Telegram-herald., 1890-07-13
DEATHS HARVEST.
Rxplos.on OF on on the PropsI CT
T.oga ~ Chicago.
FIF1ks xEs LOSE THEIR LIVES.
A sznbsr 0f oshsFs Terribly EUrass-
- fhs niz Vessel Badly Damaged - A
n4a.ksr II PsFssas DEssasd ~
DAEt2seths =. ,.



HuKIED NTo EfEEsFrY.
CHfcAGo. Jgly I2-By a terrific ex-
pIoSlon that shook al TIE buil3iBgs IN
the center Of the city and startled
thousands Of residents she stern Of The
magnificent frsisat steamer Tega wzs
blown cut az 7.s5 o'clock Friday night
Ard 40 less than hfIeeu mea net instant
death. Nins Others were Injured
Tners WAS rush Of steam and smoke,
cloud OF shattered tinssrs. and the
sgonizing cries Of those Dot killed ~ilo
were unable 30 escape from the nzmes
eaat az once began 60 eat up every shisg
within reach OF their awful fury.
Thousands hocked 20 the docks Of the
Union Steamboat Company. on the
river hack Of Market street between
Washington ana Randolph, and the fire
eagiAes were soon IL the vicinity doing
good work 70 prevent the thrsatened
complete loas OF The big vessel.
Theory differs as 10 the cause Of the
explosion Some claim that the com
bustible cargo OF oil stored in hold ),
directly aft the boilers, MAS the cause.
Others claim that the water in the
boilers had besn allowed to run low and
that they we're unable 10 withstand the
strain brought 70 bear upon them
There were, however, $50 barrels OF oil
stored in hold No. 5, and il appears
from the testimony of those who es-
capped the wreck that this was the i'm
mediate cause OF the explosion.
At 7 o'clock the porter, William
Palmer, OF Buffalo. descended into the
hold with several lamps, which he
placed about on the deck that the roust-
abouts might see 20 continue their work.
No sooner had Palmer ascended TO the
upper deck after joking with the men
below than the explosion came. IL is
believed that the vapor from few bar
rels OF naphtha communicated with the
light of the lamps and did the fearful
work
The noise OF the explosion was heard
nearly mile distant from the scene.
Immediately following itcame shower
OF wood and iron thrown hundreds of
feet into the air, with here and there the
burned and manEled form OF some hE-
man being plainly visible to the bor-
rifed spectators, and then falling
into the murky waters Of the river,
probably never TO be seen again. The
main deck and promenade deck, togeth-
or with the house work in the other part
Of the vessel, were rendered mass OF
splintered wood and twisted iron. A
sheet OF flame wrapped the gigantic YES.
sci from about amidship to the stern,
shooting a hundred feet into the air,
lighting up the neighboring ware ehouses
and shipping with dull glow which
only added terror TO the scene.
When the first engines arrived their
efforts, under the direction of Marshal
Campion, were directed toward check
ing the flames, which were fast rushing
toward the forward part of the vessel
and threatening her with total destruc-
| ton. From the depth of the vessel
could be heard the roar of the flames
and the occasional explosion Of a
barrel of oih while the forms of half q
/ score of unfortunates penned into the
/ fiery furnace could be seen writhing II
agony and unable to escape. The sight
/ was an awful one and the iremen who
made heroic efforts to render assist
ance were steadily driven back from
/ their position. On the upper deck lay
! the unconscious forms OF seven meI
who were hurled up from below by the
| force Of the explosion.
/ The fire-engines poured tons of water
/ into the burning vessel, the object be
/ ing TO cause her to sink TO the river:
bottom, which is very shallow at thi:
point Az hour OF this work, aided by thC
water rushing into large hole torn il
the bottom By the explosion, hac
the desired effect. and the vessel slowly
found q resting-place in the bottom o
the river, the water being level witt
her main decks.
The first body taken out was that o
a colored roustabout 1t was foun'
hanging partly over the combing o. th'
hatch leading into hold 5. Not YES
tige Of the clothing remained, the bod,
being burned almost TO a crisp anC
twisted and distorted in a horrible
shape The face was entirely unrecog
nizable and the body was quickly re
moved 70 the morgue.
Tho surviving members of the crew
under the command of Captain Phelp
and the truck companies. lowered them
selves into the hold, and. supported b.
planks laid across the open hatchways
recovered four more bodies and carrie'
them out 20 the dock. Two of thes
were whito men and two were oolored
but they we're so burned and distorted
as to be unrecognizable. They wer
taken TO the morgue and placed anon
the unknown dead.
The fact that the vessel was built II