Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-09-07
DISASTER ON The
DELAWARE RIVER.
Boiler Of the Steamboat City Of
Trenton ExpIodss, Killing
Eleven.
SCORE OF OTHERS ARE HURT
Most of Those Killed Were Member OF
tho Crew-Number of Passenger
Missing, and Il L. Feared They
Were Drowned.

Philadelphia, Pa, Aug. 30.-While the
steamboat City of Trenton, OF the Will
mington Steamboat company, was or
her way from this city to Trenton, N.
j., on the Delaware river yesterday at
t~ernoon. her port boiler exploded, kill
ing eleven persons and inJuring over
a 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:
J. d. CHEW, assistant engineer.
MISS ELIZABETH GREEN, Phil
adelphia.
TWO FIREMEN, names unknown.
TWO PASSENGERS. names UNI
known.
ARTHUR LANSING. a molder, OF
Trenton, N. J.
JAMES O'CONNELL, fireman on the
City of Trenton. of Wilmington, Del.
MATT MABLE, fireman. Philadel-
phia.
AUGUST MABLE, deckhand, Phil
adelphia.
The missing:
MRS. JOHN MATTHEW'S, Phil
adelphia.
MRS. MATILDA CROSS. Philadel-
phia.
TWO CHILDREN, who were seen to
jump overheard.
OF the twenty-three injured, Theresa
Helm and Louisa P~enschoic, both of
Philadelphia, cannot recover. The
others are less seriously hurt.
After the explosion the boat o fire
and ran aground. She Is a blackened
hulk in the marshes opposite to Tor
resdale, eighteen miles above this city.
Her hold is filled with water, and II Is
feared more Of her passengers and crew
may be found in the bottom of the
boat when the water Is pumped out.
A boat belonging to the police de-
partment is anchored a short distance
from the stranded excursion steamer,
pumping the water from the Ill fated
vessel, and members OF the police force
are or shore rendy TO sen n bodies
that may be recovered to the morgue
In this city.
The City OF Trenton makes daily
trips between Philadelphia n Tren-
ton, stopping at Burlington, N. j.,
Bristol. Pa, and other points on the
way. She left the company's wharf
yesterday afternoon with a lighter
passenger list than usual, and carrying
very little freight. The vessel was In
charge of Captain w A. Worrell. At
Tororesdale the steam pipe connecting
with the port boiler burst, with a loud
report. Before any OF the passengers
or employees had an opportunity OF
seeking places OF safety another ex-
plosion occurred, and this time the
port boiler was rent In twain. Scald-
Ing 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 he
passengers who were not steamed and
SCARED by the explosion were struck
by the flying portions OF the splintered
cabin. Legs and arms were broken and
faces and bodies were parboiled.
When the explosion occurred Mate
| Vandeveer and Pilot Curry were In the
pilot house. Both were hurled with
terrific force from the little enclosure,
and the wheel, for some "unaccountable
reason, began revolving with lightning
like rapidity. AS n result OF this the
rudder turned the bow Of the boat to-
wards 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 were compelled to leap for
their lives. Fortunately the water was
not more than four feet deep, and many
OF the victims OF the disaster were able
| 10 Wdut dSllOIS' ColllU, IN
were too seriously injured to help them
selves were rescued by members of the
boat clubs whose houses line the river
front at this point.
The captain and crew of the boat
rendered all the assistance possible 10
the Injured, and Captain Worrell was
the last man to leave the boat. The
cause of the explosion cannot yet be
determined.
The City Of Trenton was built only
last March. She was 1872 feet long, and
32-fOot beam.
Late last night two additional bodies
were recovered from the wreck OF the
steamer and brought to the morgue in
this city. At midnight the city police,
who are searching the river, caught the
body Of a boy on their graphing irons
in the channel of the river where the
explosion occurred. This makes a total
OF ten lives lost by the accident.
There is a strong belief that more
| victims are In the river and the search
will be kept up until every part or
the stream in the vicinity has been gone
over by the grapplers.
Hall an hour after the body of the
boy was recovered the %grapp'es came
across the eleventh victim. that OF 4
middle aged man. The remains were
also brought to this city on a tug boat