Daily Globe

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.

Hudson River Steamer Magenta -Several Passengers Fatally and Others Seriously Scalded-Speculations as to the Cause.

POUGHKEEPSIE, March 23.-The steamer Magenta blew up opposite Scarborough this morning. Alfred Reynolds, Richard Lane and two unknown men were killed and five others badly scalded.

New York, March 23.--The steamer Magenta, on board of which was the fatal explosion this morning, left Haverstraw at 20 minutes of 7 o'clock, landed at Sing Sing, took aboard a large number of passengers and started on the way to New York at 20 minutes past 7. She steered out into the river a distance of two miles when the passengers were startled by a terrible explosion. A scene of the wildest terror followed, and when the steam cleared away there was seen lying in the forward cabin, near the stove, directly in front of the engineer's room, the bodies of a dozen men. The steam on the floor still created a light vapor and the surrounding woodwork was dripping from its nearness to the exploded pipe. Two were dead and eight were badly and two fatally scalded. The Alexis was lying at Rockland lake, and seeing the Magenta enveloped in smoke, started off at once and in a short time had come up to her. The wounded were at once transferred to her and the dead to the Thomas P. May, which had just come up, and by the latter conveyed to Sing Sing.

Exactly how the accident occurred is not yet known. The spot where it happened was between the main and the upper deck, well forward. The steam capstan, which was the cause of the accident, was forward of the engine, and measured about twelve feet in circumference. It is surmised that a bolt started and was blown out. It is also said that the Magenta was running at a great speed across the flats, to get ahead of the opposition boat. Albert Reynolds and Mr. Wright, of Sing Sing, were killed outright. Mr. Law, of Sing Sing, is not expected to recover. Wm. Taylor, a waterman, was severely scalded. A party of five from Pleasant Hill, were all more or less scalded, and one boy of twelve is supposed to have been blown overboard.