The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-09-11
A STEAMBOAT BLOWN Up
Boiler Of the City Of Trenton Ex-
pIodes in the Delaware River.
SCORES ARE KILLED AND INJURED

The Disaster Occurs Near Philadelphia
The Steamer Had Many Women and
Children Aboard-After the Explosion
She is Reached in a Swamp and Then
Takes Fire-Many Lives Are Saved.
Philadelphia. Penn. - Through the
bursting of one of the boilers, the
steamboat City of Trenton, of the Will
mington Steamboat Company, plying
between Philadelphia and Trenton
was blown to pieces in the Delaware
River. Four persons were killed In
stantly. and at least eight were
drowned. Eighty persons more or less
seriously injured were taken from the
wreck Of the steamboat and hurried
TO the hospital. OF this number sew
eral were not expected to live After
the explosion the boat caught fire and
ran aground. She Is now wrecked
and blackened hulk in the marshes OF
Torresdale, sixteen miles above this
atty.
There was a report in circulation
that the City OF Trenton had been rae
ing with another steamboat, the IWl-
tight, but this was denied.
The dead are: j., D. Chew, assist
ant engineer; Elizabeth Green, OF
Philadelphia; Arthur Lansing, mold
er, of Trenton, N. J.; James O'Conneli,
fireman, of Wilmington, Del; Matt
Mable, fireman. of Philadelphia; Au-
gust Mable, deckhand, Of Philadel-
Dhia: and five passengers, names un-
known. The missing are: Mrs. John
Matthews, of Philadelphia; Matilda
Cross. of philadelphia; and two chill
dren. who were seen to jump over.
board.
The City Of Trenton makes daily
trips between Philadelphia and Tren-
ton, stopping at Burlington, N. j.;
Bristol, Penn, and other points on
the way. She left the companys
wharf at 1.45 o'clock p. m. Her pas
senger list was lighter than usual,
and she carried very little freight.
CAPTAIN w. a. Worrell was in charge
and the other officers were: Edward
Curry, pilot; J. w. Vanderveer, mate;
Edward Murphy. chief engineer; j.
D. Chew, assistant engineer, and
Clayton Reybold, purser. About twelve
firemen and deckhands were aboard.
Nothing of moment occurred until
the boat reached Torresdale. At q
point opposite what is known as the
Harrison Mansion. spacious build
Ing fronting the Delaware River, the
steam pipe connecting with the port
boiler burst with deafening report.
Before any of the passengers or en-
ployes had an opportunity Of seeking
safety another explosion occurred. and
this time the port boiler was burst
to atoms. Scalding steam and water
poured into the cabin, and sections
of the woodwork of the boat were
torn away by the force of the blast.
Those of the passengers who were
not scanned and SCARED by the scald-
Ing steam and boiling water were
struck by the flying portions OF the
splintered cabin. Legs and arms were
broken, and faces and bodies scalded.
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 e1plo-
sion that a piano in the upper draw
ing room Of the boat was hurled many
feet away from the boat into the riv-
er. This proved fortunate circum-
stance for many Of the injured pas
sengers. Thrown into the water,
scalded and otherwise injured so that
they were rendered helpless. they
clung to the piano, which had fallen
into shallow water, until they were
rescued.
By this time the vessel had caught
fire, and those of the passengers who
were still aboard were compelled to
leap for their lives. Fortunately the
water was not more than four feet
deep, and many were able to wade
ashore. Some, however. who were too
seriously injured to help themselves,
We're rescued by members of the boat
clubs that line the river front at this
point. The captain and crew Of the
boat conducted themselves we'll. rem
.dering all the assistance possible to
the injured. Captain Worrell was the
last man to leave the boat.
All of the seriously injured were
hastily conveyed to the hospital of
the House of Correction at Holmes
burg, about three miles below Torres
dale. As soon as possible word was
sent to Philadelphia for the police
boats Samuel II. Ashbridge and Ed
win S. Stuart, and the emergency
corps Of doctors. The two police
boats rendered effective service in
caring for the injured. The physicians
and surgeons assisted in relieving the
suffering.
The City Of Trenton was a new
three-decked steam craft. with propel-
Ter and triple expansion engines. She
was of 400 tons burden, 165 feet long
and thirty-two feet beam. She was
valued at $4,000, and was fully in
:sured
J. ID. Rockefeller, Jr.. to Wed.