Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-01-25
DREADFUL STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT,
40 TO 90 LIVES LOST

DREADFUL STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT
40 TO 90 LIVES LOST.
BY our St Louis papers received Yesterday we
have accounts of an appalling loss of life as well
as property in the destruction of the Ohio steam
boat Shepherdess, Capt Howell, eight days from
Piltsburg with emigrants, moveabies and goods,
at p. NJ, of the Sd inst by striking snag in
the Mississippi, three miles below St. Louis. The
Republican Of the 5th says:
We have seen misery in many shapes. but, with
the exception of one or two bow-ups of steam
boats, we have never seen any thing so narrowing
as was presented to us yesterday The history of
the matter is as follows: The Shepherdess, from
Cincinnati to this port, about o'clock at night,
when within three miles of the city struck snag,
Just above the mouth of Cahokia creek. The con-
cussion was very severe and must have torn out
several of her planks. At the moment of striking,
most Of the passengers in the gentlemen's cabin
had retired to their berths. The ladies were gen.
orally undressed for the night. The captain who
was on duty, ran to the ladies' cabin and assured
them there danger. and returned to the fore
castle. which was the last satisfactory account we
could get of him.
The water rose so rapidly that it soon became
necessary for all to seek safety upon the hurricane
deck
Here the hull and cabin parted The hull
sunk and lodged on bar above Co-ondelt, and
the cabin hoated down to the point of the bar be-
low that place, where it lodged and remains
About O'CLOCK the Icelander one of our ferry
boats come along, and went 10 the rescue, and
took off all who remained upon the wreck lover
1907
This is the general history We now speak of
particulars:
A young man, Robert Bullock, of Maysville,
KY, was up at the time the boat struck He
seems to have abandoned all ideas of himself and
turned his whole attention to saving the women
and children. When every male person had de-
serted the cabin he went from sate-room to state
room, wherever he heard a child cry and took it
out and passed it up to the hurricane deck. In
this way he saved several women and children
his last effort to pass the Ohio fat girt240
pounds. With the assistance of one or two others
on the hurricane deck he succeeded. A short
time after getting on deck, the boat made lurch
and Bullock took to the water and swan to the II.
linois shore. Hi coat he had given to lady on
the wreck When he reached he shore, he found
two young ladies' who had been put ashore in
skiff. and who benumbed with the cold, were de-
termined to go to sleep. BY great exer,ious he
succeeded in getting them to Cohokia.
An English family from Manchester ten in
number, were all saved. Five succeeded in get
ting to the Illinois shore four 10 the Missouri side
and one was taken off the wreck thew were all
reunited on the fe.ry-boat at Cohokia at mo-
ment when each party supposed the other dead
Such scene as that reunion we have never be-
fore witnessed
Mr.. Muir, of Virginia, and his brother were on
board, with their mother and nine slaves Seven
OF the slaves were iost-the whites were all saved
Levi Craddock, from Davidson county, Tenn,
thrpp CHI II Il:
rem were saved
Mr.. 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 a
few months old
Mr.. Smell, who formerly resided within two
miles OF Louisville, los, son and daughter.
A. Mr. Wright, of Mecklenburg county Va.
was lost, and two children. HIS wife is with
those saved, but in a very distressing condition.
The captain, A. Howell, Of Covington, Ky is
undoubtedly lost From all we could learn, we
ihink he was IN the act OF ringing the bell when
the boat made lurch which carried the boilers
part OF the engine and the chmneys over board
Ia doing So i is believed that he was disabled and
drowned. lie leaves wife and eleven children
10 mourn his loss His eldest son was with him
. on board
The bodies oftwo children, OF about IL wears Of
age, were brought up ffem Carondelt They had
persisted from the cold. A negro man who had
a'eu wiii be buried by the people OF Carondelt-
Looking a, the number OF children in the comna
ny add Their tender years, it is surprising how
they escaped perishing. ~"
when we reached the wreck, we found ,bs
Mayor. Mr., Winner. exening himself Tor The re
lief Of the distressed. '"' &c
Inc old School Democrat Of the same dat,
gives The following additional particulars
Many incidents connected with I'm. s,d .G.
are very distressing A young lady who wa