The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-04-26
From the Louisville Journal
TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT
CALAMITY.
GREAT Loss OF LIFE!

cord one OF the most distressing steamboat
accidt MS that has ever occurred on the
Ohio river.
On Monday night. about IL o'clock, the
Belle of the West, bound from Pittsburgh to
ST. Louis was discovered to be on fire, lit
tie below Warsaw. in this State, ABOUT 100
miles above this city. She had large num-
Der of passengers on board, full 100 in the
cabin, and an equal number on deck. The
fire originated in the hold. When 1t was
discovered, the boat was turned to the In1i-
ana shore, about half mile below Florence,
and run to the land, whilst the captain pro-
ceeded to arouse the passengers from sleep.
few at time, not wishing to create con-
sternation. lest a general panic and rush
might involve an unnecessary loss of life.
The progress of the fire was tremendous.
Within five minutes after its discovery the en-
tire boat seemed wrapped in flames. A large
proportion of the passengers were still on
board and the scene was now terrible beyond
description. Men, women, and children were
running and shrieking over cabin and deck.
some in their confusion mstook their way
and rushed into the midst of the fumes
and others plunged into the river IN the side
of the boat farthest from the shore and perish
ed in the waters. To add to the horrors Of
the OCCASION the steam pipe burst or one Of
the fues collaped in the midst Of the raging
OF the fire, and three or four passengers were
dangerously scalded.
The sights and sounds upon the shore were
indeed awful. The multitude were rushing
in all directions in search of husbands, wives.
fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and chill
dren, and the shrek of doubt and anxiety, the
wild scream of apprehensions realized, and
the cry of Joy at the meeting Of relatives and
friends filled the air.
We have heard some thrilling incidents at
tending this great calamity. A fine brave
boy, y years old, leaped into the river, and,
whilst swimming toward the shore, saw his
mother upon the boat struggling to make her
escape, overburdened by the weight of two
little children. Lifting his right hand from
the water he beckoned to her to throw one OF
the children 10 him and she did so. He swan
with the child 10 the shore and the mother
escaped with the other, and thus the whole
family were saved. Many other families
were far less fortunate. OF the family of a
man named Anon Waggoner, of Virginia
consisting Of HIMSELF his wife, and eight chill
dren, three children were lost, a daughter o
II, another of 13, and little son of4. They
were on their way to Iowa and lost every
IL; tl,o boI
ians from near Lancaster Pa, were on boarC
and many of these lost children and other re
latves.
We have heard some painful rumors in re
gard to the cause Of the fire. A family was
put on shore at Cincinnati on account of hav
ing the small pox. Some of the relatives o
the family on board were very indignant,anC
e one of them, it is said expressed his belle
! that the boat would never reach Louisville
Another, according to the statement of wo
). man who processes to have heard the remark
:. said the boat should not reach Louisville
: The matches were down when the boat lef
II Cincinnati, but, at the breaking out of tn
n fire. they were missing, and could not evel
be found and two or three persons at leas
ost their lifts by falling through the hatch
ways into the burning hold. During the con
n 1agration trunk belonging 10 one of the pas
$, sengers, young man, was taken conside
!. rabIe distance from the shore and rifed {
v 5000.
d The number of persons who lost their live
st is variously estimated-some say thirty, som
e forty, and some fifty. Among the survivor
: not more than four or five are supposed
have been dangerously wounded by the fir
and steam. Some of the survivors made he
t way TO Florence, where they were kind
1T and Hospitality entertained especially b
st Judge Joseph MeIn, and others got upon
ID boat about daybreak and proceeded for Cir
cinnati. Early in the morning the citizer
of Warsaw appointed committee to go owe
n and tender to the Survivors all necessary al
le and hospitality.
&c Early in the afternoon the maiI-boat Be
10 Franklin Capt. Summons, arrived at tn
scene of the calamity, and, a large number
the survivors, still remaining upon the shor
Capt S. landed his boat to offer them relic
: HI took on board all such as chose to com
" TO this city, not less than forty or fifty in nun
~ Der, making no charge against them, and gil
/ ing them the best his sumptuous table a
forded.