La Crosse Public Library staff selected the following subjects to highlight from the La Crosse Area Clipping File. While these include just a taste of the vast materials available at the Library, we invite you to please contact us with any specific question you may have about the La Crosse area. Our thanks to the La Crosse Tribune for their permission in bringing you these materials.  We tried to create printable images and the paper size and orientation are given after the title of the article.

Steamboat "James Malbon" Explosion

James Malbon, a La Crosse steamboat captain, was piloting a new steamboat named for him when a flaw in the boiler caused it to explode on July 30, 1872, near North McGregor, Iowa.  At the time of the accident, the 29 year-old captain was in the pilot house and was killed in the explosion.  According to newspaper accounts, eight people were killed or lost, 13 saved and four were listed as wounded.  The official inspector's report said eight of the crew were killed and five injured. 

The cost of construction of the 120 ton boat was $14,000 and it was built for the Keator Lumber Company.  This explosion caused a stir as raft boats, such as the "James Malbon," were more likely to explode than the more powerful packet boats.  In the end, inspectors determined that the cause of the accident was great recklessness and carelessness on the part of W. Harvey Pierce, second engineer, on watch at the time.  His license was revoked.  The engines were salvaged and later placed in the Robert Ross built in 1873.