Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-01-06

The steamboat Disastef on the OhtO.
The Philadelphia Observer publishes the
following letter from Rev. DR.. Stiles Ely, Civ
ing graphic description Of the sad accident,
not long since which occurred ON board the
steamboat Flora -
Ohio River, Steamboat Robert Emmett
Nor ls, 1896
Dear Brother,-Your friend, the writer,
trusts that he is not Jonah in his travels,
and yet from much travelling and the will
of heaven he has to tell Of some sad disas-
tiers. Formerly could say, "a night have
been in the Deep" in reference 10 the strand
ing of the steamboat "Connecticui," in the
time of hurricane, and then | thought the
scene dreadful one, when sixty passengers
for hours were dashed with swelling waves
and expected watery grave but none of
them were lost. On the 18th inst was
reused from slumber on board the steamboat
Flora, lying at a wood yard about thirty
miles below Cincinnati We had come in
here from St Louis in Missouri, in a pleas
ant passage of nearly five days, and had
been highly gratied with the neatness of
the boat, good fare, agreeable fellow pas
sengers the kind attentions of her captain
and good order among the crew We list
ened on the evening of the 10th to some
sacred airs played by Mr. Benjamin Myrick,
of Charlestown, Mass. on the German flute,
while several joined their vocal praise to his
instrumental music and all had gone to
rest in expectation of being in Cincinnati
the next morning. But a noise appalling
awoke me at 5 o'clock A. NJ and said
within myself The boiler has burst" In
stantly it occurred to my mind that the dan
ger from flying portions of iron was gone
with the sound, and that inhaling the steam
was the worst thing subsequently 10 be
dreaded. Holding my breath, arose from
my berth with the intention of seeking my
wife and children in their state room, which
was situated almost twenty feet aft of the
place where had slept, but the steam pre-
vented me from seeing any thing but itself,
and sense OF suffocation drove me back 10
my berth, and the window in it which |
opened. and thrust my head out to take an
inhalation. Again | attempted to pass
through the cabin, but met with the same
resistance. Then plung-
ed through the easement and forcing open
the side door Of the cabin, opened the oppo.
site door, when current OF air gave imme-
date relief Passing around the guard to
the state room window, found my wife and
two children gone, but soon found the latter
in the ladies' cabin, and the former calling
aloud for me near the berth in which | had
rePosed. Thanks TO our guardian God, we
were all alive and sound, while twenty of
our fellow passengers had been scalded. or
wounded with broken glass In the fright.
two had jumped into the river and been TAX.
EN- up by the yawl
The steamboat Mountaineer soon came
along side Of the Flora and lowed her up TO
Cincinnati. OF the order of events from s |
o'clock until noon can scarcely tell you
any thing, except that could not get time |
10 put on my clothes before ten o'clock, in
Of the numerous scalded faces, |
hands, arms, feet, neck, and legs, 10 be buth.
ed in brandy and water. the only remedy on |
board, except the occasional ministralion of
audanum. Two thirds Of the people on
board, including all above and below, were
lnhurt but not all men have sufficient pres.
ence OF mind in such circumstance, and suf
icient experience TO be useful surgeons and
nurses My wife and myself had before
been sadly trained. by the loss OF a dear
hid which you may remember was burn
ID to death. What could be done for the
sufferers was done. but oh how slight the
eief which can be given to those, whose
kin hangs like white ribbons from half
heir external surface. aud whose Threats
md organs Of respiration have been all scald.
d at once
Five gentlemen were considerably scald.
a. or seriously, but not dangerously wound
d IN one hand. Mr. Thomas was burned
the back of his neck and both hands
Rev Luther Halsey, d. d. and two other
ersons were scalded in their faces and both
lands So were two youths of the name of {
Turner.
A Mr. Allen from Mass. was wounded in !
ne hand, and in one of his hps His
rother, besides suffering injury from glass I
'as severely scalded in his face. hands a
lroat and lungs.
MIR Sheperd, an interesting young gentle. h
IAN, returning from Illinois, lost the skin of g
9th hands, and Of part of his face. bu, n
'orse than all, inhaled the scaldno air 60 =
lat IN my judgment his recovery must be S
cry doubtful N'' ' !.
Mr. Samuel Donnelly OF WASHINGTON :, n
ashington county, Pa called me TO him S,
40 said' do you think am dangerously II
urt; are my signs bad ?" Poor man |
hrst thought he had suffered only in his
inds, but on further examination, | discov.
ed that no skin adhered to him below his r
ms He was uncommonly patient and re-. d
ghed, my wife extracted with her 6noers ~
e whole skin of the roof of his mouth y, h.
Ice '''ou''' at u
MT Mclaughlin from Columbian conn. "