Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Steam Boat Explosion

The Marietta Republican, February 6, 1862

Terrible explosion and burning of Steam Boat Advance at Matamoras, Ohio, on the night of January 28, 1862.

Editor Republican:

The S. B. Advance exploded her boilers last night about midnight, one half mile above this place in Mill Creek ripple; after the explosion she took fire and burned to the water's edge. She was on her up trip with coal barges in tow and under headway at the time of the explosion. She floated down opposite this place, and the cries of the sufferers aroused the citizens from their sleep, who went to their relief. Everything was done that could be done to alleviate their suffering, which was great and terrible to behold. 

The explosion was one of the most disastrous that has taken place on the Western waters for some years. A large portion of one of the boilers was blowed three hundred yards on shore. Only two of the crew escaped uninjured. The following is a list:

Killed - William Clark, fireman, Cook of the boat, colored.

Wounded - Fred Marks, fireman, fatally; H. Craig, deck hand, fatally; Samuel Irwin, badly; John Irwin, badly; R. E. Mewner, first mate, fatally; Nelson Klinefelter, pilot, fatally; William King, 2d Engineer, fatally; J. W. Long, slightly; I. W. Bradley, watchman, slightly.

Uninjured - Capt. W. Stewart; Mike Tweheherer, 1st engineer.

The boat was owned by Haig & Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cause of the explosion unknown.

H.
Matamoras, Ohio. January 29, 1862.

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