Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-10-09
The Boiler OF q Tug at Work on
the River at Chicago Sud-
denly EXplodes.
" Eight Persons Instantly Killed
and q Dozen Seriously
Injured.
Most Of the Victims We're BystaMders
Who We're Struck by Flying
Debris.

CHICAGO, Oct. 5.-Eight persons were
almost instantly killed and a dozen
others injured by the explosion of the
tug Charles Parker in the south branch
5of the river near the Archer avenue
bridge. Three of the dead belonged to
the crew of the boat, while the others
were bystanders who were killed by
flying debris. The Parker, together
with the tugs VanSchaack, Perry and
Shields, had been working all day en-
~deavcring to free the propeller H. S.
Pickands which and grounded in the
south draw of the bridge. They had
pulled and pulled away almost inces-
sanity until shortly before 5 o'clock
when, with comparatively little steam.
the boiler Of the Parker exploded.
Columns of water were thrown
into the air falling upon tho
other tugs, drenching and binding the
crews. A moment later, the debris
showered opon the ground on either side
of the river. Pieces of broken iron and
woodwork fell upon the docks and
streets. At the time Archer avenue,
near the scene of the accident, was
crowded. The noise of the explosion
and the falling wreck caused a terrible
panic. When the spectators partially
recovered their senses, it was found that
eight persons were dead, while many
more injured, some of them probably
fatally.
The Dead Are:
MRS. MARY RICE, aged %.
y BARBARA RICE, IS months old,
daughter of Mrs. Rice.
SAMUEL SAWYER, aged q, switch
man for the Illinois Steel company.
BARTHOLOMEW CURTIN, aged 10.
JONES b. CARTER, captain of tug;
body not recovered.
JOHN C. MOORE, engineer of ug;
body not yet recovered.
SAMUEL ARMSTRONG, one of the
crew; body not recovered.
Unknown man, about 30 years of age.
When the feeling of fright caused by
the catastrophe had passed away the
spectators crowded around the spot
where lay the bodies of Mrs. Rice, her
little daughter and the unknown man.
3 1uAS. 1C1CC 1dJ I'LL IeI Slut, u6T lace
crushed and bruised, while blood poured
from her mouth, nose and ears. By her
side lay her little daughter. Before the
explosion Mrs. Rice had been standing
on the south side of Archer avenue,
holding the babe in her arms, and in
Endeavoring to Escape
when the crash came her skull was
crushed by a piece of iron. At the same
moment her little daughter was struck
on the head by a piece of the furnace
door. On the other shore Bartholomew
Curtin and Richard Powers, boys aged
IA and 10, were standing watching the
tugs. Curtin was struck on the head by
an iron bolt and fell to the ground. His
skull had been cut open and the brains
were oozing out when he was picked up.
Young Powers was also struck by the
flying missiles and injured. Of the dozen
or more injured several cannot live.
ME The explosion was a peculiar affair.
The fatalities on shore in each case &C.
Cured some distance from the wrecked
tug and in places where the victims
would seem to be in almost perfect
safety. The opinion of vessel men is
that the explosion was caused by the
filthy water in the river. It is so full of
grease and dirt that when it gets into a
boiler it foams up like ~soapsuds which
makes it very dangerous.