The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-03-30
Collision of the David Gibson
.7r and Nat. Holmes.
DISTRESSING PARTICULARS.
DISPATCHES FROM AURORA.


LAwRENcEBURe, March 20th.-The Register,
Extra, gives the following particulars of the
collision between the steamers Nat. Holmes
and Gibson:
On Monday night, about eight o'clock, the
steamer Nat. Holmes, bound to st. Louis, and
the David Gibson, bound to Cincinnati, from
New Orleans, came in collision between Peters,
burg and Aurora. Both boats sunk in few
minutes, and are total wreck. The cabins Of
both boats broke loose from the hulls, and
ioated away. The Gibson, however, gained
the Kentucky Shore and we learned from her
that there was not person lost -
The Holmes was less fortunate. She went
down in the middle Of the river, and many Of
the unfortunate souls on board met with
watery grave-how many no one knows.
We were at Aurora at the time of the catas-
trophe, and the walls that went up from the dis
tressed sufferers would make the stoutest heart
quake. As soon as the cry of distress was
heard at Aurora, all aid that was in the power
Of the citizens was rendered. Every skif that
could be found in the dark night went to their
aid Men rowed with almost superhuman
power, and load after load was landed upon
the beach, among whom we're many women
who had lost their children, and children who
had lost their parents, and others who had lost
all they had.
Their situation was truly agoniSing; they
were all as wet as they could be.
We saw one old man, from Wheeling, who
had lost two children, but had saved his wife
and other children.
Another told us that he had six children and
he could not find but three, and did not know
whether the remainder were lost or not.
We observed little girl, about FIVE years
old who could not find relative; but she,
like the rest, found plenty Of friends in the cit
liens of Aurora. There was also another little
girl, about seven years old, named Welsh, from
Wheeling, who was go near gone that she could
not stand. Her parents could not be found !;
but, after awhile, her brother, lad about six
teen years old, was found.
We also saw young lady who was badly
scalded. An agonised mother could not find
her infant child, and her grief bOrdered on
| insanity.
We noticed numerous other cases Of suffer
| ing. One had a hole cut in his head, occasoned
by the cabin falling on him; another had got
his neck fast and his head just above the
water. These two men had to be cut out. One
little boy was fast in the wreck, and could not
be extricated, but we did not learn whether he
was dead at the time or not
One young man had on board a span of gray
trotting horses, which cost him eleven hundred
dollars in New York, and bound to the city OF
| Mexico. They seemed to be the pride of his
| his horses to cut them loose, but the water
crowded so fast that he could not get sight OF
| them. When he found that they were gone, he
| remarked that he did not care whether he was
| saved or not He told us that all the money he
had left was fifteen cents.
The cabin of the Holmes, or rather the wreck
of it, was taken to the shore just above Rising
Sun, by the steamer Kentucky.
The cabin of the Gibson lodged on the shore
just below Aurora.
The Gibson had on board six hundred ant
eleven hogshcads of sugar, and but few passen
gers. She was owned in Cincinnati, and wa
valued at about SO, 900; insured for o-third
of that amount.
The cargo Of the Holmes consisted of Pitts
burg manufactures and movables. She ha
about sixty-fve cabin, and about thirty dec
passengers, mostly from Wheeling. She wa
owned in Pittsburg by Captain Kennedy an
others, and valued at $4,000.
John Conway, of Aurora, was pilot on tn
Holmes. The crew of the Holmes were a
saved except Mr.. Caldwell, the engineer, aud
cabin boy.
At twelve o'clock yesterday we received til
following dispatch:
, Especial Dispotch to- the Daily Press
AURORA, March 20-12 M.-Can not ascel
tain any thing definitely as to loss of lif
5 Friends are still hunting friends. There wi
E be meeting at the Town Hall at two o'clocl
l to ascertain as many facts as possible.
= B. j. BUSH:
, LATER.
AURORA, March 20-9 P. Nothin
definite as to number of lives lost. The hui
of both are lying about one mile above here.
BEN.fJ. BUSH.