Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-09-05
BOILER GAVE WAY.
Many People Killed in a Steam
boat Disaster.
The Steamer City of Trenton 10 Wreck
ed on the Delaware River Near
TOrresdaIe, Pa.-MOre Than 20
Persons Injured and -Four
Passengers Are Missing.

Philadelphia, Aug. 29.-While the
steamer City of Trenton, of the Will
mington Steamboat Co., was on her
way from this city to Trenton, n. j.,
"Wednesday afternoon, her port boiler
exploded, killing seven persons and
injuring over score of others. Four
passengers are missing, but as many
sustained slight injuries, it is thought
the missing may be among those who
did not find it necessary TO go to the
hospital. The dead are:
j. ID. Chew. assistant engineer.
Miss Elizabeth Green, Philadelphia
Two firemen, names unknown.
One deckhand name unknown.
Two passengers, names unknown.
Missing: Mrs. John Matthews, Phil
a3elphia.
Mrs. Matt Lacross, Philadelphia.
Two children who were seen to
.p overheard.
Late last night two additional
bodies were recovered from the
wreck of the steamer and were
brought to the morgue in this city. At
midnight, the city police, who are
searching the river, caught the body
of boy on their graphing irons in
explosion occurred. This makes a
total of ten lives lost by the accident.
A half hour after the body of the
boy was recovered the grapplers
came across the eleventh victim, that
of a middleaged an.
After the explosion the boat took
fire and ran aground. She now lies
a wrecked and blackened hulk in the
hoe 70 la la tas
above this city. Her hold is filled
with water, and it is feared that
more of her passengers and crew may
be found in the bottom of the boat
when the water is pumped out.
The City of Trenton made daily
trips between Philadelphia and Tren-
ton, stopping at Burlington, y. J.,
Bristol, Pa. and other points on the
way. She left the company's wharf
at AS o'clock yesterday afternoon,
Is minutes behind her schedule time.
Nothing of moment occurred until
the boat reached Torresdale. At a
point opposite what is known as the
Harrison mansion, spacious build
ing fronting the Delaware river at
this suburban resort, the steam pipe
connecting with the port boiler burst
deck was well filled with passengers,
while many others were in the cabin.
Before any of the passengers or
employees had an opportunity of seek
ing places of safety another explosion
occurred and this time the port boiler
was rent in twain. Scalding steam
and water poured into the cabin, and
sections of the woodwork of the
boat were torn away by the force
OF the explosion. Those of the pas
sengers who were not injured by the
scalding steam and boiling water were
struck by the flying portions of the
splintered cabin.
Legs and arms were broken and
faces and bodies were parboiled. The
screams of the injured could be heard
on shore and the cries of those who
leaped and were blown into the river
were heartrending. SO great was
the force of the explosion that a
piano in the upper drawing room of
the boat was hurled many feet away
from the boat into the river.
When the explosions occurred Mate
Vanderver and Pilot Curry were in
the pilot house. Both were hurled
with terrific force from the little en-
closure, and the wheel on the star
board side refused to work, while
that on the port side, for some un-
accountable reason, began revolving
with lightning-lke rapidity. As a
result of this the rudder turned the
bow of the boat towards shore and
she quickly ran aground, fastening
herself in the mud
BY this time the vessel had caught
fire and those of the passengers who
were still aboard We're compelled to
leap for their lives. Fortunately
the water was not more than four
feet deep and many victims of the
disaster were able to wade ashore
Some, however, who were too seri-
ously injured to help themselves
were rescued by members of the
boat clubs whose houses line the riy-
er front at this point. The captain
and crew of the boat conducted them.
selves as heroes. They rendered al
the assistance possible to the injured
and Capt. Werrall was the last mar
to leave the boat.
Philadelphia, Aug. 3O.-It developed
yesterday that the result of the eX
Dlosion of the boiler on the steamer
City OF Trenton, while on her way vi
the Delaware river from this city tC
Trenton, n. j., Wednesday afternoon
was more appalling than was at frs
supposed. Nine persons are know
positively to be dead, at least 19 are
missing. most of whom are believed
to have been on the steamer, and tive
of the injured still in the hospita
will probably die.
AS to the exact cause of the explo
sion nothing is yet known, but rigit
investigation is to be conducted a
once Fire Marshal Lattimer, Coro
ner Dugan, the police department. ant
the United States boiler inspector
for this district Will each carry on a.
independent investigation, but littl
can be known until the survivors hav
been examined and a careful inspeC
ton of the wrecked steamer shal
have been made.
LemIy,s Call for Witnesses.
Washington, Aug. 29.-The list o
hyy I II