The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-02-15

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fersUn and; Ponichaurain Railroad. or
Saturday nighLat abouthalf-pasi ] 0 O'Clock
The boaprhad just arrived atihe wharf
and q bow line Thrown out and secured ID
the wharf, when the boat was discovered
to be-on fire. A stern line was thrown
out at once, but in the hurry il was mol
secured 10 the wharf. The stern Of the
boat, therefore, swung outfromnlhe wharf,
for q mute or .two.a The FIRE caught
around the boilers and the wood work oil
the boat being much heated, il spread
with astonishing rapidly over the boat
and cotton The passengers. were nearly
all 10 the cabin, and The fumes rising up
from the forward part Of lhe boat proven.
ted many Of them from escaping. Ll7o Oh
There were 1876 passengers on board,
including children and negroes Of this
number, tits certain that thirty persisted ;
some ofihe firemenasaved ahink that ifty
were lost, but from the mos, diligent in
quiries, we think that forty is nearer the
actual number lost twenty-five of the
above number were slaves, belonging 10
persons on board. lirminl Bod GpsTsC I'D.
From The moment ihatihe flames broke
o%utunlil the late of life or death was de.
cIded Tor the passengers, only abhuli three
minutes elapsed, so quick was the work
of destruction. The passengers were
nearly all dressed, only two or three oil
them having gone to their 'berIhs.g Many
OF them were anxious 10 see the landing
place, or were kept up listening to The
music nt a violin which a young man was
playing in the cabin. 'nhlosl7 Of the pas.
sengers were from North Alabama, Geor.
gis, and The Carolinas, who. having left
their homes, were ENGRAVING with Their
families, negroes, furniture, cattle and
wagons, 10 Texas. They had Embarked
at Washington, were but little acquainted
with each other, were Unused 10 steam.
boa, travelling. and knew nothing of the
depth Of wafer or The situation of the
landing. "n'a g 'aI 'llH1 7h
The boat was very crowded with cot.
Ton, carts, cattle and furniture. The ne,
groes, who were more frightened than the
white persons, were on the after part oil
the lower deck. Addto the above reasons
for causing great confusion, the fact, thai
from the first moment Of the discovery Of
the fire, the crew and officers were sepa-
rated by the flames from the passengers,
there were no persons on the wharf To
give any directions, advice or render any
assistance. Many Of the families were
large, and some precious moments were
lost in attempting to collecI,hem together,
but more Than all, the rapid progress of
the flames, and The blinling and s%uffncn.
ing smoke prevented any order, and
caused The great confusion.
All who were burned at oil persisted 10
the flames or jumped into The lake. Many
Of the saved were much bruised by jump.
ing or being thrown ashore. Those who
were saved wers SO soon scattered that il
is impossible TO ascertain the names Of the
lost or The saved with any accuracy, the
books and papers Of The boat being burnt.
The brel was loaded with l,035 bales Of
cotton. which was all burned. Not an ar
licle was satel from the wreck worth
mentioning. Nearly al the oxen and
mGles persisted.
The steamboat Helen, from Mobile had
arrived al The opposite side Of The wharf
about two h6nrs before the i'll. httd Geor.
gia, Her officers, when the fire broke
ont on the Georgia, cut loose L.. faster
ings, and the wind aided 10 drifting h
out into the lake, where she remainEasaie
until morning. There had been about
$50 bales of cotton discharged from The
Helen upon the wharf, all Of which were
burned. '"'
The railroad company are heavy losers,
as about three hundred feet Of Ne wharf,
three line warehouses, and four loaded
cars, we're burned. There was also a
large quantity of groceries and other mer.
chahdise ii the ware.honses, destined as
freight for the Helen, which was destroy
ed.
Among those persons who are certainly
lost, are the vile and lhree children Of
Mr. Jolly, Of Alabama. Mr.. jolly saved
six children, three pl whom we're much
injured by being thrown on the wharf. p"
Mr.. John Jackson, formerly a member
of the Legislature in Virginia, was lost
He had retired 10 bed before the boat took
fire. "
W. B. Rhenn. Of Newburn. N. c.,
with his wife and Eve children, were saved,
but he lost nine negroes.
Mr.. Carter, Of Georgia, with a family
of thirteen persons, was saved, but he lost
three negroes.
pr. McCleae,han, Of Cincinnati. Ohio.
Va The co. sis, b boat, sps,,yo,.d "a
save the nj books. &c, fhe iron
sale, but he Was obliged 10 bA1 the safe
open aud rush 10 the wbsrt.
Several " Ne passengers had deposited
their nd bib the clerk, and il was, Of
I'D PISS Of cotton. boat. wharf
melclI &C., c cannot be FAC from
sl00,OOo. The cotton was insured, and
we learn that the railroad company were
insured on tho freigh. which was ia the
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