Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-12-02
RIVER STEAMER EXPLOSION
SIX DEAD-TEN BADLY HURT.
captain Literally Cooked, Impris-
oned In His Cabin-H artrend
Cries From the Men Underneath
the Lower Deck-P.lOt's Wife Is
Blown Through the Roof.

Stockton, Cal, Nov. 2s.--The most dis
astrous river accident in the history OF
stockton occurred at 4 30 yesterday morn
ing near Fourteen Mile slough, when Il
part OF one Of the boilers of the river
steamer 7. G. Walker, which left San
Francisco the night before, was blown out,
killing six and dangerously wounding 10
persons, while probably 10 or 20 Others
were more or less badly hurt. The T. c.
Walker is owned by the California Navi-
CATION and Improvement Company and
ran between San Francisco and Stockton,
Passengers Were in Bed.
The majority of the passengers were III
bed when the explosion occurred and were
awakened by the report, which was as
loud as Il lannon's 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 aud
the escaping steam eneloped the front
portion OF the boat until 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 We're heartrending. Captain
John Tulan had been blown from his bed
against the door OF the stateroom and 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 Sc
nd ba g !
room away and finally removed him, but
not until he was virtually roasted alive
When pulled out the flesh dropped from
his bones in large pieces, and, although
he was suffering excruciatingly, he bore
|it bravely and not groan escaped him
as he was taken out of the steam.
Blown Through the Roof.
4 Watson II. Henry, the chief engineer
and his wife We're in their room near the
pilot house when the explosion occurred
Mrs. Henry was blown through the roof
The flooring was blown upwards and she
was hurled with great violence a distance
OF fully 20 feet towards the bow of the
boat. She was horribly crushed by the
force OF the explosion and also badly
scalded with escaping steam. Her in
juries proved fatal at 1890 in the after
noon. She retained consciousness until
few moments before her death. Her suf-
ferings were so intense that she begged
the physicians in attendance to end her
life, but all that could be done was to
deaden the pain by the use of narcotics.
Mr. Henry was terribly scalded. He
was thrown some distance away, but not
as far as was his wife. He died shortly
after being brought to this city.
W. A. Blunt was instantly killed. He
was standing on the lower deck, as he in
tended making landing short distance
above the place where the explosion &C.
Cured.
Jerry DAILY, the fireman, was in the fire
hole when the accident occurred The es-
Gaping steam completely enveloped him.
scarcely portion of his body escaping
the soaring vapor. He died at the receiv-
ing hospital at l2:45 in the afternoon.
He wasrin the employ of the California
Navigation and improvement Company
for about IA years.
Deck Hands Imprisoned.
Underneath the lower deck where the
deck hands slept groans and screams
were heartrending of the unfortunate i'm
prisoned men who were receiving the full
effect of the steam as it came from the
boilers. Eight of them were almost roast
ed alive. Those who were able made
their way to the deck as best they could.
while the more seriously injured were
unable to get out. The exposed portions
of their bodies suffered the most. The
arms and faces of those near the main
entrance were frightfully scalded.
The property loss will not exceed
$1,000.