The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-11-29

Stockton, Cal, Nov. %. = The most
disastrons accident in the history Of
Ctockton occurred near FOurteen-Mile
stotigh, when q part of one of the
boilers of the river steamer L. &.
walker was blown out, killing six ard
daropr0usly wOunding eleven persons,
while probably fifteen OF twenty were
more or less badly hurt. The L. e.
walker is owned by the California
Navigation and Improvement company
and ran between San Francisco and
Stockton. The majority of the passen-
GERS were in bed when the explosion
occurred and were awakened by the
rpport, which was as loud as a can
mons roar. People rushed from their
rooms in their night clothes and found
the whole forward portion of the
steamers upper works blown away.
The electric lights had been put out
and the escaping steam enveloped the
front portion of the bow till it was
impossible to see how much of the
boat had been carried away. The
screams Of the men who were locked
in their rooms near the pilot house
were heartrending. Capt. John Tulan
had been
Blown From His Bed
against the door of the state room and
was so seriously injured that he could
not move. The door could not be
forced open, as he was jammed up
against it. One of the employees Of the
boat secured an ak and cut the upper
part Of the room away and finally re-
moved him, but not until he was yir-
tually roasted alive. When pulled out
the flesh dropped from his limbs in
large pieces, and although he was suf-
fering eXcruciatingly he bore it brave
ly and not groan escaped him as he
was taken out of the steam. Watson
Henry, the chief engineer, and his
wife were In their room near the pilot
house when the explosion occurred.
Mrs. Henry was blown through the
roof. The flooring was blown upward
and she was hurled with great vio-
lence distance of twenty feet toward
the bow of the boat. She was horri-
bly, crushed by the fury of the eX
plOSiOn and also badly scalded with es
Gaping steam, and survived only a few
hours. Mr. Henry was terribly scald-
ed and died shortly after being brought
to the city. Mr.. Blunt was instantly
killed. He was standing on the lower
deck as he intended making a landing
short distance above the place where
the explosion occurred. Jerry DAILY,
the fireman, was in the freehold of the
beat when the explosion occurred.
The Escaping Steam
completely enveloped him, scarcely a
portion of his body escaping the
Scorching vapor. He died at the re-
ce.ving hospital. Underneath the low
er deck, where the deck hands slept,
groanS and screams were terrible, for
the unfortunate imprisoned men were
receiving the full force of the steam as
1t came from the boilers. Eight Of
tnen were almost roasted alive. Those
VINO were able made their way to the
ueck as best they could, While the more
seriously injured were unable to get
out, Arms and faces of those near the
malE entrance were frightfully scald-
e. Dominica, who was on the lower
deck, was blown into the water and
mad to swim ashore after his back was
horribly Scalded. About an hour after
the explosion the passenger steamer
DauhGeSS, coming from San Francis
co. move in sight. She rendered imme-
ulate assistance and all the wounded
ana uninjured were taken aboard.
aoly never be known.