Year: 1870

The Roller or n Tug Explecc~ or Persh
An,boy and Ki.l~ Tsrce M~s-Tke Beat
Sinks and Carries Another Beat 10 tine
Bottom with IL.


terrible explosion Occurred 1T eariy hour yes-
terday morning In the vicinity of Perth Amboy. by
which three persons lost their ves n appears tnat
new tug named the Yellow Jacket. belonging 10
Mr.. Janard, Of Kew Brunswick, n. j.. was sieansns
past Hawleys dock. Just In front of Perth
Amboy, about quarter past one, when tho boiler
exploded. Robert Brown, the captain OF the boat,
who was also acting AZ pilot, was thrown by the
force OF the conclusion high into the AIR and cll
fearfully mapgled corpse on the deck Of o canal
boat IN the rear OF the tug. The engineer. named
Thomas, was also Knocked 10 jelly by the exIlo.
sion, but his body fell into the water and
was not recovered. at least n had not
been up to Q late hour yesterday evea-
ing Another man, an employe on tho boat
whose name could not be ascertained-inasmuch 40
he was q stranger In the neighborhood where the
accident occurred, whereas the other two men we've
well known In Perth Amboy-was also killed and his
body Is missing. The tug torn almost 10 atoms
ana sank within i've minutes after the explosion.
carrying down with Il one OF three canal bosts,
loaded with coal, which II was towing up the stream.


The explosion created the utmost CONSERVATION
In rottenvile and Perth Amboy, and the concussion
was felt over two miles rom the scene Of the disas
ter All the window glass In shop near the waters
edge shattered and the doors In several houses
which happened TO be open at the time were shut
with violence that aroused every sleeper
Tor blocks around. Mr.. Hopping the conductor,
ana Mr.. Apgar, the baggage master on the staten
Island Railroad were among others awakened by
water front they at once dressed themselves ana
went out to ascertain the caus0 OF the comm0aion.
Mr. Hopping states that on looking ou. Of ms van.
mingled smoke and steam ascending into the ar
from the bay. and surmlsing that the boiler Of
into small boat and hurried 10 the place where the
smoke seemed TO proceed from. BY the tine he
and % While 6e "a and several Of his nsignoors.
who had been apprlzed Of the disaster IN
tne same way way ne mad boarded her 70
proceeded to cut the ropes which bound the tux TO
the canal boats. They had hardly time TO leave her
after examining the cabins when she went down,
carrying one Of the canal boats down with ner. The
men, however succeeded in cutting two OF the
canal boats loose. Strange as II may seem, although
the force OF the explosion awoke every person
in the two towns bordering on the stream one OF the
deck hands OF .he Jug was iound asleep IN his berth
when the men boarded her, and they had 10 give
him thorough shaking before he could be made 10
realize that anything had gone astray. He was
probably rendered unconscious by the explosion.


The body OF Thomas. the engineer, was lrightiuily
mutllated When discovered 1t was lying, lace up
ward on the S deck OF o & canal So boat WITH the scalp
forehead, the whole thing overlapping the lace and
completely concealtng 1t from view. There were
several terrible gashes Oh the head terrible one OF
several inches la length which penetrated the brain
jus: behind the lett ear. The trunk OF the body was
also mangled IN The most horrible manner.


The wife Of The unfortunate man learned OF the
disaster and her terrible loss almost soon any
other person Ia Perth AmbOy and she at once rushed
Into one OF the canal boats near the snOre giving
vent TO the most heart rendng shrieks. She en-.
deavored to reach her husbands body, but pre-
vented by some OF her ne'gnbors, who forced her
out Of the way that she could not 1t lay
all bloody and torn on the deck OF the canal boat.


The cause OF the explosion Is Of course mystery





could ten any hing about 1t were sent to their last
account by the disaster. One or two persons state
that just before the explosion occurred they heard
the tug blowing or steam ana that the steam made


peculiar noise that attracted their attention TO the
boat They also state that the tug was not in motion
The time bus that the whole tow was lying quietly
In the stream