The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-01-15
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A CALAAiITOUS STEAMBOAT DISASTER


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A CALAMlTOUS STEAMBOAT DISASTER.
From the st. Louis Republican we gather the fol-
lowing melancholy particulars Of dreadful calamity
which, the night Of the Sd instant befe the steam
boat SHEPHERDEss Captain HowELL, when within
three miles If that city, On her way from Cincinnati
The suffering and distress of the passengers and in
deed the entire scene, must have been trendng
beyond description The loss Of life is variously
timated at from thirty to sixty souls but the books of
the vessel having been lost it impossible to ascer-
tain the exact number.
The steamer first struck snag, about IL o'clock
at night, in what is called Cahokia Bend some three
miles from st. Louis. The conclusion was very Sc
vere and It is supposed must have torn off several OF
her planks, as in minute or two the water rose to
the lower deck and continued rapidly to increase
til it became necessary for all the persons board
to seek safety>on the hurricane deck. In the,
time the boat dritted few hundred yards down the
stream and struck another snag, which threw her on
| her beam ends on her labored side, and, in again
drifting off, she suddenly urched to the starboard, at
each lurch precipitang Of her passengers
board Shortly after this the hull struck bluff bank
and separated from the cabin, leaving the latter to
float six or seven miles down the river, where it
lodged on point of the bar below Carondelet The
screams and shrieks and confusion which prevailed
on board during all this time may readily be imag.
ined, but cannot be described.
As the cabin passed the steamboat Henry Bry, ly-
ing at the shot-tower above Carondelet the cries Of
the passengers aroused her captain who, aided by his
crew, Immediately proceeded to their relief in his
yawl, and rendered efficient service in rescung the
sufferers. These humane efforts seconded at
about thee o'clock by the ferry-boat lceander,
which then took off all that remained upon the
wreck.
At the time of the accident most Of the passengers
in the gentemens cabin had retired to their berhs,
and the ladies generally undressed for the night
Having rushed the hurricane deck in this situation,
they exposed to the weather with but little clo-
thing to protect them from its severity, and hence
some who escaped drowning persisted with the cold.
The passengers saved have been taken to the Vir-
gnia Hotel in ST. Louis where the Mayor has caused
them to be amply provided for Most Of the bag
gage belonging to the cabin passengers, it is thought,
will be obtained, but many others are thrown upon
the humanity Of strangers entirely destitute, deprived
even Of their ordinary wearing apparel.
OF the names Of those who persisted we yet have
no further information than is conveyed in the fol-
| lowing paragraphs:
| Mr.. Muir, of Virginia, and his brother were on
board with their mother and nine slaves Seven Of
| the slaves lost, the whites were all saved.
Levi Craddock, from Davidson county, Tennessee,
lost three chidren-himself wife, and two children
were saved.
MIR. Green, from the same place. lost his wife and
three children, and is left with two helpless infants
upon his hands. The youngest is but few months
MT. smell, VINO formerly resided Wltnln TWO miles
of Louisville, lost son and daughter.
A Mr.. Wright of Mecklenburg county, Virginia,
was lost and two children. His wife is with those
saved, but in very distressing condition.
The Captain "A. Howell, OF Covington, Kentucky
is undoubtedly lost 1t is thought he in the act
of ringing the bell when the boat made luroh which
carried the boilers part of the engine and chimneys
overheard. In doing it is believed that he was dis
abed and drowned. He leaves wife and eleven
children to mourn his loss His eldest son was with
| him on board.
An English family from Manchester, ten in num-
Der, were all saved Five succeeded in getting to
the Illinois shore, four to the Missouri side, and one
was taken off the wreck they were all re united on
| the ferry boat at Cahokia, at moment when each
party supposed the other dead. Such scene as that
81. says the Republican, we have never before
| witnessed
| The bodies of two children of about twelve years
of age who persisted from the cold, have been ecoy
cred, as also that of negro man.
| The Republican does not believe the loss of life
will exceed thirty or forty, and cannot make out
quite that number. The other papers rate it from
forty to sixty the following is list of the passengers
who have reached st. Louis
S. r. Smell and two children, Louisville Ken
lucky, Barney Owens, New Orleans; Jane Thomas,
| James Thomas, Jane f. Thomas, Sarah Ann Tho
mas, William II. Thomas, John Thomas, Edward
Thomas, Alfred Thomas Joseph Thomas, Louisa
Rachael Thorn. S, Lawrenceburg Indiana Solomon
Evinger, New Albany Indiana Henry Welingcamp,
franklin county, Missouri David Wayman, Coying-
ton Ky; William ID. Henry, Macoupin county, Ill;
John Miiten, Floyd county, Indiana; Mary Davis and
child, Portsmouth, Ohio; Hanse Green and child,
Nashville, Tennessee; John Award, Harrisburg, Pa;
Mrs. Wright, Mecklenburg county, Virginia. Isaac
Chris Fayette county Pennsylvania, c. Garfield,
G. Meckerson, Hannah Grouse, Margaret Crou-e,
Portage, Ohio J. S. Farrow, A. Aldrich, James
Carroll pilots, Cincinnati, Ohio; Stephen Howard
Brown county, Ohio; c. B. Fisher, Jerseyve, H.;
1 / I. Repus Princeton lIIino Parker RouWe
Nelson Bodwet', Cincinnati, Ohio Daniel Lnsey,
Co,ington, Kentucky William Lemer, Bartholomew
county, lndiana; John Lane, Muskngum county,
Ohio; Horace Minkler Lawrenceburg, Indiana /;
Ralph b. McCulloch, MaysvilIc, Kentucky w. O.
| i'll, II. TanJy, Hopkinsvie, Kentucky John Tegan,
| AIexandria, d. & Geo. W. Brown, Dayton, Ohio
| StcIhen 2. Hat Lou svllle Kentncky