The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-07-02
From the ST. Louis Democrat.
Burning Of the Steamer Penn
syisnnEa.
Detailed Account Of the Catastrophe,
Incidents Connected waa he Tyagefy

IHctaeRfS CoHnec5ed WuA ne IrfTedy
| We are under many obligations 10 our es-
/ tened fellow citizen, The Hon. Washington
/ King, who came up on the Diana last evening
Ior an account OF the terrible disaster which
has almost monopolzed the public attention for
| the last two DAYS
! Quite a mistake occurred in the announce
ment that Mr.. King came 0p on the Pennsyl-
/ yania.
He left New Orlrans on The Diana aud did
not reach the scene Of the horrible catastrophe
until SIX hours after th,, tx plosiDn.
cAUrr OF rue EXPLOSION.
Tie Grsl fireman Of the Pennsy lvanla had
been on I.pf since her last tip. Fl states that
they had ius cleaned OFT the fire bed and started
| fire, when the explosion took place. He al
tributes the cause TO want of water in the
/ boilers. There were tWo explosions in quick
succession. He was blown into the water over
the side the boat.
THE EXrLosIoy.
| The boat separated from a line drawn across
the boat fom The barber shop and pantry
Those who were in the forward part were all
more or less injured d-those in the aft portion
were scarcely touched. double slatproom
the forward bprhs were killed, those in the
rearward were not in the least injured. Capt.
kInelelter at the moment was 10 the barber
shop: undergoing the process Of being shaved,
and he was not harmed in the least paricu!ar
A passenger stated to Mr. King that the boat
was SO crowded that he had to sleep up in
''taxeS, in a room with four berths, win the
watchman. He being in the rear berth, was
t1f, -, 4. L.. A
with terror he saw his room mates in the two
beIhs opposite 90 down into the river under The
confused mass Of wreck.
MAN AND ms WIFE BURNED To DEATH.
4 man and his wife were precipitaled from
their slatpfoom upon the mass below, al the sanr
Ii ne large portion ofthe wreck was suspended
over them. Upon this a boiler was thrown.
ant while those above were cndeavoring 10 res
cue the persons beneaih, the whole pile was
pnveIoped in flames, and the unfortunate couple
were soon burned to ashes.
DESTRUCTION OF WRECK BY FIRE.
The survivors Aoated down the river about
half an hour before any assistance came 10 their
relief. When nat-boat was cut loose from
It's moorings by party in log cabin, aud the
boat drIited down the stream luckily il came in
II was filled TO overflowing. About 1875 or
40 got on the fiat boat and pushed away from
the wreck, leaving 30 thereon. II was the IN
ten'ion TO let the hat-ooat float ahead to a tow
head not far of, and after discharging her
freight, shove her out and allow her 10 again
float towards the wreck. But before this could
BE- accomplished, some barrels of turpentne 10
The hold OF the wreck igniled. and IN few mo-
merits = "a pf
short tine reduced M 10 asfes l''lnn II WAS IN
IT was thought that there were about 30 Ia
dies 10 the ladies' cabin at the time of the expo-
sion. None Of them were injured at that time,
but on the wreck that was consumed by fire
there were many LADIES'.
There were no ladies' on the Frisbee There
were two Catholic priests badly burned One
died before the Diana left the Frisbee.
OFFICERS OF THE BOAT.
The first engineer was asleep in bis berth,
and 50 badly scalded that he died soon after
wards. Mr. King did not see him.
Pilot, mate, and first clerk, were in the pilot
house and all were blown overheard. The
Piint has not been heard from since The mate
was very badly scalded, and can scarcely sur
we. The mate and first clerk, with latboat
pilot from louisville, swan 10 a temporary flat
erected for the purpose OF aIording assistance
TO cattle *tat might be washed away bv The
flood. The latter has reached the Diana, and
states that he left the first clerk upon the fat.
since which time no news has come to hand Of
him.
a the point Of disaster, the river is at least
two miles wide The whole country IS sub
merged. There was no hope for the best oil
swimmers. The river swept with tremendous
force through the chute and bottoms, and in
very short time all that could be seen of tie |
rum was a SmonlderIng mass resembling burning
brush half smothered by water.
CAPTAIN SURGEON, OF THE DIANA.
Too much credit cannot be given to Captain
Surgeon of the Diana. Prompt to obey the
call OF humanity, he spared no time, no exer-
tion IN rendering all the assistance in his power
and put his boat back fifteen or twenty miles
IN order TO rescue any OF the survivors.
THE TARIFF.-Some OF the Opposition papers
are trying very hard 10 again make political |
capital out OF the tariff question, but lake good |
care moi to tell their readers that we are ndebt- |
ed 10 the late KnowNothing and Black Repub-
lcan Congress for the present low duties, Of !
which they complain. Why did they not let |
the Democratic tariff Of 1916 aonel I. affor-
ded ample and adequate protection and our
trade, manufactures and commerce flourished |
under 1t for ten years. The Opposition are
chargeable for that which they try to saddle on !
the Democracy-they made the present tariff, |
and II there is anything wrong about it, let the
people understand TO whom doing the injury
belongs. As long as the Democratic tariff of
1916 was in existence, all was we'll Let the !
people take warning from the past, and beware