St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-04
Forty Lives Destroyed by the
Bursting of a Steamers
Boilers.
Ocean Craft Collide OF St.
Pierre and Sink With
Their Crews.
Four Miners Blown to Atoms
Deep in the Earth's
Bowels.
Robert Ray Hamilton Seeks a
Divorce From His Con.
Wet Spouse.

New ORLEANS, Oct. 3.-The steamer
Coronet of the Ouachita Consolidated
iiDe. left here at 80 last evening for
/ the Ouachita river with full cargo of
| freight and good list of passengers.
She exploded her boilers at False river,
nearly opposite Port Hudson, at IL :45
this morning, causing the loss Of the
steamer and about forty lives. The
Anchor line steamer City of st. Louis.
Capt. James O'Neil, was near by. and
his crew and boats saved many lives.
The surviving passengers and crew
were taken on board by Capt. O'Neil
and very kindly cared for by him and
his crew. Following are lists of lost
and saved as far as known:
Crew Lost: J. W. Blanks, captain; j. v.
Jordan, first clerk: Charles CeliOs, second
clerk; Swimp HAMA, third clerk; Fred
Dinkle, barkeeper; Fred Vernon, barkeeper;
Pat Ryan, steward; Dick Curtis fireman;
Tom Shook. engineer; Henry Doyle, porter;
James Swipe, porter: Mr.TaIe Barber: Henry
Davis, deck band; Tom Cook. sailor man; !;
Billy Young, second mate; Sam Steel, Texas
boy: both captains of the deck watch; eight
rOusters. :
Passengers Lost: DIR. Atwell, corn dealer
and four negro musicians: Mr.. Scott. Smith
land, Mr.. Davis stockman, Texas; Mr..
Koench, Mrs. Huff, of Opelousas; Mrs.
Kaufman's nurse and Oldest child.
Mrs. Tom Hough, of Opelousas, sister of
Capt. Blanks; Mr.. Wilson, of Red River
Landing; fifteen rousters, names unknown.
Crew saved-H. II. Jolle, pilot; L. Rawlins,
pilot: Charles Pierce, steersman; j. W.
Higgins, bill clerk; Robert earns, carpenter:
William Fleming, second steward; Sam Gree,
watchman; Tom Burns, deck hand; Miit
Glover. fireman: Dan SlemOck. pantryman;
aFNE nj hoH boz
Charity Lambert, cbambermaid; Miss Reilly,
second maid; Joe Rayman, greaser, and sew
eral cabin boys.
Passengers saved-Mrs. Henry Blanks and
two children, Mrs. Mann, Mrs. Robert Rob-
ertson, Mrs. Kaufman and children. Capt. B.
G.. Cornwell, Mrs. j. r. Brown, Mrs. j. j.
Meredith, L. f. Mason, Mr.. Baughman, Mr..
Comstock, Donaldsonville; John Carr. Har-
risburg.
Mrs. Kaufman and infant, of Smithland;
Hon. L. F. Mason, of Baton Rouge. r.
The following were wounded: Capt B. g.
Cornwel, slightly; - Baughman, residing
on Black river, hurt inside, not dangerous;
Mr.. Comstock, Donaldsonvilie, slightly; j. J.
Meredith, Columbia, La. slightly; Wayne. a
I Ettle son Of Henry Blanks, Slightly hurt
about the face; Charles a. Pearce, of New
expected to die. Pilot Rollins. badly scalded
on the hands; Can't. 7. C. Sweeuy, slightly
hurt by flying timbers; Mrs. e. w. Robert
son, slightly hurt
The Corona was on her first trip of
the season, and had but recently come
| out of the dry dock where she received
repairs amounting to nearly $4,000.
She was built at Wheeling, W. Va, by
the SWeeny Bros, of that city, about
seven years ago, and had carrying
capacity or abO 3,700 bales of cotton.
At the time of the accident she was val
ued at $4,000,
Mrs. Robertson says when the Corona
arrived opposite Falls River Landing.
about sixteen miles below Bayou Sara.
one of her boilers exploded, tearing the
boat to pieces, when she sank in deep
water in few seconds. Mrs. Robert
son says she was wedged IN the ladies'
cabin with some of the debris laying
acress her lower limbs, but was sud-
denly released and found herself float
ing in the river.
SHE SANK TWICE,
but luckily she was picked up. and
escaped with only few painful bruises
on her limbs. l.. G. RollingS, pilot of
Texas at the time of the explos-
ion." He does not know how the
explosion occurred. BE was awakened
by the noise it made: lie was painfully
burned on both hands, Hon. l.. F.
Mason, secretary of state, who was a
passenger on the Corona, states that he
was In the cabin talking to Mrs. Rob-
ertsOn about 10 o'clock this morning
when the explosion occurred. He es-
capped with life 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 ten seconds after the ex-
plOSiOn occurred. As the steamer City
Of Gf Ottic ouoo oh ha;I
and took on board all the passengers
and crew who were not lost in
the river. No one seems to be
able to give any explanation as to
the cause of the sudden disaster. Capt.
L. @. Sweeny, one of the owners of the
line, who assumed command on the
death of Capt. Blanks. says the explO-
sion was not due to too high pressure
of steam. He had just had occasion to
examine the gauge and is positive there
was not pressure of more than 125
pounds. The boat had a moderate
cargo. She was in mid stream just be-
low 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
tendency, and blew out the bottom of
the boat. causing her to sink immedi-
ately. The
CABIN WAS TORN IN TWO,
the rear portion floating down stream
and bearing a number of the saved.
Capt. Sweeney happened TO be forward,
and started at once to put out the flames
which began to burn at several places.
He says the boat would undoubtedly
have burned had she not gone down I'M
mediately. None of the books, papers
or other valuables 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 liner stayed there
several hours rendering all the
assistance possible and taking
on board the rescued passengers and
crew. When nothing more could be
done she come on down to Baton
Rouge, where physicians were sum-
moned and everything possible done
for the injuged. The only dead body
recovered was that of Fred Overman,
the second barkeeper. The remains
were put off at the wharf Office, where
they were viewed by Coroner Jones.
1t has not yet been determined whether
they will be inferred here or sent on to
New Orleans. Three or four of the in
jured remained on the City Of st. Louis,
and were carried to New Orleans.
DYNAMITE'S DEADLY WORK.