The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-06-25
4 RESULT OF FOLLY
Explosion on the Christopher
Columbus While Racing
With a Rival.
HAD TOO MUCH STEAM ON.
Two Persons Killed and Many
Injured and Passengers
in a Panic.

CHICAGO, June 25.-By the explosion
Of steam valve in the whaleback
steamer Christopher Columbus off
Waukegata two men were killed and l3
were dangerously or painfully injured.
The dead are; Frank Wilson, coalman;
E. J. Steit, fireman.
1t was the homeward run of the
whaleback in its opening summer ex-
cursion to Milwaukee. About $50 souls
were aboard. Flying flags, with music
and dancing, was the order of the
evening. Half mile in the boats
wake plowed the rival excursion
steamer, the Virginia, which clears the
harbor some l5 minutes after, and had
on every pound Of steam possible to
overtake her competitor. On the out
ward trip the Virginia had not only
held the advantage, but doubled it and
the crew of the whaleback were de-
termined that they
Should Not he Passed.
Word came from the engineroom that
the Christopher Columbus was re-
solved On little more speed. The
vibrations of the craft from stem to
stern, the unusual blowing Of water,
told that the Columbus was under
gigantic strain and would win if it was
in her. Those watching the guage
said the pressure was exceeding the
limit to which the boilers Were ad-
justed. From 1872 pounds pressure the
steam had run up to III and was still
rising. Suddenly there was a startling
explosion. The steam valve in 6-inch
connecting pipe over the starboard bat
terry of three boilers had blown out.
Down in the hold six firemen and a
waterman found themselves in a scald.
ing mist SO thick one could not see his
hand. When they tried to make the
ladder they jammed against heated
oven doors. In their frenzy they
Fell Over One Another
and delayed embracing the slight
chance of escape offered. The binding
vapor made help impossible. The
steam was Instantly in every compart-
ment of the vessel In the main saloon
100 passengers, seated about or reclin-
ing, We're suddenly seized with panic.
It was increased by all lights going out.
The passengers rushed from the saloon
to the decks. Many believed the ship
was sinking.
Then the steam reached the pas
sengers. A score or more of women
who had inhaled steam swooned and
in the excitement their friends feared
they had been overcome by breathing
the deadly vapor. And vet, with the
suspense Of not knowing what was
going to happen, there were numbers of
women who kept composed and stood
ready to take the lifeboats, if neces-
sary. Those who retained their pres.
ence Of mind began
Drag Out Life Preservers
and pile them up conveniently. The
scalded men were brought up to the
cabin as soon as possible, and several
! surgeons, who were ON board, did all
possible to alleviate their sufferings
For three hours the whaleback lay to,
getting up steam for resuming the
journey. 1t was found that one bat
| terry Of three boilers had been made
useless, but the other was cut off from
it and at ii o'clock there was enough
pressure to start the engines. The boat
finally reached her dock in Chicago at
/ 3:l5 a. H., with a pretty badly pealed
lot of passengers and all had a story to
tell Of the scenes on board The whale.
back company officials were greatly
disturbed over the disaster, but denied
emphatically that the boat had been
| racing.