Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-06-25
The Explosion of the Steamboat Penn
sTIyania.

we nave received Oetall6Q account /
Of the distrc ssing calamity and loss of
life on board the steamer Pennsylvania,
near Natchtz. Miss. on the 18th inst, OF
which the telegraph has already furnish.
ed the main particulars. The cause Of
the explosion is attributed to want Of
water in the boilers. We copy the fol-
lowing accounts:
THE ACCIDENT.
About o'clock on the morning OF the
18Th inst, when the boat was about 70
miles below Memphis, she exploded four
Of her boilers. while under way. At the
time of the explosion she was near three
hundred yards from shore. The cabin
was torn to pieces forward Of her wheel
houses. Very few of the passengers
we're out of their staterooms at the time.
The passengers in the after part of the
oabin-men, women aud children-rush-
ed out. and the utmost confusion ensued
among them, all supposiug the boat was
on fire, from the smoke and steam which
came rushing through the cabin.
The FIRE appeared to issue from about
the after end of the boilers, and in one
minute from the time of the alarm the
boat was wrapped in flames. Passen-
gers and crew Immediately rushed from
the burning boat to wood boat, which
had gone to their relief, aud filed it as
full as they could stand.
DANCER OF TIE WOOD BOAT.
The most intense excitement prevailed
on the wood boat as we endeavored TO
propel it from the burning mass. as we
had only a few boards, in place of oars,
and the crowd rendered it almost impos-
sible to work them with success. But we
finally succeeded in getting her bow
turned out, so that the current struck her
stern and swung the wood boat around,
and by that means we cleared the burns
ing boat and she drifted by, but not un~
til many of the passengers had been se>
verely scorched. By turning our backs.
and by the ai4 of few counterpanes and
quilts that were saved. we screened our
selves from the heat as much as possible,
aud finally succeeded. after drifting one
mile. in reac! ing n island or towhead,
called Ship Island. where the boat was
made fast to some trees.
Asters showing the wood boat from the
steamer there were good many deck
passengers seen rushing out with their
trunks, boxes, &C., in the hope Of saving
their little stock of plumber, and by try.
ing to save their effects they lost their
lives. for it was impossible for us to rem.
der them any assistance. l remember
seeing one man and woman, who, from
their appearance were German emigrants,
hanging to a line from the stern Of the
boat-the man holding the line with one
hand and his chest with the other, and
as the boat swung around they disap
peared from view. They, doubtless, re>
manned in this position until they were
compelled, by the heat of the flames, to
loose their hold and drown. The cabin
passengers. with the exception of one or
two, behaved with great GOODNESS and de-
cision. and rendered one another every
assistance in their power. tut among the
deck passengers the greatest excitement
prevailed. Itseemed that all they cared
for was to save their plumber, throwing
it over the guards into the wood boat,
not needing where it fell.
WOUNDED ON THE WOOD BOAT.
About twenty five of the wounded es.
capped on tho wood boat. Amongst them
were the first mate; second engineer; two
Frenchmen, late of the Theatre dor
leans; Col. Harris, of Arkansas, badly
scalded. and others. very badly cut and
bruised, mostly deck passengers. They
suffered very much in consequence of
there being no medical attendance to
dress their wounds, and no means of pro.
curing any for the space of two hours
But at length neighboring planters from
the Arkansas shore brought some linseed
oil and liniment, which, with the aid Of
cotton taken from the quilts, gave some
relief to the wounded. The scalded VIC
Tins suffered much from the heat of the
sun, as the whole country was overflow
ed, and we could not succeed 10 getting
the boat to the main land, and in this
condition we were obliged TO remain I'M
der broiling sun for fully eight hours.
The women and children who were I'M
hurt also suffered excessively from the
heat of the sun and hunger. After re-
naming on the Island eight hours, the
, steamer Imperial. bound down. came to
our relief, and, after giving US a good
dinner, put US on board the Kate Frisbee
and Diana, bound up.
TERRIBLE INCIDENTS.
Mrs. Witt, of St. Louis, who was lost,
occupied with her daughter. Mrs. Full.
ton, room No. 8 in the gentlemen's cab
in. Mrs. Witt was taken from the ruins
just as the FIRE broke out. perfectly blind
and in dying condition; by that time
the wood boat had left the steamer, and
young man who was endeavoring to
rescue her was compelled to jump over
board and swim to the wood boat 10 save
his own life. Mrs. Fulton was not seen
after the explosion. There was a man
buried in the wreck, who. from his ex>
pressions. must have been either a sugar
or cotton planter-as in his despair he
said he had money, negroes. and plant,