The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-05-10
IOWA. TUESDAY. NAY 10. 1850


., narrowing Details % the Sc. Nichols
:. Disaster.
Statement Of james Reed-Piios of the
Nickolas
's We left Memphis at 4 p. n. last Sunday, a,
= proceeded down the river. without stoppi
: either engine until we arrived at the foot OF s
), Francis Island, about 10 O'Clock the same nigh
, at which place the explosion took place. II
Captain was the only person with me in Il
piiot-house at the time. We were both at Il
Q wheel, and conversing. l remember distinct
a OF hearing report like that Of cannon, Al
simultaneously felt myself moving through III
air. When recovered my senses, found nv
: self down among the boilers. When the s,ea,
and smoke cleared away little, commence
crawling toward the roof; in doing SO cam
! across Captain MCMILLAN, lying with his riet
foot under the hurricane roof, pilot house, an
lot OF other rubbish, which had been throw
together in one common macs, by the explosion
ms Iight foot and ankle was wedged In tightl
ny this heavy mass of lumber, He hailed m,
and stopped to assist him, at the same time
called the second mate, whom saw near
hand, to my assistance and we both tried ali th.
meaus in our power to release him.
" hlle endeavoring to release the Captain one
OF the striker engineers came to our assistance
Out the three of US failed to extricale him from
his awful position. The flames we're rapidv on.
croach ng upon our territory, and the heat was
becoming intolerable Capt. Mcmillan begged
US to cut his leg off but we could not find an re
nor any other instrument by which to do so.
else we would have complied with his wish
We worked at the Captain until the FIRE drove
US away-he begged US all the time to remain
oy him. We did not leave him until the mo-
ment arrived when to remain auy longer would
have been certain death to all of us without the
possibility of relieving the Captain. He was
consumed by the flames almost before our ewes
The last words he uttered were. =" Nv God I
shall have to burn up.' When he saw that he
would have to burn he ceased his entreaties for
us to remain by him, and bade US seek our own
safety. I left Capt. Mcmillan few minutes
before the others did, and succeeded in reach.
ing the lades's cabin before the FIRE closed nm
that way of escare.
The Others finding it impossible to follow me.
jumped into the river. During the time was
at work trying to save Captain Mcmillan. the
mate brought the yawl forward to try and nut
the fre out, but the ya~l got filed up with men,
deck hands and fremen. While there the yawi
also picked up Capt Ben Cline from under the
ruins, and took him aboard the Susauheanna -
BY This time Capt Mcmillan was completely en-
veioped in fames l reached the ladies cabin.
and found the ladies huddied together acting.
frantlcalis, screaming for assistance, and weep
ing bitterly.
Mrs. CLINE was there crying aloud for her
husband. told her had not seen him. which
had not at that time for, did not learn until
afterwards thai he had been picked up BY the
yawi. told the ladies to go down to the main
deck, and get away back to the stern of the |
ooat l preceded them, aud when we reached |
Tue deck.roofn we bad to jump eight feet on the |
hon sb.
told them to remain until could 60 up and |
throw the lle.boat overheard. ] went nm on
The roof, and there found my partner, Edward
stevens, tho assisted me to throw the liie.hoat
overheard.
we then came down stairs, he (Stevensl i'm
ne dlately ahead Of me, and when we reached
ne deck l missed him. This is the last have
een or heard OF Edward Stevens. When |
cached the lower guard, looked for the life
BOAT where | expected should find it, but it
vas gone. The steward had caught it, and had
aken 1t around on the other side of the boat
'nder guard, where it was imme ediately filled
sith men. During all this time, there was
'reat many people jumping into the rivec. 1t
vas perfectly horrible. | jumped back to the
aides guard, and got five or six doors, and
ave one 20 each lady, They also had tin life.
'reservers around them. told them not to
hmp overboaad until the FIRE chased them away:
the same time, the fire was rapidly approach.
as the spot upon which they were Standing
ne smoke was getting very thick, and the air
cry hot. This party of ladies' we're Eve in
amber. They were all begging me to stay
'lth them, and, when necessity Obliged US TO
mp overheard, to allow them to cling to me-
was telling them that such II course would
e impossible, when the yawl of the Sus-
uehahna leave that boat and come toward u.s.
toiu them TO hold on, and they would be saved
y the yawl them went around on :he other
uard, so as TO bring the Susauehanna yawl /,
round to the ladies before it got filed up with
en Alter waiting short time, and fearing !.
icy wouldn't come, jumped overheard in or.
er to swim to the yawl when the wheelhouse
II ahe barely mlssld hitting me on the head {
hen got into the river, and had a good :
lance TO look about, l saw the yawl going
ick to the Susquehanna, and it was about sink }
3 with water, and they wanted something to !
III 1t out. was unable to swim back to where :
lett the ladies, and tried to swim around the .
wv OF the boat, in doing which came across a
'cK OF WOOD, which was OF material assistance .
me. soon managed to get around, so as d
OBTAIN view OF the boat, which I found \
cared OF all the ladies' They had gone, and E
e guard was all in blaze That is the last q
saw OF them, except one, Mrs. A. Kennedy, +,
no had jumped overheard, and succeeded IN :
tung hold OF ring bolt in the hull, Just aft Il
the wheel
She held on to this until skiff took her away 6
ID she was saved. Her shoulders and arms =
ere badly burnt. Mrs. Kennedy told me that =
bile she was in that position she saw all the T
her women float by her towards the Wheel :.
e caught Mrs. CLINE and held her few min Il
es, but conldn't retain her hold in consequent y
excessive weakness aud heat. It. is Mrs KS 2
inion that all the women were drowned by the i,
ling OF the wheehouse, as che could see :.
thing Of them after it fell. Finding that +,
uid do no more service for the ladies, 1 a
ought would look out for myself. / .hen =
irted to swim for the shere, and landed three a
les below where jumped into the water =
hen got ashore | found some of our crew >,
10 had been landed by the Susque ehanna's 5 y yawl a
eW moments before. / also found a house. :,
t no person living in it. We looked around
means to raise fire, but there was none.- =
e came near perishing with cold. 1t was only h
extraordinary means we could retain our hold :,
life. such was the intensity Of the cold.- i
e remained in the house two hours constantly a,
ercising, BY which means we were kept from ~
eziEg. g
at the end of two hours the susouehanna ~ ~
me and took US away. It was the longest N
0 hours ever spent in my life. When got =;
lore the burning hull of the ST. Nicholas had ~
Ated out Of sight The Susquehanna, after ;n
ting us aboard, stopped all along the bend, =,
ing to render any assistance to persons sup -
sed to be floating in the river. The captain ~
officers Of the Susquehanna treated US with a,
cry attention, and we are under great and
ighty obligations to them for their many acts
kind consideration and attention.
EXPRESS COMPANY Prosecuted BY News =,
PER FOR NEGLIGENcE.-On the occasion of n
, late billiard match between Seereiter and :
elan, the New York Tribune sent a speciaI = =
porter (Doestcks) to witness the match. who - -
'pared an elaborate report, and entrusted it r