The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-01-11
RIVER DISASTER.
Boilers on the Towboat Kelsey Explode
Near Pittsburgh.
Six of the Crew Were Instantly Killed, anC
Seven Were Seriously Burned and In
jured, Three of Whom Will Probably
Die-TOw Went to the Bottom.

PITTSBURGH, Pa, JAN lO.-The tow
boat Percy Kelsey, owned by w. H
Browns son, of this city, blew W
while going down the Ohio river, neal
Glenfeld. Pa, about Il o'clock Satur
day morning, and SO far as is known
six or eight of the crew were killed
and at least four others were injured.
The boat was commanded by Capt
Leslie Jones, of Showdown, Pa, anC
the crew was made up of two pilots
two engineers, two mates, two fremen.
a chambermaid, cook and deckhands, III
all about twelve persons. The Kelsey
left Pittsburg about s o'clock Saturday
morning for Cincinnati with a tow
consisting of seven barges and two
flats of coal, and everything was ap-
parently all right till the explosion
took place, when the boat was literally
blown to pieces and the tow scattered
and lost. The hull sunk almost imme-
diately and the shattered portions of
the upper works fOated down the river
and covered the water in the vicinity
of the wreck.
The explosion was most terrific and
was heard for miles. Hundreds of per-
sons ran to the river upon hearing the
noise and an awful sight met their
gaze. Bodies were floating down the
river, and the debris was scattered far
and wide, but no live person was seen.
A few minutes later Capt. Jones and
three others were picked up alive, but
badly injured, and one body foated
ashore near Neville island. The in
jured were removed to Capt Groves
residence on Neville island, here every
thing possible was done to alleviate
their sufferings. 1t is believed that
the rest of the crew were killed and
parties are now searching for their
bodies.
The list of dead and injured as far as
known at 100 p. m. was:
Killed-Milton Woods, pilot, of Allie
gheny, Pa, aged 20 years; Thos. Finn,
| second engineer; Joseph Lalley, sec
ond mate; Lee Webster, fireman; Lee
RechtOld, fireman, and another fireman
are still missing.
Injured-Leslie Jones, captain, bad
ly burned and hurt about the body,
condition serious; Percy f. Woods APP
prentice pilot, aged % years. will prob
ably die; David Walker, one of the
crew, serious; Adolph Wandell, stew
ard, serious; Harry Hanna, deck hand,
not dangerous; Hugh Close, iron work
er, not of the crew, will die; VIM. Alex
ahder, Mt. Washington, deck hand,
skull crushed and burned, will die.
1t is not known at present what
| caused the explosion. The boats boil
ers were recently tested and found to
be in good condition, and the boat was
considered one of the best and stanch-
est on the river
The boat was valued at $25, 900.
| When the boat blew up, Pilot Woods
was asleep in the pilot house only
few feet from Capt Jones. Others of
the crew were also asleep. The pilot
was thown high in the air and fell
right where a few minutes before the
| pilot house was. He was dead when
found and pitiable sight was his son,
only few feet away, injured very
badly. He was pleading to help his
father. Capt Leslie Jones was injured
by a bad cut in the head and his back
badly sprained. The body of the fire
man was blown ashore right near
where the accident occurred. Only
three of the crew escaped uninjured.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, Jan. 1O.-Further
death and loss of property are being
caused by the explosion of the Percy
Kelsey's boilers Saturday. The num-
Der of known dead reached four Sun
day when Daniel Gamble, the boats
second cook, died at Mercy hospital.
The list of dead now is: Daniel
Gamble cook; Milton l.. Wood, pilot;
Thomas Flynn, second engineer;
Lee Webster, fireman; John Smith,
deck hand, body not recovered; Lee
Bechtold, fireman, body not recovered.
The eight men who were injured in the
explosion will all recover with the eX-
ceptiOn of Harry Hammers and VIM.
Alexander, whose wounds will proba,
bly, result fatally.