Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-10-06
STEAM BOAT COLLISION.

Il steamer POtOSl, on her passage from Mon
trose to Galena, deem it their duty, before sep
arating. in justice to the officers and crew Of
the Potosi, to give statement Of diaboical
occurrence which took place to said boat on
the evening of the 3Oth September, little
above Savanna, on the Mississippi river. The
Saint Louis Oak, commanded by Capt. Chas.
Ross, was lying at Montrose, in company with
the Potosi. When the passengers arrived from
Keokuk, she (the Oak) left for Galena about
half past six or seven o'clock. The Potosi did
not leave until about half past ten o'clock on
the evening of 28th Of September. During
the day of the 29th, the. Potosi overhauled the
Oak, and many symptoms were manifested by
the Oak to pass the Potosi, but failed in the
effort without any disposition being manifested
by the Potosi to race. Both boats lay all
night at Stephenson foot Of the Upper rapids)
until The morning Of the seth. Both stopped
together to wood at the head Of the rapids; the
Potosi started out first and continued to pursue
the IS even tenor of her way" until little
above Savanna on the Illinois shore, where the
Potosi took wood fiat in tow, and was pas
sing on, still continuing near the shore. The
Oak overhauled under full steam, and although
she had abundance of room toipass, run into the
Potosi forward Of the boiler, without however
doing any material injury, and became locked
about midship with the Potosi, and afterwards
dropped astern. The Potosi stopped her star
board engine to wear off. The Oak stopped
her engine TO gather greater press OF steam.
The Captain Of the Po,osi directed his pilot TO
wear head for shore SO as to give her more
room. The Oak then quartered, the Captain
of which was heard to direct his pilot ITO run
iuto herr She struck us at the wheel-house,
and carried away the wheel, after which she
started off with shouts of triumph, without
waiting to enquire what injury had been done,
but left the Potos in her crippled state, to DO
the best she could. At the time of the occur
ence, our boat was in 80 feet water, with the
wind blowing very hard. What added to the
disgraceful nature of this attack was, that had
the Oak struck the Potosi few feet further
aft, it would have raked the Ladies' Cabin, 10
which a number of children were asleep. We
feel that we cannot too strongly express our
indignant censure of the conduct of Cap. Ross
and his pilot Holiday, inasmuch as their de-
sign to injure, and perhaps destroy, not only
the steam boat Potosi, but also, as conse-
quence, number of her passengers, was en-.
tirely premeditated. Such wanton and abom-
Unable conduct induces the undersigned to
warn the travelling community of the reckless
ness and censurable conduct on the part Of the
present officers Of the Oak, asserting as our
firm belief that neither lives nor properly can
be safely entrusted to their control.
Contrasted with The above, is the agreeable
duty of awarding to Capt. CulbeFtson and his
officers our warmest and most sincere approba.
ton for the cool and gentlemanly department
manifested by them in this scene Of danger,
and but for which the attack upon our boat
might still have resulted with the loss Of life.
We feel it duty incumbent on us to re-
quest the publication Of this statement in the
Galena and St. Louis papers, as condemnato-
~ of conduct to which the travelling public
NAV, in ignorance Of the character of the par
ties alluded to, subject their lives aud proper
ty. -.
!. On board the Potosi now lying disabled a.
bout 20 miles below Galena, this 3Otb day of
September le43.
JAMES E. BARTON, West Point.
VIM. Mckay, Cincinnati.
THOS. CLARK, Galena.
DAVID w. CHEESMAN, Gin.
G. w. HARRISON, Galsna.
H. L. STOUT. Dubuque.
THOS. p. NORMAN, Philadelphia.
III HENRY HAMMER, Pittsburgh,
JAMES PORTER, St. Louis.
H. ROBERTSON, Allegheny City.
HI. CIPPERLY, st. Louis.
H. HOLLAND, Galena.
a JOS. j. TAGGART, Cincinnati.
H. HINSDULE, Hinsdule, Mass.
JNO. DENNY, Knox Co. Illinois.
CHAS. SIMMONS, Jackson, lows.
As JOHN HOGAN, Dixon, Illinois.
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