Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-04-30

MURDER FROM STEAMBOAT RAcING.-The
loss of the Ocean Spray by fire, near St. Louis,
last week whereby twenty or more persons
lost their lives, was the direct result of Grim
inal boat racing.
Mr. Denniston of Ohio, who was passen-
ger on the Ocean Spray, relates the disaster
as follows
He says that when tho Ocean Spray was within
about mile Of where she took fire, she saw the
Hannibal City gaining on her, and tho command was
given to put turpentine in the furnaces. he says
he had been very much interested in the race, and
had taken position in front, where tho steps
down together, so that he could see them firing up
They first threw in rosin, and then tho mate sug-
gested turpcntine. Tho captain was by when the
order was given, and some Of tho men went down
into the hold and brought up barrel Of turpentine
which had been consigned to some person in Peoria
The men took axe and split holo in the head
Of the barrel, and then under orders Of the mate,
dipped the fluid out and threw it the coal
that lying by This was not expeditions
enough and the head of the barrel was knocked in,
and bucket with picco of rope to it used to
dip out the turpentne.
Tho barrel at this timo was standing not moro
than six feet from the furnace doors. After dip
ping tOh the bucket and spr,nk!ing the COAL sticks Of
mod ,oeTe taken up and their ends plunged INTO the
furnace. While lying there, one of the fremen,
in pulling out his rake, jerked live coal, as is
supposed, on the wood, when it was Immediately
igpitcd and blazed up furiously.
The mate swore at the men, and ordered them
to throw water on the fire. Tho 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 barrri UPSET, and
the burning fluid in an instant spread all the
deck and poured in fiery torrents down into the
the hold. At this the cry of fire was shouted, and
tho alarm became general"
The boat was run ashore. where she
swung around and set fire to the steamer
Keokuk, which was also destroyed
Mr.. d. says
He saw one mother bring tn rec children to the
edge of the hurricane roof, the oldest being prob
ably, about ten years old. She first caught her
it struck the shore with great violence, and must
havo been seriously injured. The second child she
could not throw so far; and it fell into the water
whore its little hands, padding above the surface
arrested tho attention Of some gentleman who
reached in and saved it. Tho third child, being so
heavy, fell farther from the shore, and would pro-
badly have drowned but for noble hearted man
who, having witnessed the efforts Of the heroic
mother, plunged in head foremost, and brought the
child to the shore Tho mother afterward leapcd
into the water, and was rescued.
The captain, clerks, pilot and mate were saved
Mr. Deniston relates that while the flames wero
raging no saw some poor woman at tho railing just
in front of the wheelhouse. Those on shore shouted
to her to jump; which she attempted to do, but was
caught by her clothing and swung in under tho
railing down into the engine room, where all was
one blaze Of FIRE.