THE BLOWING UP OF THE STEAMER PROVIDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1677, 17 December 1872, Page 2

THE BLOWING UP OF THE STEAMER PROVIDENCE.

We take the following account of the above scci Jent from the Pastoral Times: — "The Bteamer Providence (Captain John Davis) left Menindie on the 9th Nov., loaded with wool, and towing a barge, also loaded with wool, for Adelaide. There were six men on board the steamer, and two men and a boy in the barge. "When about nine milea down the rirer from Menindie, the captain was heard to say, * Stop her,' which was done (something being amiss with the paddles). He then caUed out, 'One stroke ahead,' and immediately afterwards, ' Stop her' — but he scarcely uttered the last expression when the boiler burst, and the steamer waß blown into fragments. The captain (Mr Davis), E. Sparkes (engineer), John Koach (fireman), and Thomas Ounn, Chinaman (cook), were killed. Charles Seymour was thrown a considerable distance into the air and fell in the river, receiving no injury but a broken leg. Another man named Trevonoak (?), who was in the cabin escaped unhurt. Those in the barge were not iijured. The bodies of Sparkes and the Chinaman hare been recovered* the latter much mutilated j the other two have not been recovered yet. Portions of the boiler were cast a considerable distance on to the land. It is the general opinion that the acciJent waa caused by the engineer putting cold water into the boiler while it was empty and much heated."