California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, Volume 11, Number 10, 8 April 1859 — Explosion and Loss of Life. [ARTICLE]

Explosion and Loss of Life.

On Sunday morning, at about U o'clock, the .-team ferryboat Contra Costa left her wharf for Oakland, followed by tbe new sfc;tmer Oakland. When the Contra Costa reached the bur, the botjjl I>cing in shoal water, the engine was worked slow, and the rival boat rapidly coming near, fortunately attracted the passengers to tho after part of the vessel. At this moment the starboard boiler explodid, making a complete wreck of the forward part of the boat uud shuttci iug her upper work* throughout by the tremendous concussion, filling the bout with hot .-team, aud the uir \%ith fragments of the wreck, causing a di.-aslroin loss of lite and property. The Oakland immediately ran alongside and rendered all the assistance possible. In the panic several jumped overboard, but it i* supposed were all picked up by the Oaklaud. As far ns can be ascertained, the following in a list of the killed and those since dead: fjeorge McDowell, a native of New Jersey, son of Thee. McDowell, formerly of Sacramento. David W. Cady, of New York, 'A 2 years old. Mitehell il. Smith, baikee|>er; body not found, supposed to have been killed instantly. Albert Winship, a hand belonging to the boat Henry L. Os*

trandcr, also a bund, a native ol New York; waa eon \c\.d to the MiltM ll""|'i(al, where he soon after died. Joseph Holer, num-aler in the V. S. Hramh Mint, 40 years of ago, WU taken to SL Mary's Hospital, and died at 1 11 o'clock. Monday morning ;he lea\es a family now in Philadelphia, hir> native <ii v. Bei cral persona were scalded and scratched with .»plinters. Two rery fine horses were seriously injured- one, the celebrated stallion Commodore, owneil hy Mr. Agnew, has ainee died; aud the other, a young betae. the proper!" of Mr. Ludlum, was severely scalded. Some carriages were also more or loss damaged. Tht idiltoii el the boat indicates the direction (he boiler toe)kj it rose on an angle and went over forward almost entire, and was «cen by a passenger on the Oakland to strike the water soiuo thirty feet ahead of the boat. The deck was raised out of place, and the euhins >hattered throughout The Contra Coata was built in this city and registered in Novembi r, 1847. Her boilers were constructed in New York, by Cutmmghani, and sent here lv hut were not used until put iv this boat, when they were pronounced sufficient. Captain Lewis und tho Kngineer, Wyatt Birdsall. were arrested and admitted to hail id the aajaj <>f V M6O each, to await thr investigation by a Coroner's jury. As appear- by the evidence before the Coroner, tlie ena-«c of t lie explo>ioll -e«-ms to have been the racing and the deloiinitiation to beat the other bout. For this we hope the utliuuis ol the boat will be held to a strict account.