New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-05-18
A WESTERN STEAMER SUNK-GREATL LOSS
or IfFR

Tie st. Lons Republican brings the particulars Of =
melancholy steamboat accident as follows:
J-u,hvt rarivr univ n ss~r s~s~iiIS last Svonn=,
bringing the fret intelligence of the loss of the regular
packet Pike her from this port 10 Louisville The
Pike left our wharf at 4 T. NJ Of Thursday having on
board about ls0 passengers, crew, &c.
About o clock at night when all the passengers
asleep and the boat making some fifteen miles an hour
she struck snsg rock which tore her bottom out ana
caused her sink with great rapidity Not more than
three mil elapsed before the WATERWAYS up to the ladies'
cabin So sudden was the accident tina. and child
ron became frantic with apprehension. Mothers were
screening for their chdren-husbands seeking for their
ministers seeking their knee the all and pro-
lection Of God.
Not knowing the number of female passengers board
SAWS the writer only give you few prominent items in
regard the oss o very aged gentleman and his wife
@; Missouri were going on their daughter, residing
in tie neglborhood Of Madison fifteen miles back:
they were drowned. When the boat struck she careened
60 suddenly that the water filed the berhs before the
cupnns could get ont. Two other persons jumped over
board in front of the wheelhouse were lost. Three 9th
els sprang the of the vessel and sank to rise
more.
lii the impression Of the writer that fifteen lres were
lost bv this calamity. The officers and of the boat
acted with great prompne-s and kindness to all on board
The camness and seosceson of of the passengers
saved many lives Many persons disposed to jump
overheard in the vain hope of saving their hives but they
were prevented from doing Mr. HaEen, OF CINCINNATI
end gentleman of Memphis, Tennessee by the name OF
Isaac Young particularly conspicuous IN their efforts
in this way. One lady caught by the hair Of the head
and saved from drowning.
OF the were only dressed IN Their night
clothes and great quantities of clothing floating
about the boat which they attempted TO recover.
From another gentleman, who was also passenger, we
learn that the loss of life much greater. In his opinion
from forty foty persons were drowned He wa. IN The
email boat and eleven persons drown around him with
out being able them. He attaches ce cure TO the
officers their genera! conduct but for e want of
in launching the boat and thus contributing
to ssyc life lie thinks that four of the cabin passengers
were drowned and that the main los from the deck,
where there large number of Passengers, OF whom
no account can be given
The boat careened from the shore and numbers went
81. n. IT,. g mad
OUT after they had reached the shore and the excitement
over aud is not probable that the exact number Of the
lost will ever he asceranCd This ought 20 have been done
and we ere surprised that II wss neglected.
Tie accident occurred when the boat was within some
thirty or forty feet of the shore is said that the engineer
nain;ained his post Ike man. and until be was nearly i'm
ucIsed in the water The other officers ell at their
proper places the time of the Disaster But tie Lfe-pre
Srrs UAch bcaTd cOndrHed UtTly us,fess
and vn0raing for The TErpOSe OF htc. Proper ill.,
qury should be made into this matter.
The boat total loss with the water up 10 her hur
deck Many OF the passengers returned 10 this city
the Fashion and Others would be their desna
ton without deav Before the Fashion along the
the baggage had been rescued the
wreck Tie boat belongs 10 the Louisville and 81. Louis
Packet Lin and is understood have been insured for
sleOCO
Among The passengers who have returned {, 81 Louis
were Mr. " ellington Hart of NEWER Lieut.. Chapman
L. :. A.; DR.. arne and lady. Nash, he III. Cole Phil.
adeI liz Gen. l.. y. swan, Rochester. " Y, and Mr.
John [ a., ert -. Louis.