Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-30
RACING Of STEAMBOATS,
BLAMED FOR ACCIDENT
THAT CAUSED THE Loss OF MANY
LIVES IN THE DELAWARE
RIVER.
NUMBER DEAD IS NOT KNOWN.
CAREFUL INVESTIGATIONS MAX
ING BY SEVERAL OFFICIAL
DEPARTMENT

II developed to-day that the result OF
the explosion of the boiler on the
steamer City of Trenton while on her
way up the Delaware river from this
city to Trenton, N. j., yesterday after
noon, was more appalling than was at
first supposed.
Nine persons are known positively to
be dead. at least nine are missing most
OF whom are believed to have been on
the steamer and two Of the injured still
in the hospital will probably die.
: rhe identified dead are:
William Nelson, aged 67 years, vet
eran of the civil war and formerly an
inmate OF the Soldiers Home, Hamp-
ton, Va.
James Mccormick, % years. Will
mington, Del. fireman.
Elizabeth Green, 81 years. Philadel-
pha.
William Dunn IS years. Philadelphia.
Arthur R. T. Lansing. IA years, Tren-
ton, N. J.
william II. Keen, Philadelphia.
Jessie Stratton. Trenton, died In hos
pital.
In addition to these there are two
charred bodies believed to be those OF
females. in the morgue. They are be-
yond recognition and will be buried
in Potters field. The list OF missing
which will doubtless add many to the
death roll, is as follows:
Irene Weld. aged 16 years; Clare
Weld, 10; Dora Weld. Q. Three sis
tiers of this city, who were with their
uncle, William Dunn, who was killed
on the steamer.
Mrs. VIM. H. Keen, whose husband
was killed.
John d. Chew. OF Camden. N. j.. as
sistant engineer
Augustus Merkle. fireman, Philadel-
phia.
Mott Merkle, fireman, Philadelphia.
Anna Herr, aged 16 years. Philadel-
phia.
Mrs. John w. Matthews. Philadel-
phia.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Albert, Phila-
delphia.
Nellie Ballantyne, Philadelphia.
Ethel Stokes. Trenton, N. J.
Henry Johnson, Hulmeville, Pa.
Marion Ashmead, II year, Philadel-
phia.
Elizabeth Gillison. %. Philadelphia.
James o'Connell, fireman, Philadel-
phia.
Miss Edna Kinney, Philadelphia.
or the thirty-three persons taken to
the hospital in the mouse of correction,
near the scene of the explosion. the
following ere still In the institution.
Mrs. Edna Van Schock, Hightstown,
N. j., will die.
Miss Fannie Keen. Philadelphia, will
die.
w. c. Mershon, Morrisville., Pa.
]. w. Hastings, Philadelphia.
Mrs. J. w. Hastings, Philadelphia.
White Lansing, Trenton, N. j.
Miss Clara Conner, Philadelphia.
Mrs. f. r. Smith, Philadelphia.
Miss Reid.
Although the searchers consisting OF
a corps OF city police have been drag
ging the river ever since yesterday az
ternoon they have been unable to find
any more bodies. That there are more
victims in the river is the firm belief
of the authorities and their failure to
find additional dead is supposed to be
due to the strong current In the river
at the point where the explosion oc-
CURED.
The water was pumped out OF the
hull OF the burned steamer after which
a careful search was made for addi-
tional victims Of the explosion, but
none was found. An attempt was
made at high tide this afternoon to
float the wrecked vessel, but 1t was un-
successful and another effort will be
made at the next high tide late to-
night.
As to the exact cause of the explo-
sion nothing Is yet known but rigid
Is to be conducted at
once. Fire Marshal Lattimer, Coroner
Dugan. the police department and the
United States boiler inspectors for this
district, will each carry on an inde-
pendent investigation. but little can be
known until the survivors have been
examined and a careful inspection Of
the wrecked steamer shall have been
made.
Many of the passengers who escaped
injury maintain that the City of fren-
ton which was late when she left her
wharf in this city was racing at her
topmost speed, and that II this had not
been the case the accident would not
have happened. This 10 partly borne
out by statement said to have been
made by. assistant engineer John D.
Chew.
Mrs. Chew says that before leaving