Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-04-27
LOSS OF TIE oCEAN SPRAY

| Nav it prosper OLD CITIZES.
/
Loss OF The OCEAN SPRAY.
| The St Louis Democrat of Friday, contains a
| full account of the loss of the steamer Ocean
Spray We suhiOin the following particulars:
/ 1.-The Ocean Spray took fire yesterday after
noon about i've O'Clock, and was burned to the
waters edge, at distance of about five miles
above this city, in or near Sawyer's bend, above
Magazine point She left this city at her regu-
lnr departing hour, between four and five o.
clock on her way to Peoria, on the Illinois riv-
| er. About the time of her departure. the Han
ribal City, one of the regular Keokuk packets,
also dropped out, and both boats started up the
river on a race, the Ocean Spray having about
one hundred yards the start both boats having
IL number of passengers, and many on board
seeming to anticipate, with much relish, the re-
suit of the to Alton. Under such circum-
stances, the officers of the boats could hardly
fail to partake of the spirit of rivalry which so
| pervadcd the passengers, and under the impu-
SEES of the hour seemed to have become reckless
Of every thing but the speed of their respective
crafts.
TnE CAPTAIN's SrATEMENT-Captain Waldo
Marsh says that as soon as he discovered the fire.
he headed for the shore. The boat reached il
between the steamers Star of the West aud Keo
kuk, and as the starboard wheel was keptTevolv-
ing, she slid along the bank towards the Keokuk
number of persons Jumped to the shore, and
were soon engaged, with others the boat, in
throwing planks, cord wood and other available
articles, to some who had leaped and dropped
into the river 1t was then, and by this means,
that the largest number of those who were sa-
we'd were enabled to reach the shore.
As soon as got off, [ ran along the bank, to
the stern of the boat, and saw still on board, on
the lower deck, crowd ofdeck hands and deck
passengers l saw, them several persons climb
ing down from the ladies' cabin.
do not know how the fire Ori0innte0 She
was running, at the time, not so swiftly as she
sometimes does"
STATEMENT OF Mr.. j. II. DENIsroN-How THE
Boar WAS SET ON FiRE.-Mr Deniston is from
Lynchburg, Ohio, and was ON his way to Flor
ence, on the Illinois river. He had II trunk
containing money and articles of apparel valued
at 500, which was lost. He says when the
boat started ont, the Hannibal City backed out
Just behind her, and when under good Roadway,
she was about hundred yards in the rear. He
says that when the Ocean Spray was within
about mile of where she took fire she saw the
Hannibal City gaining on her, and the command
was giveE to put turpentine in the furnaces
He says he had been very much interested in
the race, and had taken position in front,
whore the steps come down together, so that he
could see them firing up. They first threw in
rOSin, and then the mate suggested turpcntine.
The captain was by when the order was given,
and some of the men went down into the hold
and brought up barrel Of tuTpentine, which
had been consigned to some person in Peoria.
The men took an AK and split hole in the head
OF the barrel, and then, under orders of the
mate, dipped the fluid out and threw it over the
coal that was lying by. This was not exped.
tous enough, and the head OF the barrel was
knocked in, and bucket with piece of rope
to it was used to dip ont the turpentine. The
barrel at this time was standing not more than
six feet fiOm the furnace doors. Otter dipping
Soith The bucket and SprinkIing The cO0l sticks
of Gc0O4 1oerc taken up and their ends plunged
into the barrel, md then laid dozen bet9oeen
the barrel and furnace. Whilelying there, one
of the fireuen, in pulling out his rake, jerked
a live coal, as is supposed, on the wood; it was
Immediately ignitcd. and blazed up furiously.
The mate swOre at the men and ordered them
to throw water on the fire. The water seemed
TO drive the flames to the barrel, which was soon
all ablaZe The mate grew furious, and cursing
the hands, ordered them to cast the barrel over.
board In attempting to do this the barrel 4oaS
upset, and the burning fluid in an instantspread
all over the deck and poured in fiery torrents
down into the hold. At this the cry of fire was
shouted and the alarm became general.
The starboard wheel e the Ocean Spray, af.
ter she had reached the bank, continued to re-
vUlve, which brought her close to the stern of,
and little between the Keokuk and the slore
There she remained until the fire was thorough
lily communicated to the Keokuk. ]
The accounts of heroic effort to save life are
worthy of record. Some 20 or 3Olives are sup
posed to have been lost in this wholesale mas
sacre by this most terrible disaster.
Ar THE McLuKE HousE.-Hon VIM. Mont.
gomery, of Washington, Pa, was at the Mcclure
House last night en- route from Washington