The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-01-13
RIVER DISASTER.
Boilers on the Towboat Kelsey Explode
Near Pittsburgh.
elx Of the Crew Were Instantly Killed. and
Seven We're Seriously Burned and In.
jured, Three of Whom Will Probably
Die-Tow Went to the Bottom.

PITTSBURGH, Pa, Jan. 1O.-The tow.
boat Percy Kelsey, owned by w. H.
Browns son, Of this city, blew up
while going down the Ohio river, near
Glenfield, Pa, about II 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, and
the crew was made up of two pilots,
two engineers, two mates, two fremen,
q chambermaid, cook and deckhands, in
all about twelve persons The Kelsey
left Pittsburg about o'clock Saturday
morning for Cincinnati with q tow
consisting of seven barges and two
fats of coal, and everything was APP
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 fioated 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.
| 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 1880 p. m. was:
Killed-Milton Woods, pilot, of Alle-
gheny, Pa, aged 70 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, ap'
prentice pilot, aged 25 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
ander, Mt. Washington, deck hand
skull crushed and burned, will die.
1t is not known at present wha
caused the explosion. The boats boil
ers were recently tested and found t.
be in good condition, and the boat wa
considered one of the best and stanch
est on the river.
The boat was valued at $25, 900.
When the boat blew up, Pilot Wood
was asleep in the pilot house only ,
few feet from Capt. jones' Others o
the crew were also asleep. The pilo
was thown high in the air and fel
right where a few minutes before tn
pilot house was. He was dead whel
found and a pitiable sight was his son
only few feet away, injured yer.
badly. He was pleading to help hi
father. Capt. Leslie Jones was injured
by a bad cut in the head and his bacl
badly sprained. The body of the fire
man was blown ashore right nea
where the accident occurred. Onl
three of the crew escaped uninjured.
= PITTSBURGH, Pa, Jan. 1O.-Furthe
death and loss of property are bein
caused by the explosion of the Perc
Kelsey's boilers Saturday. The nun
ber of known dead reached four Sur
day when Daniel Gamble, the boat
second cook, died at Mercy hospita
The list of dead now is: DAME
Gamble cook; Milton L. Wood, pilo
Thomas Flynn, second enginee,
Lee Webster, fireman; John Smitf
deck hand, body not recovered; LIE
Bechtold, fireman, body not recovered
The eight men who were injured in tn
explosion will all recover with the e!
ception of Harry Hammers and Wn
Alexander, whose wounds will probs
bly, result fatally.