The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-10-04
FORTY LIVES LOST.
An Ex; osion on the River Steamer
Co na for Which no One
Can Account.
a Majority of the Untortunates Mem
bers of the Crew but Many
Passengers Drowned.
A Steamer Cut In Half and Going 20 the
Bottom In Few
Minutes.

NEW ORLEANS, oct, S.-The steamer
| Corona, Of the Ouachita Consolidated line
left here last evening for the Ouachiii
river with \ full cargo OF freight and
| coed list of passengers. She exploded hei
boilers at Falset river, nearly opposite Por1
Hudson, at HAS this morning, causing the
| loss of the steamer and about forty lives
| The Anchor lroe steamer City Of st. Louis
Captain James O'Neil, was near, and with
the crew and boats saved many lives The
surviving passengers and crew were taken
on board by Captain O'Neil and kindly
cared for. The following is a list of the
| lost and saved as far as known:
Crew lost. w. Blanks, captain; j. V,
JOddaD, first clerk; Charles c. Ellis, second
clerk; Swink Hanns, third clerk; Fred
DsnkIe, barkeeper; Fred Vernon, bar
keeper; Pat Ryan, steward. DICK curtis,
fireman; Tom Shoos, engineer; Henry
Davis. deck hand; Tom Cook, sailman;
BIilv Young. second mste, sam s Seses: s,sgy, ooy;
ron lbouts.
Il sengers lost-Dr. Atwell, corn doctor,
and four negro musicians: Mr.. Scott,
SmithIaDd, La; Mr.. Davis. stockman,
lsusas; Mrs. Kaufman's nurse and Oldest
child
Passengers saved-Mrs. Henry Blanks
and two children; Mrs. Wann, Mrs: Robert
Captain b. q. Cornwell, Mrs. j. Brown,
Mrs. j. j. Meredith, l.. 4. Mason, Mr.
Baughmon, Mr.. Comstock, Donald Sox-
Vile, John Carr, Harrisonburg.
The Corona WAS on her first trip OF the
season and had out recently come out Of
the dry dock, where she received repairs 90
the extent of nearly S12, 900. She was built
at Wheeling by Sweeney Bros, OF that
rying capacity OF about 270o bales of cot
ton. She was valued at $4,000.
Ten of tbs svaedlsre wounded, but not
dangerously. Mrs. Robersou says when
landing, about sixteen miles below Bayou
sara, one of her boilers exploded, tearing
the boat 20 pieces, when she sank in deep
water in q 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 picked up
and escaped with only few painful bruises
on her limbs. l.. q. R0ilings, the pilot,
says be was asleep at the time of the ex
pIosiOD and does not know how IL occurred.
Hon. l.. F. Maston, secretary of state, who
who was passenger on the Corona, says
he escaped with life preservers and assisted
in saving Mrs Robertson and another lady.
There as very little time for preparation
for escape, as the bost went down like lead
a few seconds after the explosion occurred.
No one seems 10 be able tO give any expla-
aster. Capt L. @. Sweeney, who assumed
command on the death Of Capt. Blank,
says the explosion was not due to 3
too high pressure of steam. He had
just had occasion to examine the gunge and
10 positive there was not a pressure of
more than 135 pounds. The boat had q
moderate cargo. She was in midstream,
just below the landing at Arbroth and had
Just whistled 10 pass the City OF ST. Louis,
fortunately coming down at the time. The
explosion had a downward tendency and
blew out the bottom OF the boat, causing
her to sink Immediately. She was torn IN
two, the rear portion floating down stream
and bearing number of the saved Capt.
Sweeney says the boat would undoubtedly
have burned had abe not gone down i'm
mediately. None of the books, papers or
other valuables were saved.
The City of St Lous, which was about
500 yards above, at once put out her boats
and she did noble work in saving lives
She 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
came on down to Baton Rouge, where ply
sicians were summoned and all possible
done for the injured. The only dead body
recovered was that Of Fred Overmin, the
second oarkeeper.