The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-08-06
sOME sTEAMBOAT INCIpENTs.

SOME STEAMBOAT INCIDENTS.
Three young men sat chatting familiarly a
few evenings since on the guards of the mail
boat from Mobile to this city. The night was
semi -obscure, the blue outline OF the coast
Icould be dimly seen, the Gulf was calm, and
the rapid dash of the steamers wheels, and
surge and hiss Of the dark waters cut by the
boat alone broke the silence. OF those three
young men, two spoke of dangers they had
gone through in steamboat service on the
Western rivers. The mail boat was Just then
nearing the scene OF the explosion OF the st..
James. That gave a deeper interest to the
words, simply told, Of the scenes through
which the narrators has passed. One was as
sistant clerk on a steamboat which some years
since on the Alabama river exploded her boil
ers, then caught fire and then blew up from
| gun powder. A large number Of ladies was
on board; the night was bittercOld; these poor
females had to stand up to their shoulders In
the freezing waterfOr four or five hours, be-
fore relief came. This was afforded by q
steamboat captain who had Just landed at Mo-
bile aud discharged part OF his cargo, when he
saw the fire, and Immediately got up steam and
fastened to the spot Of the disaster. He risk
ed all he owned in the world and the iusur-
ance on the large remainder OF a valuable
cargo ON board. He did not hesitate an in-
/
the wreck who were unwounded. Few Of those
who were injured were saved, and there were
many such, as they had fire, steam, hot water,
burning wood, gunpowder, and thesJ eep treez.
ling river to contend with.
The narrator OF this disaster was blown in
to the air, fell on the deck, was severely burn
ed and was exposed for long, agonizing hours,
in that dreadful position, to the inelement
weather, surrounded by horrors that we can
imagine the wreck must have presented Yet
a few months afterwards he was employed on
another steamer on the Mississippi, which also
lexploded her boilers. He again escaped, and
this time without injury
The other young man then told the Incl.
4 dents Of a collision between two steamboats, on
the Mississippi, on a dark-stornly night wheI
e the pilots could hardly sec the bows Of thel
/ Respective boats, and the wind roared over th
t broad and gloomy expanse Of water, whicl
rushed along angrily, as If to deVour anC
, swallow up everything living in its COURSE
The narrator was on a small boat going up
!, stream. He was on deck, at a late hOur--eV-
cry eye on the watch was intently fixed on the
deep gloom ahead. Now and then, amid the
roaring of the wind and the rushing of the
water, and noise Of the engine and wheels, a
low, faint sound could bo heard ahead, during
the slight lUlls Of the storm, which, occurring
at regular intervals, excited the deepest atten-
blSA VI khO OAAlbSAo N4N NNNiN~A4N'AaNas "a tAAS
| little steamer.
Suddenly the loud ringing Of big bell dir
ectly ahead startled the watchers. A small,
red light glimmered through the intense dark
ness the wind suddenly hushed and the deep
roaring of steam, escaping at quick intervals,
accompanied by TIE rapid whirl and dash OF
wheels, came thrillingly to the ear. The next
moment loud hoarse voice exclaimed quickly,
Back your boat! back your boat!'' The
big bell rang out more Clearly-a clanking
sound followed, and by the wide, fierce blaze
of six furnaces, the look-outs on the small
boat discovered coming directly and too
swiftly towards them, the towering propor
tions Of one of the first class river steamers.
The cries, the shrill alarms, the quick, stern
orders, the running to and fro OF men and
officers, the loud splash and roar OF the en-
gines and wheels as either boat attempted to
back out formed a scene of terror and COnfu-
sion, which, added to the imminent and fear
full danger, and the black night, and howling
wind, was thrillingly exciting and life like.
, 1t was in vain that every exertion was put
) forth on both sides to prevent the collision,
the impetus Of both boats, added to the near
4 ness when discovered to each other, rendered
j an accident inevitable The huge boat CLOSED
}, rapidly on the small one, and, in another mo
!, ment her long, sharp bow entered the guard o.
p the latter Just forward Of the boilers, and en-
: through it and into the hull like razor
" A terrible confusion arose, amid which tn
e shrieks of women startled every heart. Tn
Is officers of both boats preserved their preSenc
l. Of mind, however, the smaller steamer, Q
a, soon as she could be disengaged, was turne
0f toward the shore, she engines doing their be'
d and the people on board seeming as it b
le word and gesture they would urge them u
is faster, while the dark waters Of the MissN
st sippi rushed into the hull. The shore WI
IN near, but fortunately, nearer still was sane
A. bar, on which, the pilot, cool and colloctC
to from the first, ran the little steamer as hai
ce and as high as he could. A few momen
a. more and she would have gone down in vat
deeper thanher chimneys.-N q. PIC.