The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-05-27

4
mediutey pervaded it. All who were in it
were stricken down as if wilted by the heat.
They were scalded frightfuly externally. and
all inhaled the fearful steam; not one esca-
! ped; they were all killed instantly, or have
/ since died. Many of them had their clothes
! literally torn from them; the skin was entire
| ly burnt of their faces and bodies.
The sight they presented was horrible be-
yond description; they were not simply scad-
ed, but all were more or less mangled by the
fragments Of the boiler and bulkhcad, and
streams OF blood flowed from their mulilated
bodies. Some few Of the gentlemen man.
aged to grope their way out of the cabin, cry
ing piteously to those above to save their
wives and children. When some of the pas
sengers who were unhurt rushed below, the
sight that presented itself staggered them, and
some became faint They found the dead
aud the dying in a confused mass on the floor,
covered with fragments Of chairs, tables fur
niture, and timber, and horrible toreate, they
were writing in scalding water, which lay
six inches deep on the floor.
Poor little children were crying pi,eously
for their mothers, who could hear, but blinded
could rot see. Mothers were shrieking with
: agony or calling upon some one save their
children. The picture, even in recollection
is heart-rending.
, The volume of steam struck against tho
bulkhead in the rear of the boi er--the great.
, er portion burst through the cabin on its mis-
sion Of death, whilst arother portion recoiled
) and rushed forward killing instantly one o
Nuh al,
: furnace doors, mortally scadng another who
was on the forward deck, and killing seyera
2 passengers who were standing on the forwart
, part OF the lower deck. Those Of the pas
, scngers who were standing on the forwart
part of the upper deck were nearly all saved
o A few only were scaded, and those not dan
: gerously. Those about mdship, right ovel
; the boiler, were entirely uninjurcd But the
most terrible destruction oc life was on The
S after part of the upper deck, just over The
cabin. Here large number of passenger
9 were congregated. After the steam had done
8 its work OF destruction in the cabin it burs
/ up the companion way and in an instantswep
= those in its path to the deck, like grain before
4 the sickle. Not Il man around stood; fit,
lay PROSTATE, scaded, wounded, shrieling viii
agony or moaning in the last moments OF life
Is We have said not n man stood, but ther
- was one who fell, and one alone, who escape
I3 unhurt. This was Mr.. James Tobin, late o
the firm Of Tobin 81 Duncan. He was stand
ing near the companion way leading to tn
" cabin aud talking to Mr.. Shelton, when Ii
m felt the trcmor before alluded to- Famila
with such accidents on the Mississippi river
and knowing what it portended, even belor
he heard the explosion, and simultaneousl
VI with the gushing up of the steam, with eS
=, ~ traordnary presence of mind, he jerked apar
II, the lastenings around his neck oe heav
o' clouk he had on, threw it entirely over hi
S' head, wrapped it and his hands in the fold,
IL and prostrated himself to the deck The u
IL rious volume of steam rushed over and aroun
IL him, but lac lay with his hand cIaspcd owe
his mouth, and held his breath. This he di
10 as long as he could, when he made Il gasp t.
T. recover himself, and again held his breath
&c Even through the thick folds of his cloak
ii through his hand--low down on the deck
. half minute after the explosion the air wa
ID painfully hot In little more than minut
II he raised his cloak to see if he could breath,
u found it still too hot, and covered himsel
1t pletely unhurt---he had not even been singed
. His cloak was burnt, and almost dropped t,
i pieces He was the only man of that Who'll,
. crowd around him, who rose up. His escape
. under Providence, is due to his presence o
y mind alone.
As soon as the CONSERVATION had in meas.
:, ure subsidized, those who escaped rushed to the
- assistance Of the sufferers. They were brought
up on deck and laid out some of them on mat
, tressos, others on the bare plInks the
carcasses OF number Of hogs ranged on deck
. as pillows. The cries of pain were fearful
some lost their senses aud ravcd; others were
seen staggering blindly about, the skin bang
ing in shredI from their hands like gloves
turned inside out. Many had all their clothes
blown off them, and shiverng in the cold
while burning internally, they cried for water
Many were literally sea ulped--their hair was
melted off, as it were, by the steam, and they
were left bare. The kind generous hearts of
those on board who escaped were filled with
compassion, and they did all that man could
do to alleviate the sutlcrings of the wounded
until assistance could reach them. Some
who were rushing around frantic with pain
va" w 'c ocIEcu W prevent tHelH from Jump
ing overheard. Their clothes were stripped
from them as soon as possible, but horrible
to relate, the skin from their bodies peeled off
with it.
Thirty-one were dead, and about twenty
scalded, most Of them badly, and Wilde. The
only name we see from this region, is that of
Lafayette f. Drake, native of Portage coun-
ty, Ohio; late merchant of Diamond Springs;
aged 20 years; leaves wife and family in
Ohio. lie is dead
GENERAL ScoTr.-Thc Home Journal al
ludes to the removal of this distinguished man