This is “Our Past Is Present”
from the Geary County Historical Society.
Robert Chew
was a native of Junction City and in the spring of 1872 he related to his
friends at the “Union” newspaper the story of his miraculous escape from an
explosion at sea. He was sleeping in his
bunk aboard a steamship, which he boarded at Shreveport, Louisiana. At about twenty minutes to five in the
morning the explosion threw him from his bunk and he landed on the floor amidst
boiling water and glass. Within twenty minutes the flames increased and had
driven everyone from the vessel overboard.
Robert spent about two hours in the water before help arrived. Also on board had been the circus troupe of
which Robert was one of the proprietors.
Unfortunately, none of the animals could be saved. They were all in cages and could not be
reached through the flames. Once in the
water, Robert and another man were able to cling to a float and drifted for
about five miles before they were able to get to a shoreline where they stayed
until the “Belle of St. Louis” arrived to pick them up. Robert suffered scalds to his feet and his
hands were cut with glass, but he told his friends in Junction City that he was
thankful to be alive.
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