New-York tribune., 1895-10-27

THE FLYING IRON FROM THE MORFoRD RAKED
THE O. b GREEN-A BODY FOUND IN THE
wATER-oNE DEATH IN A HOSPITAL
MANY PERSONS INJURED.
c.,tcago. oct. 26-The boilers OF the tug Nor
ford exploded at 1855 o'clock this morning while
the vessel was in the river near Seventeenth-st.
The tug o. r. Green was also wrecked. Ihe
following persons were killed.
John Erickson. fireman Of the tug Morford'
hlov,n 10 the deck OF the steamer Ionia.
John Ferguson, captain OF the tug u B IreeA'
blown up with pilot-house.
The injured are:
Daniel McCrea, lneman, ankle hurt
Caotain John Cullinan. rescued from river IN
haf-drowned condition. VIII proo-oly SURVIVE
Charles Dix. engineer OF tug Morford plo"h 10
the deck Of the Ionia; cannot recover
william Lynett en- sileer of tug o. B. Green.
Joseph Donnelly. fireman Of tug o. B. Green
slightly injured.
Joseph Moratt. lineman of tug o. B. Green
slightly injured
Dix. who is at the County Hospital is ex-
pected to die at any moment
The body Of John Ferguson. the missing cap
tain Of the tug Green. was taken from the river
By the police az II o'clock this morning.
The Morford was towing the steamer lonia
from Pier A. at the mouth Of the river 20 ner
cock at Twcnty-second-st Sle had Just whistler
FOR the bridge OF the 81. Charles Alr Line, ana
Tho bridge was turning when the explosion oc-
Cured Captain John Cullinan was IN tne pllot-
house There was 4 trembling ot TIE tlilDers u
the tug and then came a cloud II steam lhdl
anveloned the boat and a report that aroused the
neirhborhood Captain Cullinan was tarown,
with the wreck of the pilot-house. into the river
toward the east shore The boiler blew through
the air.
The tug O B Green was assisting ir the tow.
She was pulling the line 70 the west. The nying
iron and pieces Of the wrecked hui raked her
deck. carving OF her piOt-hOuse ana inJurlng
some OF her crew Continuing on its flight. the
boiler curved 10 the westward and came down
with a crash against the east side of the elevator
cf the Burlington Railroad. The engine-room
was filed with twisted iron and bricks
In the pilot-hOuse Of the o. B. Green was cap
tain John Ferguson. He was carried INTO the
river with the wreck Joseph M9ftatt' ilfienian i
was syept into the water with the cloud or splin-
tered Dlanks glass and iron. William Lynett
the engineer and Joseph Donneny, the fireman;
ran up the steps as the Green listed over ana
either fell or Jumped into the river charles DlX
on eineer Of the MOrfOrd. sitting In MS chalr
at the time OF the explosion. He was hited with
the woodwork Of the boat blown through tlmpers
OF the deck and landed on me de1K oi tne lIia' i
John Erickson. fireman, was standing beside DIX
and he also fell inside the rail OF the lonia Botn
men were badly injured. Dixs legs were broken
Erickson's injuries consisted OF bruises III eVely ~
mart OF his body and he was unconscious when
nicked up These men were taken 70 the County
Hospital where Erickson died.
in the river all confusion. The crew or the
Ionia let down the yawl boat and put out 20 res
cue anv person they might find floating Captain
Cullinan was found almost dead from the shock
and burns and contact with cold water clnglng
to a piece Of the wrecked pilot-nouse. ne was
takan n the west shore. whence he was carried IN
a patrol wagon To the County Hospital Lynett.
Donnellv and Moffatt were picked up In the yawl
boat These men were not seriously hurt. except
Noratt who was bruised and scratched by the
wreckage that carried him off the deck Of the
boat. -,
with the exception Of the floating debris there
was nothing on the top Of the water 10 lhu,.ale
tho xherea bouts Of the tug Morford The Nor
ford was one Of the largest tugs on the river ana
with the o g. Green, was Of the Durham heet
The Morford was valued at 1000. and was bullt
about ten years ago for service In Chicago Har-