Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1883 — BOILER EXPLOSION. [ARTICLE]

BOILER EXPLOSION.

Destruction in Midstream of a Steamer Hear San Francisco, Cal. Nine Persons Killed, Eleven Probably Drowned, and Seven Wounded. A shocking disaster Is reported by telegraph from San Francisco. The stern-wheel passenger steamer Pilot, plying along the bay, was blown to pieces by the explosion of one of her boilers, and fifteen of the passengers and crew lost their Uvea The particulars of the sad affair are embraced in the following dispatches from San Franclsoo: Officers of the steamer Donahue reported that in passing Donahue Tending they noticed the Pilot coming down the oreek In mid channel, and a few minutes afterward saw no sign of the inooming steamer. A message was sent to Petaluma directing that a relief train with Physicians and nuruss for the wounded be Immediately dispatched to Lakeville, When the relief train arrived the sufgwous on board found little to do, as of all those known and believed to be on board none but the Captain and two others (one the idiot) could DeJ found. They were discovered in the fields, seriously injured, the Captain the least of the three. Search was was made In every direotlon in the sand dams near the bank, and, one after another, four men were found, all more or less, seriously injured; some with an arm or leg broken in the fall One was but slightly injured, having fallen in long grasses Out of these he managed to scramble on higher and drier ground. Had he been more seriously injured he would have been drowned bv the high tide. Last reports show that eight ore killed, seven wounded end ten mlßsing. Most of the latter are probably dead, but the bodies have not yet been found. The names of the passengers cannot be definitely ascertained, as no names are recorded at the points of departure. It Is thought many of the .passengers who escaped scalding and mangling were drowned, as the boat sank immediately after tiie explosion The explosion is attributable to defective boilers. Those persons who witnessed the explosion from the steanfbr Donahue, say that it was almost funny to see the way the smoke-stack went up.' It seemed, as they say, to leave the vessel in advance, and shot up In the air over 810 yards, coming down again within a few feet of the vessej. Matthews, late of Sonoma Mountain, on his way to Arizona, lost four children, and another will die. His wife is crazy. A STRANGE INCIDENT. The most extraordinary incident in connection with the disaster was the finding of Mrs. George P. McNear, a passenger, about a mile and a half from the scene of the explosion. She was standing in the mud and was still alive, but unconscious. It is presumed she struggled through the mud and weeds for that distance in search of relief. She was immediately removed to Lakeville, but died a few minutes after her arrivaL