1908 — Nov 21, steamer H.M. Carter boiler explosion/fire, MS Riv., Bayou Goula, LA–10-11

— 12 Swayzee Press, IN. “Die in Steamer Explosion.” 11-27-1908, p. 3.
— 11 Donald, J. “Safety of Life at Sea.” Journal of the Franklin Institute, 175/1, Jan 1913, p.33.
— 11 U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1909, p. 391.
— 11 U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report…Year Ended June 30, 1909. 472.
–>10 Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. H. M. Carter (Packet, 1901-1908). Webpage.
— 10 USACE. “Bayou Goula Landing, Louisiana, Mile 195.6 AHP, Map 48,” p. 217.
—<10 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv.]…1999, p. 204. Narrative Information Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the US…1909, p. 391: Thirty people survived. The Locomotive: “A boiler explosion occurred, November 21, on the Mississippi river steamer H. M. Carter, eight miles below Plaquemine, La. George Le Blanc, Casimar Le Blanc, and five other men whose names we have not learned, were killed. Twelve persons were also injured, some of them fatally so. One account of the explosion says: “The Carter was an ill-fated boat, and was known as the ‘hoodoo’ of the river. She had been sunk four times, and each time raised. This time there is nothing left to raise. The explosion destroyed all of the machinery, and what was left of the wreckage of the boat was burned.” The Carter’s valuable cargo was also a total loss.” (The Locomotive. “Boiler Explosions, November, 1908,” V. 27, N5, Jan 1909, p. 146.) United States Army Corps of Engineers: “In 1908, the H. M. Carter, a Sternwheel packet boat, had an old-fashioned boiler explosion at Bayou Goula and sank with the loss of ten lives.” (USACE. “Bayou Goula Landing, Louisiana, Mile 195.6 AHP, Map 48,” p. 217.) U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service: “About 11 o’clock a.m., November 21, 1908, while proceeding up the Mississippi River, the boilers of the steamer H. M. Carter exploded. The wreck took fire and the vessel was totally lost, 11 persons losing their lives. In the investigation of this casualty, the local inspectors were unable to ascertain the cause of the explosion , because of their inability to obtain evidence as to the condition of the boilers, which were entirely submerged.” (U.S. SIS. Annual Report…Year Ended June 30, 1909. p. 472.) Way: H. M. Carter: Sternwheel, wood-hull packet, built in Jeffersonville, IN, in 1901, measuring 155 x 28 x 3.5. “Owned by Carter Packet Co., and ran New Orleans-Ouachita-Black rivers.…Was in New Orleans-Baton Rouge trade, Capt. H. M. Carter, when she exploded her boilers near Bayou Goula, upbound, Nov. 20, 1908. Capt. E. A. Rucker was pilot on watch. Ten or more were killed.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv.]…1999, p. 204.) Newspapers Nov 21: “New Orleans, La., Nov. 21. – The river packet H. M. Carter was blown up today eight miles below Plaquemine, La. Thus far four of the passengers are known to be dead. Fire immediately followed the explosion, adding to the horror of the situation.” (Topeka Daily State Journal, KS. “Steamboat Blown Up.” 11-21-1908, p. 4.) Nov 22: “New Orleans, La., Nov. 22. – The tugboat McDougall arrived here after midnight with the injured members of the crew and passengers of the river steamer H. M. Carter, which was destroyed by an explosion of her boilers today while making a trip from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. Those who came in on the McDougall report that six dead and thirteen badly injured constitute the casualties so far as known. “The dead: Casmere De Balance, assistant clerk. Peter Cami, bartender. Four negro roustabouts. “The injured; Charles Moore, first mate, but about body. John J. Frey, second mate, badly scalded; may die. Capt. H. M. Carter, cut about body. George De Balance, clerk, badly burned. Nine negroes, all badly burned.” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Six Persons Killed.” 11-22-1908, p. 4.) Nov 22: “New Orleans, Nov. 22. – With the deaths tonight of Edward Pelfry and Ben Thomas, negro roustabouts, the death list of yesterday’s Mississippi river steamboat explosion, near Bayou Goula, now stands at eight, with the probability that it will be added to within the next twenty-four hours. Some of those who are injured by the explosion on the H. M. Carter are in a critical condition at New Orleans hospitals. “An investigation of the causes leading up to the explosion of the Carter’s boilers will be made by the United States inspectors.” (Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, OH. “Death List Grows.” 11-23-1908, p 13.) Nov 27: “New Orleans, La., Special: Twelve persons are dead and twice as many injured as a result of an explosion on the Mississippi steamer H. M. Carter, near Bayou Goula, about 100 miles north of New Orleans.” (Swayzee Press, IN. “Die in Steamer Explosion.” 11-27-1908, p. 3.) Sources Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, OH. “Death List Grows.” 11-23-1908, p 13. Accessed 9-11-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-tribune-nov-23-1908-p-13/ Donald, James. “Safety of Life at Sea.” Journal of the Franklin Institute, Vol. 175, No. 1, Jan 1913, pp. 15-42. Accessed 9-11-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=dswxAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Galveston Daily News, TX. “Six Persons Killed.” 11-22-1908, p. 4. Accessed 9-11-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-nov-22-1908-p-4/ Swayzee Press, IN. “Die in Steamer Explosion.” 11-27-1908, p. 3. Accessed 9-11-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/swayzee-press-nov-27-1908-p-3/ The Locomotive. “Boiler Explosions.” Vol. 32, 1918-1919, p. 87, Hartford, CN: Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=czwxAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Topeka Daily State Journal, KS. “Steamboat Blown Up.” 11-21-1908, p. 4. Accessed 9-11-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/topeka-state-journal-nov-21-1908-p-4/ United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Mississippi River Names. “Bayou Goula Landing, Louisiana, Mile 195.6 AHP, Map 48,” p. 217. At: http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pdf/abt_mrnames(7of8).pdf United States Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce and Labor. Forty-First Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States…For the Year Ended June 30, 1909. Wash.: GPO, 1909. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=vF0uAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:LCCNsn88028129#v=onepage&q=&f=false United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1909. In Department of Commerce and Labor. Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor 1909 (Report of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor and Reports of Bureaus). Washington, DC: GPO, 1910. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=aaUXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. H. M. Carter (Packet, 1901-1908). Webpage accessed 9-11-2020 at: https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A767UOYAEU256Q8Y Way, Frederick Jr. (Author and Compiler), Joseph W. Rutter (contributor). Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1999.