Thibodaux, LA Explosion Of The Steamer RIGHT WAY, July 1870

THE BAYOU LAFOURCHE BOILER EXPLOSION -- NINE MEN KILLED -- A PASSENGER'S ACCOUNT OF THE DISASTER.

A passenger on board the steamer RIGHT WAY sends the following account of the boiler explosion to the New Orleans Times:
Thibodaux, July 18, 1870.
To the Editor of the New Orleans Times:
As the steamer RIGHT WAY, on her up trip, was debarking freight at the Live Oak Plantation, two miles above Thibodaux, on Bayou Lafourche, she exploded her boiler this morning, at 8 o'clock, making a complete wreck of the forward half of the boat and causing her to sink immediately, the water barely covering her hull.
Among the killed are LEON COMEAUX, of Assumption, barkeeper; MIKE SMITH, of St. Louis, first engineer, and seven colored hands.
Among the wounded are T. NICOLL, of St. James, severely, if not mortally, first clerk; J. CASSAT, slightly, second clerk; PIERRE ALLEMON, pilot, of Lockport, severely; W. SULLIVAN, mate, slightly; TOM FORD, deck-hand, badly; Capt. OSGOOD is injured by inhaling steam, and some half-dozen or more colored hands, some badly.
Among the passengers, MR. JOHN LARKIN, of the firm of LARKIN & GRISAMORE, of Thibodaux, is severely scalded, and JOSEPH A. LENGENDRE, an employe of the same firm, is slightly scalded.
The wounded have been brought to Thibodaux, where they are cared for by our citizens and the Mayor. The engineer on duty at the time of the accident says that the boat was lying still, the doctor working well, and the engines slowly moving, with steam at 130 pounds being less than her allowance by twenty pounds, when the explosion occurred.
He thinks that the accident was occasioned by some fault in a new sheet of boiler-iron that had been put on the boilers about two weeks since.
All the boat's papers and valuables were saved from the wreck.
GEORGE LOMBARD, third clerk, is wounded, and at the residence of C. A. BURR, on LEIGHTON plantation.
Respectfully,
S. T. GRISAMORE.

The New York Times New York 1870-07-25
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!