Karyn, the explosions were the result of attempting steamboat travel on the susquehanna thru Berwick. In 1826 before the canal was built. The first attempt with a 60 ft by 9 ft with a sheet iron hull was successful. The second attempt involved a larger vessel 80by 14 ft with an Iron hull. It was tried at high water because the river has a high ridge & shallows that forces the water into a narrow channel near the Berwick side. this is refered to as the Nescopeck falls or rapids. There is also a large tublike hole just under the new bridge, The hole has higher rock on the upstream side which causes the water to rush in from the Nescopeck side of the hole and creates a violent eddy altogether a very tricky situation to navigate. Most of the year navigation is impossible but the hope was that the high waters would allow navigation The steamboat grounded and because someone was holding down the safety valve the steamengine blew up with many injured and some deaths. The boat was not badly damaged but two men were killed instantly by the escaping steam and many other scalded. The accident put an end to the idea and the failure of steamboat passage led to renewed interest in a canal which was begun not many years later. There is a fuller account in the Historical & Biographical annals of Columbia & Montour co by Battle vol 1 p 42 and p 152. Kay ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karyn Long" <karyn47@ptd.net> To: <PACOLUMB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 2:37 PM Subject: 1826 Explosion > Recently in the Pine Cemetery in Berwick I found 2 headstones of young men that were killed from the explosion of a steamboat on the river. In all the Genealogy I have done, I have never come across this information. I would appreciate some info if anyone has it. > > I am Karyn Long and my address used to be nanny@sunlink for all of those out there that I was in contact with. It is no karyn47@ptd.net. > > Thanks > Karyn > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >