Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-05-30
COAL coMPANY'S ToW5oAT
BLOWN TO PIECES.
TERRIFIC FORCE IN SHOCK
Second Engineer Blown Through the
Side of the Craft and Landed IS
Feet Away on Top of Shanty Boat
Distant Houses and Buildings
Damaged by the Conclusion.


sons are dead and 16 injured as the
result of an explosion on the towboat
Fred Wilson yesterday morning four
miles from Louisville. The dead:
Joseph Brice, captain, Braddock,
Penn.
Alberth H. Miller, pilot, Pittsburg.
w. A. Holland, Braddock, Penn.
William Quinn, steward, Pittsburg.
Hugh Hoskins, cook, Pittsburg.
J. c. johnson, deck hand, Tyrone,
Penn.
Patrick White. deck hand, Pittsburg.
Sherman S. Hibler, second engineer,
Pittsburg.
William Thornton, colored, fireman,
Middleport, Ohio.
Joseph Warren, colored, fireman,
Middleport, Ohio
or the injured, one may die.
The Wilson was the property of the
Monongahela Coal & Coke Co, ana
left Pittsburg last Friday with six
barges, twelve coal boats and four fats.
bound for Louisville. She arrived
here about midnight, had proceeded
down the river and was about to tie
UP when the explosion occurred. The
cause of the accident is unknown. The
boat had Just put about to back a low
into a landing place, when the accident
happened. Henry Sykes. first mate,
and Chief Engineer Walker were the
only men on the boat who escaped in
jury.
Sherman Hibler, second engineer,
was blown through the side of the VIII
son and landed twenty-five feet on top
of shanty boat. Father Cunningham
was one Of the first to arrive at the
scene of the explosion and gave ex-
treme JUNCTION to several men who
were dying.
The police and hospital ambulance
and the automobiles of the morning
new spapers carried a corps of physl
clans and nurses to the scene. which
is four miles from the heart of the
city. The injured were taken to the
residence of Col John H. Whalleh untiI
they could be better provided for at
the city hospital.
Damaged Houses $50 Yards Away.
Mr. Whallen's house, which is about
$50 yards from the river, was badly
damaged by the explosion, but none of
the family was injured The doors
were splintered, the chandeliers in the
drawing room were shattered and near
ly every window in the house was
broken. Col. Whallen sent the first
word to the city and he used his pri
vate yacht in rescuing those blown
frCm the boat.
The Wilson was built Is years ago
and was reconstructed in part last
year. She was valued at $4,000. She
was insured in the Special Insurance.
which all boats of the coal combine
carry. Her length was ia feet, 80
feet inches beam.
Boat Blown to Pieces.
The Wilson was literally blown to
pieces and her hull sank in eighteen
feet of water. The heavy pieces of
her boiler were found almost 500 yards
from the bank and her flag floats from
the top of a tree near Riverside Park,
where it was blown with a piece of
wreckage.
Those of the crew who were saved
are:
Lewis Walker, chief engineer, Pitts
burg; Henry Sykes, first mate, Pitts
burg; Frank Egan, Allegheny; John
Busha, Allegheny; Joe Chadwick, Ale
gheny; Thomas Dinwiddie, residence
not known; George Morrow, second
fireman. Middleport, o.; Jacob Botzell,
POmeroy, o.; Frank Knight, Middle
port, o.; w r. Gilbraith, Braddock,
Pa; Walter Bates, Middleport, o.;
Peter Kane. Pittsburg; James Jones,
Wellsboro, o.
A II az those with tho nvpanffOp Of