Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-04
THE DEFENDER
BOILERS BLOW UP
Out Of a Crew Of Thirty. Eight
Only Nine Escaped Without
Serious Injury
BOAT SOON MASS OF FLAMES.
Work Of Rescue Immediately Begun
And Several Bodies Already
Recovered


Huntington. w. Va, Jan. AT II
O'Clock last night the people Of this city
were startled by terrible explosion,
followed almost Immediately by a lurid
glare, which lighted UP the heavens for
miles around, Investigation showed
that the boilers Of the towboat Defender
had exploded just opposite the city and
the boat and a number of barges in
two were in flames.
The work Of rescuing the killed and
injured began and It was soon found
that the loss Of life had been great OF
the 38 men on the boat only nine es-
capped serious injury. Several dead
bodies have been recovered
Five others are 80 badly burned and
scaded that their lives cannot be
saved. Six more Of the crew cannot be
accounted for, and It is believed that
their lireess bodies now lie at the bot
tom Of the Ohio.
DEAD AND MISSING.
A partial list Of the dead and missing
follows;
Perry Spencer, mate Point Pleasant
w. Va.
Horace Wctzol. Waterman, Plttshurg.
james Cease, lamp trimmer Pltts-
burg
Thomas Duny Scott Hamilton, James
- fireman, Pitlsburg, supposed TO have
been burned 10 death
William Wetzel George Kidd, Dave
Adkins, deckhands, Ptsbug,
THE INJURED
John Wilson, cook, Middlcport o.
Robert Holland, roustabout Pitts
burg.
Ira Ellis, second engineer pittsburg
John Francis, pittsburg
Pat Conley. second cook, Pittsburg.
Richard Conley, Pittsburg.
The Defender wasowucd by tho fitts-
burg Towboat company and was one Of
the biggest towbouts on the river She
Pittgburg on the recent rise and lowed
heavy line OF coal barges to the Gin
ciunau market She was returning to
Pittsburg u company with the big tow
boat Victor of the same company and
the statement Is made that the two
big steamers were racing no the time
the explosion occurred. The Victor was
about a mile ahead OF the Defender al
the time and her crew knew nothing
Of the awful disaster that had befall-
en- her
The burning Of the Defender was
viewed by thousands OF people. many
Of whom stood shiverlng along the
shores gowned only In night robes.
The work OF rescue Of the victims was
difficult owing to the darkness and It
seemed that only a few vessels could
be secured to go TO the scene, Capt.
Woodruff OF the Defender was picked
up 80 yards from the steamev by some
small boys. who rowed in a yawl from
the Ohio shore, ANA he was taken to
that side Of the river. He Is not seri-
ously injured, one victim was found
half n mile below the scene, clutching
portion Of the wreckage, being so
chilled that he could not speak.
The boat almost Immediately after
the explosion sank 20 the bottom, NOT
moro than 60 yards from the West
Virginia shore. The barges I'm tow
were soon an aname, but they were
cut loose and they noated down the
stream udame They were finally land
cd and the flames eXtnguished by tho
FIRE department
The dead body OF Thomas DUFFY. OF
Pttshurs, q fireman ON the steamer.
was one Of the FIRST taken from the
wreck.
The body OF q fireman known MS
James was the uoNt recovered. lie
lives NJ CowyIopolis Pa.
Those rescued from the steamer ore
so seriously injured that they can give
no names or information regarding the
catastrophe
It IS believed thot many bodies have
been blown into the river and may new
or be recovered
Among those injured was n woman
not known.
At this hour II IS impossible to give
any accurate list OF the dead or wound
ed
The Defender was returning from
Cincinnati with tow OF cmptios, Capt
James Woodward WAS I'm the pilot
house at the time Of the accident and
WIN lllN fAllNNlRll OF lll iIlitllt engineer
and the watchmuu the remainder of
the crow were asleep. The explosion
Of the starhoard boilers blew out the
entire side OF the boat and awakened
the sleeping members Of the crew. The
survivors grabbed what clothing they
could find and plunged into the Icy
waters OF the Ohio river IN an effort 20
escape. The night Was bitter cold, the
thermometer lowering about zero, and
as the explosion occurred az "a point
some distance from any town. those
who escaped were nearly frozen before
they could be given shelter
The boat caught fire Immediately fol-
lowing the explosion ana drfted down
the river about 200 yards whore she
sank IN shallow water.
Capt Woodward says that the origin
Of the explosion IL complete mystery
as the boilers were no far as known
IN excellent condition. a number of
men are working on the wreck today to
recover the bodies OF the dead So far
six bodies have been recovered.