Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-25
THE lLL-FATED HALIFAX.
Story Of Her Blowing Up in Lock by
An Eye Witness.

resident of this city, whose home is
now in Boston, but who is spending
the winter with his sister. Mrs. Trask
of State street. gave Journal man aE
interesting interview recently ABOUT
the blowing up of the Halifax" 1t
was great sensation at the time but
there are few who remember the event.
only as chroniclcd by the historians.
The steamer Halifax. said Mr.. Jor
dan, was new boat that was making
regular trips in 1S4S between HalioWell
and Waterville The ether boat on the
line was the Balloon and there was in
tense rivalry between the steamboat
captains as to which vas the best and
speediest boat. In the palmy days Of
Mississippi river steamboat> racing
there was no more rivalry than eXis-
ted on the kennebec river at this
time between the crews Of the Halifax
and the Balloon. The Halifax was
built in Winslow and was commanded
by Capt. Charles F. Paine Of that
town.
On the morning of May %. 1S48 the
Halifax left Waterville with II per-
sons on board, at the usual time. in
company with the Balloon. 1t was
said that the captain of the Halifax
remarked: 'Ill ruin this boat to Halo
well first or run her to II" Then
the race down the river started. bOth
boats. stern Wheelers. going rs fast
as heavy steam pressure could drive
them
Mr.. Jordan had 4 desire to see the
boats. 50 lie was standing On the bank
Of the river when the Balloon was be-
inG put through the lock, which was
located on the east end of the Ken
nebec dam. The Halifax was just
outside with steam kissing from her
pipes waiting for Il chance ~ enter
the lock. As soon as the balloon
passed through the lock the Halifax
was allowed to enter and just as She
fairly got inside there was 4 tremen-
duus explosion and the boiler blew up.
killing six people and wounding sew
eral others. one of whom afterwards
died of his injuries.
AT the time of the explosion" said
Mr.. Jordan. II could see the parts Of
the boiler, etc, rise in the air. The
bodies of some of the people killed
were hurled on shore while others re-
manned on the boat" The body OF the
captain was thrown by the force of
the explosion from the top Of the boat
to the top Of the lock. where he chung
uninjured. The captain was killed
when I saw that she was blown UP
and that a terrible accident had hap
pened ] ran down home and told the
folks and men. women and chill
drcn came running up with bandages
and lint to bind mp the wounds Of the
injured. / vas on" of those "ho
helped get the bodies from the wreck.
When the boiler blew up | saw the
dom" fly away Oft.
1t is thought that the boat blow up
because there was insufficient water
on the tubes Of the boiler. caused by 50
much racing and blowing off Of steam
The force Of the explosion was suf-
ficent to throw the door Of the fur
race. weighing 20 pounds, 900 feet UP
the river and large fragments OF the
boat and pieces of the boiler were pro-
jected great distances. The high walls
Of the lock protected number oi
persons who were standing on shore.
among the number Mr.. Jordan. The
wreck of the boat Immediately sunk
in the lock. from which the remains
Of some Of the killed were afterwards
taken
a ooroners jury was summoned. Of
which Greenliof White was the fore
man. and ut the hearing it was re-
vealed that the engineer had no
knowledge of locomotive boilers, one
Of which the Halifax had. and further
that he had no scientific knowledge OF
engineering. The jury laid the blame
to the engineer. but as he died in the
wreck. the case never went before any
other tribunal than the coroner's jury.