The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-12-27
BOAT EXPLOSION
KILLS MANY
BIG DISASTER ON BENDS PACK
EFT SCoVELL.
EXACT NUMBER NOT KNOWN


But Number of Dead Between Fifteen
and Twenty, Among Whom are
Capt. Quackenboss, His Son and
Laval Yerger.
Vicksburg, Nashville the Stea-
mer w. T. Scovell, plying in the Vick-
burg and Davis Bend trade, was load
ing freight at Gold Dust Landing,
seventeen miles south of Vicksburg,
the boat s boiler exploded with terrific
force and without the slightest warn
ing, killing and manning the crew and
passengers and blowing off the entire
front of the steamer.
According to survivors who arrived
here on board Of the steamer Senator
CordilL, the dead numbers between
fifteen and twenty. 1t is feared,
however, that the exact number will
not be known for some days, as the
steamer was crowded with deckhands
and passengers, and taose who escap-
ed were so stunned for a time that
before assistance could be secured the
bodies of many of the dead had dis
appeared down the river.
Dead and Injured.
The known dead are
Capt John A. Quackenboss, master
Of the boat, Vicksburg.
Wade Quackenboss, Vicksburg.
Laval Yerger, cotton seed buyer,
jackson.
Joe Smith, clerk of steamer, Yazoc
City Miss.
Mack Clarke, negro porter.
Two roustabouts, name unknown.
Eight OF nine negro deck passen-
gers.
The injured are:
Lennie Roberts, assistant pilot,
Vicksburg, Miss, injured internally,
seriously.
John Dougherty, pilot, shoulder
dislocated.
Charles McKenna, passenger, pain
fully injurer.
-Butterfeld, slightly injured IL
the head.
Many Negroes Injured.
The number of dead and injured
negroes can not be stated, but of g
crew and passenger list of about fif-
ty, about half are missing, The ne
gro dead were cared for at the place
where the accident occurred, as are
some of the injured.
Vicksburg is much wrought uI
over the accident, Laval Yerger be
ing very popular here, and also the
two Juackenbosses, who both leave
families.
The cause Of the explosion is ir
doubt at this time. The steamer hac
been considered in first class condition
although she was delayed here few
hours by being run into by the Belle
of the Bends. This, however, coult
not have affected her boilers.
The news of the explosion frs
reached this city by telephone to A
G. Russell, who heard of the steamer
blowing up from Ashwood Landing
Mr.. Russell, telephoned to Ashwooi
and there John G. O'Kelly, promin
ent citizen, said that he had seen cot
ton floating down the river and az
would send man on horseback a
once to Gold Dust Landing, which
was eight miles away.
Gold Dust gin is twenty miles soutf
of Vicksburg, on the Louisiana side
of the Mississippi river. The Scovel
left here on her trip to Davis Benc
and was returning when the accident
occurred. Frank Hirch Of this city
is the agent and part owner OF the
boat.
Steam Smothers Cries.
Wade Quackenboss was heard *
call for help soon after the explosion
but, according, to the reports ct those
who were on the boat, escaping steam
soon smothered his cries. Capt Quaet
enboss was not seen after the acci
dent.
Pilot John Dougherty was blown
several hundred feet into the river
but despite a dislocated shoulder
managed to swim to Lne bank.
Murry Wilkinson, the cub pilot es
capped uninjured. Engineer John I
Bruce was not hurt.
The accident occurred in about
mile Of where the steamer Providence
was destroyed in hurricane ant
twenty people was lost several years
sgo.
Mr.. Wilkinson's Story