The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-02-07

Sinking OF the ADAMS.
CAIRO, ILL.,, Feb. /, 1851.
FRIEND SANDERS:
The obliging officers Of the steamer Aleck
Scott-bere from New Orleans this morning
furnish me the following peinlul particulars
OF the destruction of the John Adams:
The boat left New Orleans on the 22d uIt,
with about two hundred cabin and deck pas
sengers. and ireighted In the guards for Gin
cinnati. About 8 o'clock oil the morning of
the q tn. she struck near the head of Island
50, and liter,lly shattered her hull to a toms.
The collision and the covering Of the lower
deck with water were simultaneous. In less
than one minute the wreck had sunk &, the
cabin. In SO short a period the water had
covered one hundred and eleven men, " omen
and children, forever. Five persons out Of
the one hundred and sixteen on deck were
all that escaped death, and they only BY
presence OF mind, and almost superhuman
struggles for life. The balance had sunk
not moan nor shrek told their departure.
The cabin separated from the hull almost
Immediately. The state rooms were all oc-
cupied and about forty persons were sleeping
on the floor. Scarcely had they time to
gain their feet before they were deluged with
water. The cabin continued to snk-then
followed a scene Of indscribable confusion
and horror. Amid the tears and entreatics
Of women. the wild shrieks Of children, the
stoutest heart trembled-the calmest mind
was confused. Men rushed wildly about
scarcely knowing what to do. Some clam
bered upon the guard, and thence by the
supporters to the hurricane roof, and dashing
it through, were successful in securing the
drowning that were iammed up against it.
Thus the ladies and their children were
saved. Mothers were rescued with inIan's
folded to their breasts, when struggling with
Notwithstanding desire to die with them
rather than be saved without. This was but
the work Of moment, and when it was be-
lieved all living persons were taken from the
wreck, cries were heard, and a mother re-
cognized the voices Of her two youngest chill
dren. The decks were torn away and the
children saved. The matrass on which they
were sleeping, had Hoated from the state
room, and fortunately bore them up until a
rescuing hand could reach them. The Ia
dics-be it said to their credit-endured their
hardships with surprising lortitude-evilent-
Iy thankful for the preservation Of their lives.
Taken from the water with their lives only,
to prevent them from freezing the only al
tentative was TO cloihe them il such coats,
jackets. and other male apparel, as were Sc
cured fro a the Texas" of the boat. Most
of their baggage was finally recovered, how
ever, and in time they were enabled 10 dress
themselves otherwise.
Shortly after all the survivors had reached
the hurricane roof, the cabin broke in tN and
separated. After floating several hours, the
wreck was secured by the steamer Rob't
Campbell, and lowed to the shore. Shortly
afterwards the steamer Peyiona arrived and
took the sufferers on board-Capt. Shall
cross generousl, rendering them their pas
sagrs without charge.
During the day of the 2sth, about one hun
dred trunks and The iron safe were recover
ed. The latter contained large sun oil
money belonging to returning Californians
What was lost among the deck passengers is
unknown. They were principally emigrants
coming West TO locate, and perhaps had con-
siderable sums Of money.
The sinking Of the john Adams is one of
the most terrible steamboat disasters that
ever occurred OF the Western waters lfi,
have equals among the list made by fires and
explosions, they are indeed few. The ush-
eriDg Of one hundred and twenty souls into
eternity without a moments warning is q
fact dreadful to contemplate, and should serve
as potent appeal to our National Assem-
bly-io their feelings of humanity to remove
The canse-a cause that may occasion score
Of disasters equally destructive oil human life.
The accident is not attributable TO careless
ness. but To the bidder distractions to naviya-
ton in the Mississippi. Nj. B. H.