Steamboat Disaster at Steptoe 

Another Terrible Casualty on the River!

Steam Pipe Explosion on Lancaster

Five Lives Sacrificed!

Two Persons Missing.

We are compelled to chronicle another fearful and melancholy steamboat disaster.  The New Richmond and Neville packet steamer Lancaster, commanded by Capt. Conner, and owned by Capt. David Gibson, of New Richmond, exploded a branch of one of her main steam pipes at about 10 o’clock last night, when lying at the Steptoe (Ky.) landing, and horribly scalded five persons, three of whom are known to be dead, and the other two are pronounced mortally wounded.  Two others are likewise said to be missing. From Capt. J. J. Blagg, of the Marietta packet Ohio No. 2, and from eye witnesses who were on board the Lancaster at the time of the disaster, we gather the following particulars of the horrible casualty: The steamer Lancaster left the Cincinnati Landing yesterday evening with a heavy cargo of corn for Neville, taking up a number of extra hands – Irish laborers – to assist in discharging her freight, to enable her to make her regular time.  She made a landing at Steptoe, Ky., about one mile above Moscow, and about thirty five miles above this city, for the purpose of receiving extra freight. At about ten o’clock at night, while the hands were busily employed carrying freight on board, a branch of one of the steam-pipes suddenly burst, and scattered fearful destruction among them. The report is said to have been like that of a heavy cannon.  The steam swept through the engine room and round the boilers in a dense volume horribly scalding five men who were in the immediate vicinity of the engines, and sweeping overboard, it is supposed, two others who were standing on the larboard [left] guards midships.    

From the Louisville Weekly Democrat, August 8, 1855