, 1860-05-18
fERRIBLE SiEiMBOAT DISASTER.
SNAGG1NG AND SINKING OF THE
Ii, f. SASS.



The present season seems TO be fruitful Of |
steamboat Disasters. Within the last two or |
three months We hare been cAled upon to no.
tlce the loss Of fire or slx steamers, ending with
the dire accident to the 4. T. Lacey few weeks |
since, aud now we hure another not less terri /
Dte tu chronicle. 0n Thursday night, about |
half past eleven o'clock, the steamer Il. F. Sass.
bound from New Orleans to Cincinnati with a |
larce freight and over $50 souls On board, when |
uto.tt so miles from this city, ut place called
Clark's Bar, struck Il bar and snnk IN twenty
ty.fige feet Of water in less than three minutes.
The snag struck the boat right under the bow,
and must hare split her in two, for she COM
p,enced 10 sink al once. In less than TWO min
utes the water reached the texas, when The cab
in 1oa.ed of, and sinking to the hurricane deck,
some eighteen or twenty passengers in the cab.
in ere drowned in their berths. There we're
not less than Que hundred people IN the cabin,
consisting Of mcn, women and children, and
such Us were aroused from slumber by the
shock-which is represented to hare been conf
paratiycly sljght-immediatey found themselves
III the water. By cling,.ng to tables. ceairs and
other furniture, number Of women and chill
dren managed to keep their heads above water,
until they were pulled out through the sky
lights and ccmpanon-way by the officers OF tue
bout aud some Of the male passengers. Others
less fortunate remained in their berths aud met
their deaths, or perished IN their attempts to
obtain egress from the cabin
being struck renders the escape Of so many a.
most miracle. As it was, had not the cabin
parted from the hull it is more than probable
that not soul would have liyed to tell the tale.
TIE deck passengcrs, Of whom there were
forty or ti(ty, together with the crew, found
themselves iu the water il Rn instant. Grasp
ing pieces Of loatn., timber they were enabled
to sustain themselves until nearly all wero
rescued By the lifcboat belonging to the Sass.
It is not known how maDy Of them persisted.
Five were seen to drown, and the probabilities
are that Is muny more met sinlilar fate.
vicinity Of the aouting cabin had been taken TO
| that ark Of satety BY means Of the llfeboat,
| which fortunately was on The hurricane deck
ready for use-the officers Of the boat made It
| their duty to convey the women and children
ashore. In this task they we're uss,sted by
| skiG sent from the land, and u pumber Of pas
| rengers had tie satisfaction Of standing on
ttrra frmd in few minutes, where Q fire WIS
built aud crerythiHg done to make the suffer-
ers IS comfortable US circumstances would ad-
nit Of. An hour after the accident tue Ed.
Walsh cane iu sight. She picked up several
whom were Frank B. Graham, Of Cincinnati,
his wife and little child Of twenty months, who
chung to piece Of floating timber. They were
in the water over an hour, and had become
well nigh exhausted With their Efforts. When
taken into the boat sent 10 their relief the infant
| WIS III kpH3uHt Willie luE 1uOkntI "&4S 1lluIE
dead than alive. A few hours Of nursing, bow
ever, partially restored all three. and with the
excef,.io Of nervousness caused by the great
physical exertions they had put forth, they
were us well US ever. Those who remained on
the cabin and those who had been taken ashore
we're transferred to the Wuist, where they re-
ceived every requisite attention ut tue hands ot
the officers and passengers. Capt. Burke was
uur.luiltiug i'll lis endcarors to promote theil
comfort, while the lady and gentlemen passen
gers divided their wardrobes with the unfoEtu
uutes, Eearly a1l Of ~hom had escaped TitE
only their night clothes.
After remaining near the scsue rs long rs AM
service could he rendered 10 tie victims Of th.
disaster, Capt. Burke''came on to this city, ar
irving here ut two o'clock last evening. Ih
passengers aud crew Of tleSass were landed Of
j. J. Ssi4ith l. Co.'s wharf boat, from whom the
received The kndeSt attention, many Of then
remsinng there throughout Tie day, Will
aihers sought the hotels. Not an article wa
saved by any one, save what was on their per
sons at the time. aud as almost all the passen
gers had retired to bed for the night, that, q
course was very little The destitute conditio
oil the sufferers renders them TT objects Of cha1
ity, and We trust our generous hearted citizen
will contribute something towards sending the1
to their homes.
The following is list Of the names Of hos
! known to be lost, together with those sased, II
cluding the crew md deck passengers: