The herald., 1895-06-24
Disaster Follows a Fast Time
Boat on the Lakes
THE RESULT OF RIVALRY
The Whaleback Columbus Got Too
Much Steam
A Safety Valve Blown Out In an Attempt to
Land a Boatioad of People Ahead
Of Another Steamer
Associated Press Special Wire.

OhlCAUO. June Zo.-BN tne eXplOslO1
of a steam valve in the whaleback steame
Christopher Columbus off Waukegan
Saturday night, two men were killed ant
thirteen We're dangerously injured. Tn,
dead are: Frank Wilson, coal HEAVIER; L
J. Steit, fireman.
Injured: Ed Darrow, leader of the or
chestra, painfully scalded. John Hopp
fireman, inhaled steam and seriously
scalded. George W. Keit, waiter, face and
hands scalded. John W. keogh, face
scalded. Arnold Klein, passenger. face
and hands badly scalded, accompanied by
student, also painfully scalded. Robert
McConkey. coal passer, back terribly
sscalded; Miss Miller, orchestra. scalded on
ftce and hands. Frank Rosner, fireman,
badly scalded on face, hands and body.
James Il. Ryan, fireman. scalded on back,
neck and hands. Nick Seser. water ten
der, hands scalded. Miss Noxheimer, or
chestra, face painfully scalded. W. l..
webster, chief engineer. hands scalded.
James Lorimer, coal passer, face, neck,
breast and hands scalded.
1t was the homeward run of the whale
back, with about $50 souls on board. Mu-
sic and dancing was the order of the
evening. Half mile in ths boats wake
pied the rival excursion steamer, the
Virginia, which cleared the harbor some
fifteen minutes later and had on every
pound of steam possible to overtake her
competitor. On the outward trip the Nir-
ginia had not only held the advantage,
bnt had doubled it. and the crew of the
whaleback strained the valve.
The crew of the whaleback were de-
termined that they should not be passed {.
As the sun went down the boats were OF
more than 800 yards apart. The decks
and .promenades of both steamers were
blackened with passegers. Shouts and
waving garments told them the same in
terest in the outcome that attends the
race course. The Virginia surged ahead.
Word was passed from the engine room
that the Christopher Columbus was re-
solved on little fun. The other boat
was allowed to gain half a mile on the
whaleback, it was said, and then steam
was to be run up, and positions would
be changed before reaching Chicago.
Scores went below to watch the machin-
cry. Clouds of black SIN oke, forming a
dense, low Hanging cloud, followed in
the wake of the whaleback. The vibra-
tions OF the craft, the unusual plowing of
the water, all told that the Columbus
was under gigantic strain and would
win If it was in her. Some grew anxious.
Judge Grosscup and his party, who were
sitting aft, deserted their seats and stood
forward, under the bridge.
Those watching the gauge saio the
pressure was exceeding the limit to which
the boilers we're adjusted. From 132
POUNDS pressure the steam hadlrun up to
172 and was still rising. Suddenly the. e
was shock OF explosion. The steam
valve in "a 6-inch connecting pipe over
the starboard battery of three boilers had
blown out. Down in the hold six fire.
men and a waterman found themselves
enveloped in surrounding steam. When
they tried to reach the ladder they were
Jammed against the 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 crowded everywhere. 1t
was instantly in every compartment of
the vessel. In the main saloon 100 per-
sons seated around or reclining were sud
denly seized with panic. Itwas increased
by all lights going out. The passengers
rushed to the decks. Several women
tainted. The men did all IN their power
to quiet the frightened people. Many be-
lieyed the ship was sinking. A score or
more women who inhaled steam swooneu
and in the excitement their friends
feared they had been overcome by breath
ing the deadly vapor. And yet, with the
suspense OF not knowing what was to
happen there were numbers of women
who kept composed and stood ready for
the life boats If necessary. Everyone
turned to Judge Grosscup as one in
authority.
"I will go below and learn the facts. "
finally said the Judge to his party,
"and you can be ready with life
preservers in case i is serious"
While the judge was gone several men
began to drag out lfe-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 hours the whalebacK lay getting
up steam for resuming the voyage. 1t
was learned that one battery of three
other was cut off from it and at II o'clock
there was enough pressure to start the en-
gines.
The boat finally reached her dock in
Chicago at /: is am, with a pretty badly
scared lot Of passengers. All mad story
10 tell today of the scenes on board One
fireman says the steam was up to $50
pounds before the blowout occurred.
The cylinders of the engines were changed
few weeks ago and local steam boiler
men were of the opinion that when
the boilers we're tested ut South Chicago
on June Sth, the pressure of 256 pounds
to which they were subjected strained
the valve. The whaleDack company
officials were greatly disturbed over the
disaster but denounced emphatically the
story that the boat had been racing.
The whaleback company officials were
greatly disturbed over the disaster but de-
MED emphatically the story that the boat
had been racing.