Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-07-31

Tor the example brought an arm full, and
then went back to the other side and brought
an arm-full, and then went back to the other
side and brought load from there. Sew
eral of the crew followed and assisted me.
I kept telling them all the while that could
save all OF them, if they would only take my
adrice.
After has got them well ag0iBs at this
| seized an axe and called upon the rest to
assist me in cutting away tho doors and
panel work about the cabin, the engineer
and I'd hate assisting me. Af:er cutting III
the pannel work away which we could reach,
on account OF the fire, anc passing them to
passengers, we then rushed into the cabin
and hauled out the dining tables forward.
We spread these tables out full length and
dropped them overheard, bottom side up, and
then brought side tables, sofas, big chairs,
&C.. from the cabin, all Of which we threw
overheard to the passengers in the water
BY this time the steamer had stopped. Could
not tell exactly when she did stop, but an
confident she did not run ever a mile from
the time the fire was first discovered. AZ
ter getting all out of the cabin we could, we
commenced cutting the tenders away, and
telling men TO get on them. After cutting
and getting away everything that was pos
sib!e to get at, went forward on the pro-
menade deck. The engineers and I'd mate
wheelman went below on the forecaslle deck
and commenced passing everything out of
the inrcastle deck, boards, mattresses, stair
wav, rigging boxes, etc. saw them pas
sing them Gut. At that time one of the
passengers called my attention to one of the
broken crane sranchions. anG we tried to
get it out but did not succeed. ! went
down to the forecastle and touk the axe
and succeeded in cutting it off. Passed up
the axe to the passenger, as We wished To
keep it with US, and as was getting up. a
woman came to me saying, 81 am alone with
fou7 snail children" Zone of which she
held in her arnls) said TO her, give me
the child and will save it if get ashore.
passed it up to my friend on deck, the
passenger, and followed it. heard the
woman calling after me and looked back,
aad che passed me the other :hree of her
children. Soon after another woman pas
sed up one about six months old.
Previous to this the Mississippi, which,
when the fire broke out, thought TO be 1--WE
or six miles astern, had been engaged, and
BY tLis time had picked up the most Ofthose
in the water. BY this time her boats and
those Of the Republic came alongside to
pick them off the burning steamer. The
boats were full of life-buoys, and those on
board the boats kept telling the passengers
10 jump into the water. Many, and espe-
cially the women. were afraid to do this
A passenger said to me, luke this child anu
] will go and push them overheard. 1 took
the child. and then had one in each arm,
and three besides hanging to me. The
pa ssenge succeeded in getting off these
women and some men into the water, and
then lowered the children away tc them
by the hesying-line. Then my friend, the
passenger, went into the boat and was the
last man with me On board the steamer |
was the last person who left her. Previ-
Gus to leaving her, walked aft from fifteen
to twenty feet from the stern, aud stood
Inconvenience from the flames.
then lowered myself on to the forecastle
over the side TO see if there was any one
there, and found no one. then lowered
myself into one of the Mississippi'S boats.
which had just come up with no one in her
but her crew, taking an oar, and pulled to
the stern of the steamer, and took Off two
men who were hanging at her rudder. We
tAen pulled pasa 10 the leeward of her, and
saw some one in the lee wheel through the
flames halloing and splashing the water. |
called out 10 them to swim Out from her if
they could. They not doing it, we pulled
under ;he lee of the wheelbuuse, ana Their
pulled into the wheel, and found two ladies'
and gentleman, and got them on board,
and told the men to back away as there was
danger of the wheeling dropping on to u+-
Not seeing any one We pulled tor the Mis-
sissippi. thought all were saved who
were in the water, and whom it was posi-
Bile to save, and then asked Capt. Langley
for boat to assist in saving the wreck. He
told me to take what boat | wanted. |
jumped into life bJats, taking the second
mate and one wheelsman, passenger FROM
Toledo by the name of Anderson volunteer
ing to 60 with me. | rowed to the propeller
Republic, and asked them to take hold OF
the wreck, which they promptly acceded to.
They passed us two chains and the hawser
and run down to the stern of the wreck
We made the chains fast to the rudder, and
then bent the Lines to them, and then went
on boarj the propeller, and she towee the
wreck into Pigeon Bay near the Bluff, where
she grounded within 200 feet of the shore.
We then LEFT for Detroit.
From the time the steamer caught fire
un:il she was entirely abandoned, should
think it was from an hour - an hour and a
quarter. think could have remained on
her half an hour longer, when we left her,
without much Inconvenience from the
flames. When the flames were discovered
the utmost panic took possession of most of
the passengers, and it was impossible tc
maintain any kind of order. They paid no
attention to my frequent appea Is, although
lrepeatt dly assured them that all could be
saved if they would only obey orders. 1t is
my positive opinion that not single per-
son forward of the wheel, however, would
have been lost, had they been in condition
to know what they were about. did hor
see single person down, but l was too
constantly engaged to look after the peo-
pie in the water. My impression is that
not more than twenty persons were lost,
and those were principally from the forward
boat, which fell from the cranes in the early
part of the disaster.
AS there is a report that the Northern In
diana was racing at the time, desire to say
that such was not The case. We left nearly
an hour behind time, and no extraordinary
sxeriion was madu. saw the engine from
hall past seven to eight O'Clock in the MORN
ing before the fire. We then had 81 pounds
of steam upon her. We are allowed to cur.
ry 4O pounds, | can positively assert that
no disposition to race was manifested.
| In conclusion, desire to bear tes, imonv