The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-06-23
Terrible Steamboat Explosion /!
ONE HUNDRED KILLED AND
MISSING! q


MEMpuIs, June ~ The9 steamship
Pennsylvania, exploded her boilers on
Sunday morning, at sSo'cloek, at Ship
Island, 10 miles below Memphis, and
burned to the waters edge About three
hundred and fifty passengers were on
board, and it is believed two hundred are
Killed or missing. The Diana, Imperial
and Frisbee took all they could find in.
the wafer on shore.
STATEMENT OF HENRY SPENCER.
AT the time of the occurrence of the
Iaecitent, which was at G O'Clock Sunday
morning, was inside Of the bar and talk
ing with the captain, who had Just been
shaved. The explosion took place aud
the saloon was immediately filed with
steam aud smoke we made our wav
out :hrough the water closet passage aud
climbed Oh the ehurricane deck The cap
tain, with the barber and one of the cabin
boys, at once ianclied the life boat, while
j | broke the sEylight to let the steam and
smoke out of the cabin to prevent those
inside from snfToeating, as [ feared they
wond from their screaming. The boat
was entirely unmahagealIle aud drifting
rapidly. An attempt was made to carry
line to the shore but wilhant success
AT this momcat the captain discovered an
empty aa t-boat fastened to the shore, and
had the life-heat mannedi and sent to the
fat to bring it as expeditiously as posi-
ble to the wreck This prompt measure
on the part of the captain proved the
means of saving more than half of the
passengers who were takenso Off The fact
of the boat not taking fire for more than
half an hour. afterthe- explosion, served
to allay the terror of the passengers and
! give them self-pessessioa enough to dress,
as many of them were in their berths
There was time enough for them 10 get
of, and nearly all. did so, through this
calm conduct of the Captain. Nearly
all who were lost died from the immediate
effect of the explosion. What exceptions
there were, were deck passengers, who
endangered themselves by an over-an-
xiety to secure their baggage and effects.
The cabin passengers generally abandon
ed their baggage, and were content to
save their, lives; As to the number oil
}, persons, no correct list can be supplied
as the register was lost. The cabin berih.
ed 30. and it was entirely full An ap.
proximate estimate of the deck can bt
arrived at only by considering the amoun
COLLECTED of them, which, was $47e, ant
{ that on the first day out. The price o
passage Cor each was So. This woult
make nearly loo parsons We took o,
besides, 30 eoalboat-men at Baton Rouge
OEe o, the number told me that Only ST,
. of tae twenty were alive after the explo
: sion.s They were from Louisville OH
: GERS and crew numbered so. This woul,
5 make in all $50 persons on board of th
U steamer, and the number is by no mean
5 overstated OF those saved | counte,
J Isl on. the fiat. Twenty more wer
taken to the shore by the life-boat, part G
them from the fat, to tighten her up be
: fore this count was made. Twenty wer
: picked up by the Diana, making %
{ lsared, and l54 lost or missing. Some {
. the latter may have got on shore. sa
. / knew the names onEy ofsihose
4 tchanced TO come in contact with Ther
were very many lost / did not know, an
whose names will never lie learned. A
y The cabin passengers, situated leYoud tn
) center. passage of the boat, were saved.
: The wounded were transferred TO th
q fat. aud then taken on board of tb
{ .Frisbee and DIANA, where. they receive
: every care and attention that humanit
= .could devise. A card was signed by til
II passengers of the Diana, expressing the
: sense Of the, magnanimous conduct {
u Captain Surgeon, and Mr.. Smith, til
e clesk, who was Likewise unrc hitting in h
p ie1eEtions TO alieyiats. the salerings of th
7 wounded. !. No charge. was riade agaius
: .lhe Survivors, and they were also provide
u with free tickets over the Illinois Centrs
J and the Ohio ana Mississippi Railroad
a St. Louis. Captaia ,Klinefeller and To
q surviving officers Of the Pennsylvania re
e NAMED in the neighhorhood of the wtecl
y for the purpose of taking. care of all prop
erty belonging to the passengers tha
, might come in their way. -f5ssfl,.
= Personal Rencounter between the R