Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-20
And Stmr. Scove| Goes
Down Near Vicksburg,
Halt the Crew and Passengers
Of 40 Are Missing.
Wonderful Escapes Of Survivors,.
Cause, Defective Boiler.

NickSburg. Miss, Dee. 19-Dne of the
worst accidents in recent history Of the
Mississippi river occurred today when
the stcalner>W. T. ScovcI plying in the
Nirksburg and Davis bend trade WAS
destroyed by an explosion. Owing to
the large number Of negroes on board
IL is impossible to ascertain the exact
number of the dead and injured, but
the officers of the boat who arrived here
tonight state that no ,sS than 10 nor
more than 1G We're killed 1t is believed
an tqual number Wrrc injured. Among
Tie dCad are Cant. John Quacllenboss
master of the steamer; Clcr,, Wade
GutckcnDoe4. Lavcl Tcrgcr. com
mcrciHl salesman Of Jackson. Miss;
Clerk Joseph Smith, Yazoo City, Miss.
The whites injured incll;dc Tenny
Roberts. assistant pilot Of t-ickshnrc
.iu'In Drughcrty. tho pilot; Charles Ne
Evnna
The number of dead and injured of
n",srocS cannot he stated at this tim"
bat of tn" crew and passenger list Of
abou; 70, about half are missing.
The bodies "f the dead negroes w"r"
cared for at the place where the acct
dent occurred as w"r. also som" of ihc
in jIrctl. Five of III" injured n"cr,c!;
v"rs. brought to NicN@burg with th"
white dead and injured. The accident
occurred At Gold Dust landing, about
Il miles south Of NicksbUrE
The ScOV,l was ut the landing taking
on freight just before noon, when sud
denly Il terrific explosion occurred ana
the boat wai blown almost TO atoms.
1f ba o.. \
We're thrown hundreds of yards The pi-
lot house and front part Of the cabin
were blown to spIinters and tn" boat
| began 10 sink Immediately. Whom the
ScDvcl left here late this afternoon sh"
was listing heavily and her cargo IF a
thousand sacks Of cott0nS"ed and 30
bales Of cotton will be lost. Pending the
arrival Of the Senator COrd"ll the in
iured were cared for ut Gold Dust land
ing as well as possible.
of the white dead only the body of
Lavclly Ycrgcr has been recovered.
Tn" pilot was blown several hundred
fcot out into the river, but despite
dislocatcd shoulder. managed to swim
to the bank.
The story Of the accident rs told by
lows:
I'VE were lying at Gold Dust Land
ing this morning taking on the cargo,
when | noticed a small quantity of
water coming through the boiler. |
suspected that something was wrong
and proceeded to make an examination.
About this time the ScoVel broke her
headlines and drifted. 50 that | did not
have time to make a thorough eX;.mi
ration. AS soon as | got her back to
the bank | craW!cd on top of the boiler
and proceeded with the inveStigat ton
had just got down from the boiler
whcn the explosion occurred" Bruce
was not injured.
1t is said that the accident was
caused by a defective boiler plate
When the Cordcll arrived at this city
at Q o'clock tonight a crowd Of several
hundred people met her at the dock
Owing To the heavy loss among the
negroes aboard. the landing was crowd
"a With women ana children of that
race. The injured We're taken to the
NicksbUrg hospital.
Capt. Quackenboss was one of the
Oldest and best known residents of this
city and was known to every man on
the river
AT meeting at Montreal Wednesday
of the general passenger agents of Ca
n'lo;an railroads 4 plan was adopted hv