The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-07-14
MISCELLANEOUS.

From the Bloom ington Nl.) Paragraph.
A Noble Deed.
Mrs. Caroline G. Stranburg, wife of
P. p. stranburg, Of this city, was a
passenger on the Pennsylvania, which
burned to the waters edge, on the
Mississippi, sixty miles below Mem
phis, on Sunday morning, the 18th in
slant. Mrs. S. left her berth just be-
fore the explosion took place; and when
she heard the report, which shook ev-
ery piece of timber in the boat, she
caught hold of her little child, which
was only two months old, and rushed
into the ladies cabin, at the very mo-
ment that piece of machinery crashed
through the floor. She ran to the cap
taiu's room and told him the boat was
on fire, but he said she was mistaken,
and advised her to be calm. She said
she was not mistaken, and her manner
was so earnest that the captain, think
she might be correct, went down to the
boiler deck. He returned in short
time, and remarked to Mrs. S., There
is no danger now-the fire has been
subdued.'
Mrs. s. however, would not be con-
WINGED; she insisted that the boat was
in flames. and told the captain to make
preparations for saving the passengers.
As she finished speaking the flames
broke through the cabin floor, and in
less than minute the cabin was filed
with smoke. She saw that the time for
action had arrived, and she knew that
her life and that of her child depended
upon her own exertions; so she went
down the private stair case, and was
fortunate enough to reach the boiler
deck in safety. Knowing that she
would perish by fire if she staid on
the boat, she determined to leave it and
run the risk of meeting her death by
another method. She accordingly seiz-
ed board about seven feet long and
eight or ten inches wide, and, grasping
her child with one arm and the board
with the other, plunged into the river.
The current, owing to the high stage
Of water, was very rapid, and Mrs. S.
had as much as she could do to keep
herself and child above the surface,
but she proved equal to the dangerous
situation in which she was placed, and
her perilous journey down the river
would not have been attended with halt
the danger that it was, if her unselfsh
heart had not prompted her to save a
man who was unable to save himself
A short time after leaving the boat she
saw man struggling in the water. and
she knew from his movements that he
was too much exhausted to save him
self from going to the bottom, so she
generously and nobly jeopardized her
life to save his; she grasped him by the
arm, at the risk Of being pulled from
her frail support, and assisted him in
getting upon little piece of plank, that
was hardly sufficient to keep herself and
child above the surface Of the Father of
Waters.
After floating for an hour and half,
the three were rescued by some men,
who, having heard the explosion, launch
ed small boat and started up stream to
render assistance to the unfortunate
sufferers. When the man who was res
cued by Mrs. Stranberg placed his feet
in the boat, he tried to express the gra-
titude which he felt for his preserver;
but his heart was SO full of thankful
ness that his tongue refused to give full
utterance to his grateful feelings. Mrs.
Stranberg left this city about three
months ago. and went to Clinton, Miss.
issippi. her birthplace. where her rela'
tives reside. She took passage on the
Pennsylvania at Vicksburg. and was
fortunate enough to arrive at her owr
house in this city. on Monday evening
Her conduct entities her to the admira
ton of all who can appreciate noble
act.