The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-15
Froa. TIC National Ilieliissaev.
A CALAMITOUS STEAMBOAT DISASTER.


A CALAMITOUs STEAMBOAT DISASTER
FROM the ST. LOUIS Republican we gather the FOL
lowing melancholy particulars Of drs adiui cslsmi',
which on the night Of the I'd instant bcfcl the steam
boat SHErnERpEss, Captain HowELL, when within
three miles If that city, on her way from Cincinnati.
The suffering and distress of the passengers, and m
deed the entire scene, must have been heartrebdpg
beyond description The loss oil NE Is taiousy 0'
tmaled at from thirty To sixty souls but The books oil
the vessel having been loot u 10 mPoes6sc 70 ssces
tain the exact number. .r,r
The steamer first struck snag about III o'clock
al night in what is called Cahokia Bend, some three
miles from ST. Louis. TIE conclusion was very Sc
yere and Al is supposed must have torn oil several VI
her blanks ms in minute or two the water rose ~
the lower deck and continued rapidly u increase un-
iii il became necessary for all the perso0s on board
to seek safety the hurricane deck. In the mean
time the boat driitcd few hundred yards down The
stream and struck another snBg, which threw her ON
her beam ends on her labored side, and, in again
drifting of, she suddenly urchcd TO the star6oard, al
each lurch ciptaing Of her passengers over
board Shortly after this the hull struck Diuu oahk
and separated from the cabin, leaving The latter 10
float six or seven miles down the river. whe'G u
lodged on point Of the bar below Carondelet The
screams and shrieks and confusion which prevailed
Oh board during all this time may readily DC imag
iDed but cannot be described
As the cabin passed the steamboat Henry Bry, ly-
ing at the shot-ower above Carondelct, the cries OF
crew. Immediately proceeded to their relief IN his
yawl and rendered efficient service in rescuing the
sufferers. These humane efforts were seconded vi
about thee o'clock by the ferry-boat lcelander,
which then took off all that remained upon the
wreck.
Al the time of the accident most Of the passengers
in the gentemens cabin had retired 10 their berths,
and the ladies' generally undresscd Tor the night
Having rushed to the hurricane deck IN this situation
they were exposed to the weather with but little cio-
thing to protect them FROM lis severity, ana hencc
some who escaped downing persisted with the cold.
The passengers saved have been taken to the Vir-
ginia 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 II IL thought,
win 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 nave
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 were lost, the whites were all saved.
Levi Craddock, from Davidson county, Tennessee,
lost three -children-himsef, wife, and two children
were saved.
Mr.. Green, from the place, lost his vile and
three children, and is left with two helpless infants
upon his hands The youngest is but a Jew months
Mr. Smell, who formerly resided within two miles
of Louisville, lost a son and daughter.
A Mr.. Wright, of Meckienburg county, Virginia,
was lost and two children His wife is with those
saved but in very distressing condition
The Captain CA. Howell, of Covngton Kentucky
is undoubtedly lost. II is thought he was in the act
of ringing the bell when the boat made lurch which
carried the boilers part of the engine and chimneys
overheard In doing II is believed that he was DIS
abled 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-
ber were all saved. Five succeeded in getting to
the Illinois shore, four TO the Missouri side, and one
taken of the wreck they were all re united on
the ferry boat at Cahoka, at moment when each
party supposed the other dead Such scene as that
reunion 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 iecov-
cred, as also that Of q negro man.
The Republican does not believe the loss Of lille
will exceed thirty forty, and cannot make out
quite that number. The other papers rate il from
forty TO sixty the following 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 Z. Thomas, Sarah Ann Tho
mas, William H. Thomas, John Thomas, Edward
Thomas, Alfred Thomas, Joseph Thomas, Louisa
Rachael Thorn S, Lawrenceburg, Indiana Solomon
Eynger, New Albsuy, Indiana Henry Wellingcamp,
Franklin county, Missouri David Wayman, Coying-
ton, ny; William ID. Henry, Macoupn county, III
John Milt,n Floyd county, Indiana, Mary Davis and
child, Portsmouth,, Oho Hansel Green and child,
Nashville tennessee John Award Harrisburg, Pa;
MIS-. Wright, Mecklsnburg county, Virginia Isaac
Chris, Fsyctte county, Pennsylvania {. Garfield,
G.. Meckerson, Hannah Grouse, Margaret Grouse,
Portage Ohio j. 5. Farrow, A. Aldrich, James
Carroll, pilots Cincinnati, Ohio Stephen Howard,
Brown county, Ohio; c. b. Fisher, Jeiseyville, Ill;
J. l.. Beggs, Princeton, lno Parker Bodwet,,
Nelson Bodwen, Cincinnati, Ohio Daniel Linsey,
Coying,on, Kentucky William Lcmer, Bartholomew
county lnJiana John Lane, Muskingum county,
Ohio; Horace Minkler, Lawrenc,burg, Indiana !;
Ralph l.. McCulloch, Msysvrc. Kentucky w O.
Cfensbaw, Georgetown, Kentucky; Page J. Becker.
III, r. Tsndy, Hopkinsvilie, Kentucky John Tegap,
Alexandra, ID. Geo. w. Brown, Dayton Ohio !;
Stephen r. Hat Lou sville, Kentucky.