Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-05-09
From The Cincinnati wing April as.
MOST AWFUL STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT
LOSS OF Ia5 LIvEs,i.

cord one OF the most awful ana ues'
structive occurrences known in the
terrible and fatal catalogue Of steam.
boa: accidents.
This afternoon about six o'clock, the
new and elegant steam boat Moselle,
| Capt. Perrin left the wharf Of this city,
(fnil ofpasseogers) for Louisville and
st. Louis, and with view Of taking
a family on board at Fulton, nbout a
miIe and half above the quay, pro
ceeded up the river, and made fast to
a lumber raft for that purpose.
Hero tho family were taken on board
md during the whole time Of the dclen.
ZION, the captain was holding on TO all
The steam he could create, with an in.
teniion Of showing off to the best ad-
vantage the great speed OF the boat as
she passed down the whole length OF the
city. The MoseIle was new BRAG
boat and had recently made several
exceedingly quick trips to and from
this place.
Soon es tho family were taken on
board from the raft, the boat showed
off, and at tho very moment her wheels
| made the first revolution, her boilers
| burst with most awful and astounding
noise, equal to the most violent clap OF
thunicr. The explosion was destruc.
tive onj heart rending in the extreme,
as we are assured by gentlemen,
who was sitting on his horse, waiting
to see the boat start. Heads, limbs,
bodies and blood, were seen flying
through the air, IN every direction, at.
tended by the most horrible shrieks
aud groans from the wounded and the
dying. II he boat at tho moment Of
the accident, was about thirty feet from
the shore, and was rendered u perfect
wreck. She seemed to be torn all to
flinders as far back as tho gentlemen's
cabin, and her hurricane deck, (the
whole length) was entirely swept away
The boat Immediately began to sink
rapidly, and float with strong cur.
rcnt down the river, at the same time
getting farther from the shore.
The Captain was thrown by the ex-
plosion entire into the street, and was
picked up dead and dreadiully mangled.
Another man was thrown entirely
through tho roof OF one of the neigh.
boring houses, and limbs and fragments
OF bodies scattered about the river and !
shore in heart rending proiuslon. Soon |
as the boat was discovered to be rapid.
y sinking The passengers who remain
I'd unhurt in the genllemcn's and la.
lies cabins, became panic struck, and
With a FATUITY unaccountable, jumped
ato the river. Being above the ordl.
nary business parts OF the city, there
was no boats at hand except few
large and unmanageable wood flats,
were carried to the relief of the suffer.
ers as soon as possible, by tho few
persons on the shore. Many were
lro wned, however, before they could
be rescued from watery grave, and
many sunk who were not afterwards
seen.
We are told that one little boy on
shore was seen wringing his hands in
agony, and implorlng those present TO
save his father, mother, and three sis.
tors, all OF whom the poor little fellow
had The awful misfortune 10 see perish,
one by one, almost within his reach. -
An infant child, belonging to this ia
nlly, was picked up alive, floating
down the river on one Of the fragments
Of the hurricane deck.
Doctor Wilson Hughes, Of the u. S.
Army, and brother in law to our est.
mable fellow citizen, w. ?. Hughes,
Of tho Pearl ST. House. is doubtless a.
mong the SLAIN, as he was on board,
and some pieces Of the military coat
he had on, were picked up among the
agments.
Mr.. Powell, a highly respectable
grocery merchant, Of Louisville, and
brother-in law of Mr.. Wilson McGrew,
Of this city, is also supposed to be lost,
as he was on board, and no tldings
have since been heard of him, notwi,h.
standing the active Inquiries OF his
| friends.
We are unable, as yet, to particu-
larIze any other persons lost, as the
boat sunk in about fifteen minutes after
the accident, leaving nothing TO be
seen but her chimneys and small
portion of her upper works, and also
as scene Of distress and confusion
Immediately ensued that altogether baf
fles description. Most of the sufferers
are among the hands Of the boat, and
the Storage passengers.
Ii is supposed that there were about
TWO HUNDRED PERSONS ON
BOARD, of which number only from IF.
ty to serenty.frc are beliered 10 hare
escaped making The estimated loss of
ires about ONE HUNDRED AND
/ INV ENTITY EINEit n tolo of 700 1