Allegheny County PA Archives-  News: Explosion Tow Boat "Annie Roberts"

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
Ruth Sprowls <ruthsprowls@windstream.net>, May 2009

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
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________________________________________________ 

FIVE MEN KILLED
Disastrous Explosion on the Tow-Boat "Annie Roberts"
 
Portsmouth, O. - January 2.- A frightful accident occurred on the 
river this morning. At 8:00 o'clock the Pittsburgh tow-boat Annie 
Roberts exploded a cylinder head, opposite here, tearing open the 
boiler deck of the boat, and hurling the mangled bodies of five men 
and about 10 or 12 wounded into the river.
The boat was bound for Pittsburgh, and was moving slowly up the 
river, but with a full pressure of steam. Most of the men killed an 
injured were sleeping in their bunks at the time of the accident. All 
were horribly burned, scalded , and some mangled by pieces of iron.
Following is the list of the dead:
FRANK PERRY, deck hand
BEN LAWSON, fireman
JAMES SWAIL
J.B. SHAW, deck hand
JAMES GREEN, deck hand.
 
January 14, 1891; page 6; Indiana Progress (Indiana, PA.)