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In what was characterized as the worst disaster in the [[Yukon River]]'s history, the [[Paddle steamer|sternwheeler]] ''Columbian'' [[Explosion|exploded]] and burned at Eagle Rock, Yukon, Canada, on
{{cite web
| url = http://www.yukonheritage.com/Sign/central/robert-campbell/columbian.html | title = Km 555.3 - The Columbian Disaster | work = Sights and Sites of the Yukon River: Robert Campbell Highway | publisher = Government of Yukon | location = Yukon, Canada | access-date = 17 April 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721063805/http://www.yukonheritage.com/Sign/central/robert-campbell/columbian.html | archive-date=21 July 2011 | url-status=dead}}
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<blockquote>The explosion blew out the sides of the vessel, scattered men and cargo in the water, and in less than five minutes had involved the whole inside of the ship in a mass of seething flame.
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Six men were killed: Morgan and Welsh were killed instantly, Christianson, Murray, and Woods died before help arrived, and Cowper died several days later of his injuries. The entire [[cargo]] was also lost.<ref name=Explore/> Welsh's body turned up on the river two months later, but no trace of Morgan was ever found.<ref name=Holloway/>
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The crew had no provisions and no way to easily go for help. The closest [[telegraphy|telegraph]] office was {{convert|30|mi|km|spell=in}} away at Tantalus. A party of three set out on foot; they were overtaken by Captain Williams and Engineer Mavis in a [[canoe]] they had borrowed from a [[lumberjack|woodcutter]].<ref name=Holloway/>
Arriving at Tantalus after midnight, they woke up the [[telegraphist|telegraph operator]] who sent out a message about the disaster with no response—all the other operators were asleep. The first to receive the message, at 9:00 a.m. on 26 September
Another sternwheeler, the ''Dawson'', had been dispatched from Whitehorse with a [[physician|doctor]] and [[nurse]]s aboard. The ''Dawson'' had not received the news until 1:00 p.m. on 26 September
==Aftermath==
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A [[Inquest|coroner's jury]] was called to investigate the cause of the ''Columbian'' disaster and returned the following verdict:
<blockquote>That these three men came to their deaths as the result of burns received in an explosion of powder on the forward part of the deck of the Steamer Columbian, and further this jury attaches no blame to any of the surviving officers or crew.
:—''The Weekly Star'', 26 October, 1909[sic]<ref name=Star/></blockquote>
The bodies of Welsh and Morgan had not been recovered at the time of the jury's deliberations; the cause of their disappearance and deaths was not considered by the inquest. The body of Welsh was found in November on a bar in the Yukon River between Tantalus and Five Fingers, about {{convert|25|to|30|mi|km|spell=in}} below the site of the disaster. A [[lynx]] had been spotted gnawing on something on the bar; Welsh was identified by the buttons remaining on his vest which was still on his body.<ref name=Star/>
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