The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-05-30
Another Awful Steamboat Acciden,

Another Awful Steamboat Accident.
The St. Louis Republican of the 18th inst,
contains the following particulars respecting
another of those melancholy occurrences for
which the Mississippi river has become notoo-
rions since the commencement of steamboat
navigation:
The packet Fashion arrived from Louisville
last evening, bringing the first intelligence of
the loss of the regular packet Pike, on her way
| from this port to Louisville. The Pike left
our wharf at P NJ, on Thursday, having on
board about one hundred and eighty passen-
gers, crew, &c.
About o'clock at night, when ali the pas.
sengers were asleep and the boat was making
some fifteen miles an hour, she struck Il snag or
rock, which tore her bottom out, and caused
her to sink with great rapdity. Not more
than three minutes elapsed before the water
was up to the ladies' cabin. So sudden was
the accident that women and children became
frantic with apprehension. Mothers were
screaming for their childrcn-husbands seeking
! for ihoiy wives--mnsters seeking, on their
knees, the aid and protection OF God.
Not knowing the number Of female passen'
gers on board, says the writer, can only give
you few prominent items in regard 10 the
loss of life A very aged gentleman and his
wife, Of Missouri, were going on visit to their
daughter, residing the neighborhood of Madi.
son some fifteen miles back. they were drown
ed. When the boat struck she careened so
suddenly that the water filled the berths before
the occupants could get out. Two other per-
sons who jumped overheard in front OF the
wheel-house were lost. Three others sprang
out at the stern of the vessel, and sank to rise
no more.
1t is the impression Of the writer that fifteen
lives were lost by this calamity. The officers
and crew Of the boat acted with great prompt
mes, and kindness to all on board. The calm
ness and selI.possesson of some OF the pas
sengers saved many lives. Many persons were
disposed TO jump overheard in the vain hope OF
saving ther lives, but they were prevented from
doing so. Mr.. Hazen, OF Cincinnatti, and
gentleman of Memphis, Tennessee, by the
name of Isaac Young, were particularly con
spicuous in their efforts in this way. One Ia.
dy was caught by the hair Of the head, and
saved from drowning
Of course, the passengers were only dressed
in their night clothes, and great quantities OF
clothing were seen floating about the boat,
which they attempted to recover.
From another gentleman, who was also Il
passenger, we learn that the loss of lille was
much geater. In his opinion from forty to
ffly pe1sons were drowned. He was in the
small boat, and saw eleven persons drown
around him, without being able to save them.
Re attaches censurc to the officers, not for
their general conduct, but for their want
of management in launching the boat, ana
this contributing to save life. tie thinks that
fp',r of the cabin passengers were drowned
and t:aL the main loss was from the deck,
where there were Il large number OF Passen-
gers, of whom no account can be given
The boat carcencd from the shore. and num-
bcrs went overheard at this moment. No list
of passcnrcrs was made out after they had
reached the shore, and the excitement was over,
and it is not probable that the exact number OF
the lost will ever be asccrtained. This ought
to have been done, and we are surprised that 1t
was neglected.
The accident occurred when the boat was
within some thirty or forty feet of the shore
1t is said that the engineer maintained his post
like man until he was nearly immersed IN
the water. The other officers were all at their
proper places at the time of the disaster. But
the life preseruers which acre on board are con.
demned as utterly useless and "nauailing for
the purpose of sa0ing life. Proper inquiry
should be made into this matter.
The boat is total loss, with water up to
her hurricane deck. Many OF the passengers
returned to this city in the Fashion, and others
would be sent on their destination without de-
lay. Before the Fashion came along, the most
of the passengers baggage had been rescued
from the wreck. The boat belongs to the
Louisville and st. Louis Packet Line, and is
understood to have been insured for $4,000.