The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-24
She Was Filled With a Large
Party of Pleasure
Seekers.
CAUSED BY A BROKEN PIPE.
1t Is Charged She Was Engaged in
a Race With Another
Vessel.

burned is the record of the blistering
steam tnat burst from broken pipe in the
whaleback steamer Christopher Columbus
on the trip from Milwaukee to this city
Saturday night. The dead and seriously
wounded were all members of the crew.
Three passengers were slightly scalded
! The dead are Frank Wilson, married,
coal-passer. South Chicago, who died from
inhaling steam, and John Stitz, lately of
| Chicago, who died from burns.
John Hoppell, fireman, was burned
about the head, inhaled hot steam and will
| die.
The badly scalded are: James Ryerson,
| fireman; Frank Rosener, Robert McConky,
| George Keogh, Buffalo, N. Y.
| The slightly scalded are: III. II. barrow,
| Jesse L. Steele, Arnold Kiene, Dubuque
| Iowa; N. Setter, water-tender; James Lor-
rimer, water-tender.
The captain of the Christopher Column
bus still denies that he was racing with
the Virginia. The Government inspectors
will possibly make an investigation.
When off Waukegan the passengers were
startled by loud report, as of a cannon,
and this was followed bya kissing noise.
The big vessel shook from stem to stern,
and then began to rapidly fill with escap-
ing steam.
AS the steam poured up through the
hatchways to the cabin and deck the pas
sengers were thrown into panic and the
greatest excitement prevailed. Women
and children screamed and many tainted.
Men fought with each other to secure pos
session of life-preservers, and efforts were
made by the frantic men to lower the
boats.
Some one shouted that the vessel was on
fire, and this only tended TO increase the
fear of the passengers. Finally Captain
Smith and the cooler headed passengers
succeeded in allaying the fears of the more
timid and partial order was restored.
Then it was learned that four-inch
steam pipe connecting the star board boiler
with the others in the battery had burst
and that number of persons had been
badly scalded by the escaping steam. Cap
tain Smith at once ordered the steam
was disconnected.
The unfortunate persons who had been
in the escaping steam were writhing on
the floor and every effort was made to allie
viate their sufferings. Several physicians
were aboard and they turned the hold of
the vessel into temporary hospital and
the injured were cared for.
In the meantime the boilers had been so
connected that the vessel was able to pro-
coed at a reduced rate of speed. She had
nearly reached port when she was taken
in tow by the tug Hackley.
1t was o'clock this morning when the
whaleback reached her dock, and the 600
passengers crowded the decks and greeted
their friends on the dock. A half dozen
ambulances were hastily summoned and
were driven to the Rush-street dock The
injured were removed to the county hos
pital.
In regard to the rumor that the captain
of the whaleback was engaged in a
race with the Virginia, Captain Smith said
the Virginia was two miles ahead of him
when the accident occurred. All of our
machinery was new" he said, land it was
our first trip of the season. This accounts
for the accide mt. was not racing with
the Virginia. On the contrary, was run
ming slow and was not making time.'
/ Sol Bloom of Reid, Murdoch e. Co., Chi
cage, gives the following account of the &C
cident: 81 was sitting in the upper cabin
of the steamer with a party of friends
when, about opposite Waukegan, at about
1880 P. NJ, We heard loud explosion, fol-
lowed by flash and sparks from the Chin
ney, which fell about in the water. Before
l had time to warn my friends the cabin
was filled with steam SO thick that YOU
could hardly find your way about. / i'm
mediately ran toward the bridge to see
about the life preservers, and after leaving
some one in charge directed my attention
to the women who had tainted. They
were lying about by the score and we went
from one to the other, carrying bucket of
water and other restoratives."
Judge Grosscup was seen in the cabin on
the arrival of the boat He said: 81 was
standing on the main deck of tine steamer
about 7:30 o'clock. We were sailing side
by side with the Virginia at that time, and
the captain informed me that we were sail
ing with 1853 pounds OF steam. / thought
that as only 10 pounds was the test 1858
was about the limit, and not wishing to
run any risk I escorted my party to the
| front part of the boat. few minutes
later heard loud explosion and then a
mist of steam covered everything around
u.s.
The Christopher Columbus left Chicago
l
at o'clock Saturday morning for Mil
waukee. The party was composed of a
crowd of merry-makers and pleasure seek
ers. 1t was almost a perfect summer day,
and there was much to draw people away
from the city. The big steamer left the
dock at Milwaukee at o'clock in the after
noon and was soon out of sight ON her re-
turn journey. The vessel was due in Chi
cago at 1880 P. NJ, but when that hour had
passed and there were no signs of the
steamer but little anxiety was felt, as it
was thought she had purposely remained
| over schedule time in the Cream City.
The cause of the accident, as told by
Engineer E. L. Webster of the whaleback,
was that the fitting of the main steam pipe
"let CO." This caused the explosion and
the escape of steam. The accident, he
said, was unavoidable and unaccountable.
The boilers were only tested last week and
| found to be all right.
Released by Ton Der -4he.