs amounting TO nearly
$4,000. She was built at Wheeling,
w. Va, by Swceny Bros. OF that city,
about seven years ago, and had u car
rying capacity Of about 2,1o0 bales OF
cotton. At the time Of the accident
she was valued ut $4,000.
Ten OF the saved are wounded but
not dangerously. Mrs Robertson says
when the Corona arrived opposite Falls
River Landing, about sixteen miles
below Bayou Sara, ono of her boilers
exploded, tearing tho boat to pieces,
when sho sank in deep water In a few
seconds. Mrs. Robertson says she was
wedged in the ladies' cabin with some
OF the debris lying across her lower
limbs, but was suddenly released and
found herself floating in the river.
She sank twice, but luckily was pick
cd up and escaped with only few
painful bruises on her limbs. Lierolins,
the pilot, says no was asleep at the time
OF the explosion and does not know what
occurred. Hon. L. +. Mason, secreta-
ry OF state, who was u passenger on the
Corona, states that he escaped with lie
preservers and assisted in saving Mrs.
Robertson and another lady. There
was very little time for preparation
for escape, as the boat went down like
lead u few seconds after the explosion
occurred. No one seems TO DO able to
arrive ut any explanation as to the
cause Of the sudden disaster. Capt.
Tieswent, one OF the propriotors Of the
line, who assumed command on the
death Of Capt. Blanks, says the ex-
plosion was not due to too high pres
sure OF steam. He had just had an
occasion TO examine the gauge, aud Is
positive that there was then pressure
of not more than 1876 pounds. The
boat had a moderate cargo. She was
In the middle of the stream just below
the landing at Arbroth and had just
whistled to pass the City OF st. Louis,
fortunately coming down at the time.
The explosion had downward ten
dency and blew out the bottom OF the
boat, causing her to sink Immediately.
The cabin was torn in two, tho rear
portion floating down stream and
bearing number OF the saved. Capt.
Sweeney says the boat would undoubt-
eddy have burned had she not gone
down Immediately. None of tho books,
papers or other valuablos were saved.
The City OF st. Louis, which was about
500 yards above, at once put out her
boats, and she did noble work In
saving lives. The Anchor line stayed
there several hours rendering ali the
assistance possible and taking on
board the rescued passengers aud
crew. When nothing more could be
done, she went down 20 Baton Rouge,
where physicians were summoned and
all possible was done for the injured.
The only dead body recovered was that
OF Fred Overman, second bar-keeper.