New Albany, IN Steamer LUCY WALKER Explosion - Terrible Explosion

From the Louisville Courier, Oct. 23.
TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT DISASTER !!

EXPLOSION OF THE LUCY WALKER !! -- SIXTY TO EIGHTY KILLED AND WOUNDED !!

It is with feelings the most acute and painful that we record the following fearful disaster, and the loss of so many valuable lives. The steamboat LUCY WALKER, Capt. VANN, left this place for New Orleans yesterday, crowded with passengers.
When about four or five miles below New Albany, and just before sunset, some part of her machinery got out of order, and the engine was stopped in order to repair it. While engaged in making the necessary repair, the water in the boilers got too low; and about 5 minutes after the engine had ceased working, her three boilers exploded with tremendous violence, and horrible and terrible effect. The explosion was upwards, and that part of the boat above the boilers was blown into thousands of pieces. The U.S. snag-boat Gopher, Captain L. B. Dunham, was about two hundred yards distant at the time of the explosion. Captain Dunham was immediately on the spot, rescuing those in the water, and with his crew tendering all the aid in his power. To him we are indebted for most of our particulars. He informs us that the Lucy Walker was in the middle of the river, and such was the force of the explosion, that parts of the boilers and the boat were thrown on shore. Just after the explosion, the air was filled with human beings and fragments of human beings. One man was blown up fifty yards, and fell with such force as to go entirely through the deck of the boat. Another was cut entirely in two by a piece of the boiler. We have heard of many such heart-rending and sickening incidents.
Before Captain Dunham reached the place where the Lucy Walker was, he saw a number of persons who had been thrown into the river, drown. He however saved the lives of a large number of persons, by throwing them boards and ropes, and pulling them on his boat with hooks. Immediately after the explosion, the ladies' cabin took fire, and before it had been consumed, she sunk in 12 or 15 feet of water. Thus is presented the remarkable circumstance of a boat exploding, burning, and sinking, all in the space of a few minutes. The screams and exclamations of the females, and those who were not killed, is represented as having been distressing and awful. We believe none of the females on board were injured -- some, however, may have been drowned. The books of the boat were destroyed, and of course it will be impossible ever to ascertain the names of or the number of those killed. There were at least fifty or sixty persons killed and missing, and fifteen or twenty wounded -- some seriously. Captain Dunham left the wounded at New Albany, all of whom were kindly and well cared for by the hospitable and humane citizens of that town.

Continued on Page 2.