The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-02-12
The Explosion and Burning Of the
Steamer Col. Cr0ssmau an.

The St. Louis Republicans Of Sunday has the par.
ticulars of the loss of the Col. sCrossman, the
prominent points OF which we have had by tele.
graph AT the time Of the disaster, the Col. @.
was making her first trip from New Orleans to st.
Louis, having during her previous services, been
In the Missouri river trade. She left New Orleans
on the 26th Of January, and on the evening OF the
18th Of February passed New Madrid At half rast
o'clock, mile aud a half above that place. she
burst her small or "ngger" boiler. The Repul.
scan says:
The violence of the explosion was such as 10
carry away the fore part of the cabin, instantly
killing Alexander Martin, of this city, Who was
oficiating as bar-keeper; severely wounding Eph-
RAIN h. Cbeever. Of the rm Of Warne, Cheevrr
Co Capt. Converse. OF this city; Kirk Mense, of
B,uissaua, and injufing some Others
No sooner had this dire.u misbap occurred than
t was discovered that the boat hatcaught fro
Ine alarm became general, the excitement became
Intense, and the confusion fearful. Capt Cheever
used bis utmost endeavors to keep the passengers
from precipitating themselves into the river and
win dlfncuity, 10 would seem, that amidst this
horrible scene, with the boat all in fanes the wa
ter-roiling by, he managed to keep from this al.
most sure death such as coolness could command
10 tne hour OF peril. He then ordered the yawl
10 6e lowered, which being doue, the deck hands
ana nremen took possession of her, filling her TO
nef utmost capacity. No entreaty no command
no threat OF The commanding officers the cantain
anu M the nate, could induce them to venture their
hses ny swimming by other means that thev
m.sht save unharned the passengers, who by this
time were becoming desperate. as thev seamad ,o
nnd certain death by FIRE or by flood staring tham
In the face. '"e"i
Discovering the impossibility of securing the
sa,s So1aact OF bis living charges by meass Of the
tam ordered out the other boat into this tba
eaptsin, Mf. bIxby; the pilot; Mr. Lowe the mate.
SCOTT the steward handed SO many of tbs
pssssengers as possible These were carried off to
the wharf boat at New Madrid. "
Inc remainder, including the officers of tho
oos. wnom we have mentioned just above, sought
saley py FiungIrg into the river MIR IIill of eba
,Sau seauier Herald, who was passenger was among
shora 70 ,bo was pieked up by skif sent from
saoie i 70 tne rescue, which did noble service Inv
saving many of the floating beings that st.9.o "
the surface of the water " ''uuaeo
oaptain Cheever was at his post until all had
ieit the boat. Then,s and then oolv d;d ha 80.
himself into the river and seek saftv a. "I oss'
ing with the current He was pickei mn hy 60
ther ski so far exhausted that in fsyr ,n;,.
ne ne would nave become extinct Carried TO Nav
| suscitatiou "o0 ior MS re-
some OF the unfortunate passengers were in tho
water, tho temperature being Is deg. below frsa.
ing point, Tor fully half an hour. They lost ali
| they had on board, not having time 10 .crs .h
smallest remnant ofther possessions.
The boat f1oated down with the current a hrrr
! ing mass, Hgntlng up the scene of terror and
| death She hoated about two miles below Nav
| Madrid, where the hull lodged on bar and bnrr.
ed to the waters edge. Our informant states that
AS nearly as he could tell, there were about for,
cabin passengers and about twenty-five on decf
| The books and papers of the boat were all lost
| The clerk was among the killed, aud the exact
| number of passengers could not be ascertained.
| The names OF twelve persons known to be los.
were published yesterday. Seven or eight deck
| passengers and three of the crew are also known
to be lost. There we're seven ladies and three OF
zr..l y Al. n
| were lost. The deck-hands and fremen, who took
possession of the yawl subsequently, took passage
oh board of another steamer fer Sc. Louis but a,
soon as it was found out who they were they were
driven ashore by the Indignant passengers and tn.
officers Of the boat, az unwerthy and uLfeslius
wfetches.