The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-05-10
STEAMBOAT DISASTER.


We published last week the announcement that
the steamboat St. Nicholas exploded her boilers on
the Mississippi River between Memphis and New
Orleans We give the following further particu-
lars
The explosion occurred on the 23d ult. Capt.
McMullen being on watch at the time, and but a
few minutes elapsed before the flames had con-
sumed the entire boat, with the exception OF the
hull, which 1oated on down the river. The books
and papers being destroyed it is impossible to ar
rive at perfectly accurate statement of the num-
Der of persons lost but enough is known to warrant
the belief that from fifty to sixty are killed and
missing, and among them several ladies. The loss
of life would necessarily have been much greater,
had it not been for the opportune arrival OF the
Susquehanna which boat came to the relief OF the
sufferers when the l-fated steamer was about halt
consumed, and took on board all those unlnj ured
by the explosion or fire, as also sixteen Of the
wounded, picked up while floating upon the water.
At the time of the accident, Capt. McMullen
was on watch and in the pilot house, from whence
he fell through to the boiler deck, where sharp
piece of timber penetrated his foot and holding
him fast, entirely prevented his escape He was
heard repeatedly to call for axe, with which he
might sever his leg from his body and thus extri-
cate himself for the perlous position in which he
was placed, but failing to receive assistance, he
persisted in the flames. The pilot duty, James
Reid was also precipitated below, but had the
good fortune to reach the water, from whence he
was rescued by one of the Susquehanna's boats.
| Capt. B. V. CLINE, clerk and part of
! the boat, on watch at the time, lost his wife
and cousin, and was very badly scalded and burn
cd himself.
MrG. Fl. H. Gillum, second clerk, was asleep
in his berth, and the first intimation had by
him of the occurrence awakening to find
himself in the river, fully one hundred yards
j from the boat with his mattress and bed clothes
under him, and in perfect order as though
remaining in the state-room. He was badly burned
but will recover
A family named Crisp, from St. Louis, and
on their way to Vicksburg to reside, consisting of
father, mother, and little son, were lost, with
the exception Of the latter who lost nearly all his
clothing by the fire, and was himself considerably,
though not seriously, burned.
AS somewhat singular coincidence we may
state that few moments before the explosion took
place, Capt. McMullen and a gentleman from
Warrenton, Mississippi, in the course of CONVEX
saon, spoke of the Pennsylvania disaster, which
occurred at the very place they passing at
the time, when the gentleman referred to took
occasion to assert his belief in the doctrine Of pre-
Observation-Disclosures whatever occurred was right,
and that he was at any time prepared to die, and
| in whatever manner the summons might come.
The words had scarcely been uttered when the
! boat exploded and he summarily called to
test the truth or fasity of his belief.
! Both the engineers on watch, William Few
and John jenkins, were instantly killed. and
| hence nothing definite is known regards the
! origin of the explosion. Thirteen of the deck
| hands and fremen are also killed and missing,
as also the barber cabin boy, two berth makers.
cook and chanlbermaid Indeed, it is doubtful if
a similar disaster has ever occurred on the Mis-
sssippi, which destructive to the lives of
officers and crew than the one in question.
FEMALE HEROIsM.
One of the most affecting incidents of the en-
tire tragedy occurred in the conduct of Miss Ken
nedv a cousin of Mr. CLINE, the chief Clerk and
one of the owners of the boat. She was thrown
by the explosion from the stateroom into the river
and foated down to the stern of the boat, when
she caught her hand in one of the rings attached
to the hull and hung in that perilous dilemma
when death stood threatening upon either hand.
To loose her hold was to sink into the waves, and
to hold on was to burn with the wreck to which
she was clngng-eyery moment being an age of
alternating hope and despair. She remained in this
position until the flames actually burned the hair
and skin from her head, the only part of her body
above the water except the hand by which she
chung to the wreck, and that was burned to a
crisp. While in this awful suspense, and suffer-
ing intensely from the heat such was her
presence of mind and her wonderful hcroism that,
as man, who was worse stunned, perhaps than
herself, came floating by her, in drowning condi-
ton, she seized him by the hair with her olsen
gagged hand and held his face out Of the water
until skiff was brought to the rescue of both.
1t often falls to the strong of to assist
the hepessness of woman, but in this instance
the strength of endurance, and courage that was
stronger than her arm, made woman the preser-
yer of herself and one of the stronger sex.