The morning call., 1890-07-12
BEYOND HUMAN AID.
Terrible Scenes at a Steamship
Explosion.
Fire Prevents The Rescue Of the Wounded
LaborerS in the Hold.
Nine Bodies Recovered From a Literal Black
Hole at a Chicago Dock = SpOl-
tansOuS Combustion.


OHlCAGO, July ia lTlSHtlul eAplOSlon
occurred tonight on the steamer Tioga,
one OF the largest vessels on the Great
Lakes. Thirty-eight persons were aboard
the steamer at the time. When the work
of rescuing the survivors, which COM
menced almost instantly, was we'll under
way only two persons could be found who
had escaped unhurt.
To make matters worse fire broke out on
the wrecked vessel and huge volumes of
fame and smoke impeded the work of the
searchers for the dead and dying.
1t was in Chicago River, at the foot of
Washington street, that the explosion oc-
Cured. This locality is the heart of the
business section of Chicago. and the ex-
ploson brought people running in terror
out Of tall buildings blocks away.
A STUBBORN FIRE.
Most of the victims were Chicagoan
stevedores, who were unloading the vessels.
Only three of the Tioga's crew were re-
ported on the missing list. The fire proved
a stubborn one and made it impossible at
the time to verify the report that the boilers
had exploded. statement was current
that the explosion was due to an
other cause - the accidental lighting
of a quantity of combustibles in
the narrow confines of the Tioga's
deep hold In the hold near the steamers
stern was where the fire held sway.
Through the bursts of fire could be seen a
great jagged cleft in the Tioga's decks and
cabin, and aloft on the tall smoke-stack
daDgled huge framework of timber fan
tastically swaying backward ard forward,
telling of the terrific force of the explosion,
which had sent it there from thirty feet
below.
While the fire was still in progress an
Associated Press representative met the
captain of the Inflated stated steamer on
the forw ard deck, but the officer could not
stop long enough in STRENGTHENING out the
confusion Prevailing to give statement of
what he knew of the wreck.
THY CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
Said he: My name is Captain A. A.
Phelps. l arrived here last evening from
Buffalo in command of the 1ioga, and we
were unloading at this dock when the ex-
plosion took place. This evening | was in
freight-shed on the dock when l heard a
terrific noise. l ran out, when 1 saw
quarter of the vessel enveloped in steam.
All of the crew of twenty five men
were either aboard at the time
or were on the dock or in the
freight-house. l found after a careful
search that all but three were accounted for
and safe. Those three, all from Buffalo,
we're: Second engineer George Haid, look
out C. LeYalley and deck-hand William
Cuthbert. Besides the three missing,
who belonged TO the crew, there must
have been from twelve to fifteen
other men killed, and probably half a
dozen in addition wounded. These were
laborers in the hold who were doing the un-
loading. Eight colored men are positively
stated to have been below, and SIX or seven
others were at the matches aiding their fell
low stevedores lower down. The explosion
occurred in the hold, and not in the ma
chinery or boilers, as near as l could ascer-
tain, and was probably in some combustible
freight stored there.
A LITERAL BLACK HOLE,
The captain was at this moment called
away to the wrecked portion of the vessel,
which seemed to be gradually settling in
the river. Occasionally a wounded man
was being hauled out Of the debris as the
flames permitted the police and firemen to
close in toward the literal black hole in
which the bodies of the unfortunate steve
dores still lay.
Great crowds of people gathered ON the
neighboring bridges, docks and vessels and
watched the tragic scenes being enacted on
the Tioga, the immense iron hull of which.
painted black, stretched 800 feet or more
along the pier, and q swarm Of people, fire.
men and reporters were clambering over
her sides. Witnesses of the explosion we're
busy telling newcomers the CORY particu-
lars.
1t appeared that the explosion occurred
just after the porter, named William
Palmer, had gone below with lighted lamps.
He had scarcely reached the deck again
when a fearful shock came. 1t was said
that 200 barrels Of oil were among the cargo
and that these had become ignited. Others
concluded that the explosion must be due
to lack of water in the boilers and that the
second engineer, who was known to be
missing, was the man whose duty it would
be to start the pony pumps in such au
emergency This it was declared would
have produced just such an explosion,
wrecking only one compartment of the
vessel.
NINE DEAD BODIES.
Up to 80 o'clock this Saturday morn
ing nine dead bodies have been taken from
the wreck and five or more wounded were
conveyed TO the hospital. The Tiogas stern
has settled to the bottom of the river. but
as it is not deep there the decks were still
above the surface.
1t is estimated that $4,000 will cover the
damage. This amount is believed to be
fully insured.
Engineer Haig and Steam-ftter Burns
cannot live through the night. The ad-
ditional names of the colored stevedores
supposed to have been killed are: Walter
Dukes. Henry Weatherspoon, John Golf,
Jacob Churl, Alexander Smith, j. Braxton
and Charles Foster.
clearer idea of the cause of the ex-
plosion will be obtained when the boilers
and cargo are examined. The boilers
seemed to be intact The cargo was kero-
sene, gasoline and cotton. The inference
is drawn that the leaking of the kerosene
saturated the cotton and generated gases,
which ignited when lanterns were taken
i,nt tba holI