Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-04-17
HELEN M'GREGOR'S ACCIDENT
An Early River Disaster in the West
Recalled.
The Boilers Exploded With Very
Destructive Effects While the
Boat Was Lying at Memphis,
Tenn - Names of Those Who
Were Killed and Injured = An
Account Of the Tri-Color's Ex-
plosion at Wheeling in 1880.

The twelfth river accident to occur
in the West was the explosion Of the
grand and famous steamer Helen Nc
Gregor.
On Wednesday morning, February
24th, 1880, with Capt Tyson in COM
mand and bound from New Orleans to
Louisville, KY, she landed at Mem
phis, Tenn. She had been lying at the
wharf about thirty minutes when her
boilers exploded with the usual de-
structiye effects. The loss of life
caused by this accident was that time
unprecedented in the records of steam
boat navigation. Previous to the ex-
pioslon passengers were crowding to
the boat all anxious to get aboard, and
little dreaming of the awful danger
that awaited them. A part of the deck
near the boiler was crowded with peo-
pie, all of whom were either killed in
Stantly or more Or less injured The
number Of
THOSE WHO persisted
at the moment of the explosion was
variously estimated at from thirty to
sixty. Many of the passengers were
strangers TO those who survived, whose
homes We're far distant and whose
bodies were never recovered from the
waters into which they were projected.
1t is very plain that an accurate ac-
count OF the number of victims is not
to be expected. Following is a report,
however, of the killed and wounded,
and is the most complete and relia-
bic that could be obtained:
Kllled.-Richard Hancock, Louis
vile, KY; A. Vanmeeter, Hardin coun-
ty, Tenn; Mr.. Talbot Long Beach,
Ohio; James Bledso, Kentucky; Mr.
Carroll, Cincinnati, O.; Edward P.
Beadles, Clark county, Ind; J. Dunn,
Tennessee; G. B. Giles, Cincinnati;
Ephriam Goble, Brookfield, Ind; VIM.
Ewing, John Delaney, Clark county,
Ind; William Stockwell, Salem, Ind;
solomon Jones, Marysville, Ky; j.
Reaves, Harrison county, Ind; Louis
Young, cclored, and colored boy, u
years old, called Jack
THOSE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.
were George Frey, Upton county,
Tenn; John Cameron, Clark county,
Ind; Joshua Richardson, Indiana;
John Valentine Massachusetts; Mr.
De Haven, Philadelphia; John Leland
pilot of the i'll fated steamer; ].
Shugg, Union county, Ky; John Felch-
en-, New York; r. Bailey, Tennessee;
H. Heldrith, Madison county, Ind;
John Addison, one of the crew: Thos.
Drenard, Wilson county, Tenn; J.
Swan, Orange county, Ind; j. Tenyek,
Shippingsport, Ky.
Slightly injured-Capt Tyson, COM
mander Of the Helen McGregor; Mr..
Turner, engineer; P. o. Daniel, In
diana; 7. S. Knowland, Ohio; J. Mon
AGO, Upton county, Tenn; John
Coons, Clark county, Ind; VIM Pot
terof, Clark county, Ind; John
Dougherty, Overton county, Tenn;
Thcs. Banks, Lawrence county, Ind,
and Green Williams, colOred fireman.
The steamer McGregor was a beauti-
full and valuable craft, having the best
accommodations for passengers Of any
boat of her day. She also had a good
capacity for carrying freight
THE THIRTEENTH DISASTER.
occurring on Western waters was the
explosion of the steamer Tri-Color at
Wheeling, W. Va. 1t was on the first
day of April, 1880, that this distressing
accident took place, killing and injur-
ing many persons. The Tri-Color was
q fine boat, and was thought to be in
splendid condition for making her runs
on the Ohio Her destruction there
fore caused no little amount of surprise
to her owners, as Well as to the crew
who manned her. There are no par
uculars at hand concerning the exact
cause Of the explosion, any further
than it was accidental, Fifteen per-
sons were killed and several more were
seriously in inred