Cleveland, OH Steamer FOREST CITY Explosion, Jun 1852

THE FOREST CITY EXPLOSION.

The Cleveland Herald, of the 15th , furnishes the following account of the explosion on board the steamer FOREST CITY:

Last evening the steamer FOREST CITY, Capt. PIERCE, left Dunkirk in place of the Alabama, and when off Erie street, collapsed a boiler flue. Three firemen were instantly killed -- JAMES FARREL and JOHN KING, of Detroit, and a man named DENNY who had been a fireman on board the Alabama, and had yesterday been hired on the Forest City.
HENRY GAYLOR, the engineer, and his assistant, were standing beside the firemen at the time of the accident, and MR. G. called to the firemen to stand back. Had they done so they would have escaped, but in the excitement of the moment they attempted to climb up out of the fire hold and were scalded to death.
The two engineers escaped with but slight scalding.
A passenger, becoming frightened leaped overboard, but the small boat was lowered and he was rescued.
The Alabama went to the Forest City and towed her in. An inquest was held and the bodies of KING and DENNY interred last night. That of FARREL will be taken to Detroit where he leaves a wife and child.
The cause of the accident has not been certainly ascertained, but must have been a defect in the flue. The Forest City is a new boat with a low pressure engine, and her engineer, MR. GAYLOR, is one of the most careful men upon the lakes. The boat was carrying but little steam at the time of the accident.
To-night the Atlantic will tow her to Detroit where a new flue will be put in, and the boat will resume her regular trips in a few days.

The Quincy Daily Whig Illinois 1852-06-25
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!