Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-06-27
PANIC ON A BOAT.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE WHALE
BACH CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.
steam valve Explodes While the
Steamer Is Racing with Another
yesxel-1wo Men kstlea and Trir-
teen Others Injured.

Chicago. June o5.-By the explosion
NJ = steam valve In the w~haleback
steamer Christopher Columbus, on
Waukeyata. two men were killed and
thirteen, all boatmen- We're danger
ously or painfully injured.
The dead are Frank wilson, coal
man. and Z. ]. Steit. fireman.
II was the homeward run OF the
whaleback in its opening summer ex-
cursion TO Milwaukee. About 500
souls were aboard. Flying flags, with
music and dancing was the order OF
the evening. Half a mile III the a
wake pIowed the rival excursion
steamer Virginia, which cleared the
harbor some fifteen minutes after, and
had on every pound OF steam possible
10 overtake her competitor. On the
outward trip the Virginia had not only
held the advantage, but doubled II,
and the crew of the whalehdck were
determined that they should not be
PASSED. And the Virginia was gam
ing. AS the sun went down the BOATS
pushed ahead neck and neck not more
than 500 yards apart. The decks ana
promenades Of both steamers were
blackened with passengers. shouts
and waving garments told the same
interest in the outcome that
the race course. The Virginia forged
ahead.
Word was passed from the engine
room that the Christopher Columbus
was resolved on a little more speed
Scores went below TO watch the ma
chinery. The vibrations or h craft
from stem to stern and the unusual
blowing of water told that the Column
bus was under a gigantic strain ana
would win IL K was In her. Some
grew anxious. Judge Grosscup and
his party, who were sitting aft. de-
serted their seats and stood fore under
the bridge. Those watching h gauge
said the pressure was exceeding the
limit To which the boilers were ad-
justed. From 1872 pounds Of steam the
pressure had run up TO III and was
still rising. Suddenly there was a
shock of explosion. The steam valve
IN a six-inch connecting pipe over the
starboard battery of three boilers had
blown out. DOVE in the hold six
iiremen and 4 waterman found them
selves in a scGlding mist 50 thick
one could not see his hand. When
they tried to make the BIDDER they
damned against heated oven doors in
their frenzy. and fell over one anoth-
er and delayed embracing the slight
chance of escape offered. The binding
vapOr made help impossible. The
steam was instantly in every cOmpart-
ment Oh the vessel. In the nRin sa-
loon $50 passengers seated about or
reclining were suddenly seized with
panic. 1t was increased by all lights
going out. The passengers rushed
from the saloon TO the decks. Several
women tainted. The men did all in
their power to quiet the frightened.
Many believed the ship was sinking.
Then the steam reached the passen-
gers. A score or more Of women who
had inhaled steam swcored, and in
the excitement their friends feared
they had been overcome by breathing
the deadly vapor. And yet with the
suspense of not knowing what was 60
ing to happen there We're numbers of
woGlen who kept composed and stood
ready to take the life boats IL neces-
sary.
For three hours the w%haleback Law
getting up steam for resuming the
Journey. 1t was found that one bat
terry of three boilers had been made
useless. tut the other was cut off
from it, and at IL o'clock there was
enough pressure TO start the engines.
The boat finally reached her dock In
lhlcago at $40 a. m, viii. a r~ctt~
badly pealed lot OF passengers. and all
had a story TO tell of the scenes on
board.