The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-05-12
THE SULGANk DISASTER.
Fifteen Hundred Souls sent into Eter
nifty.

Mr.. Row berry, the mate Of the Snltana,
testified before The commission, now en-
gagged at Memphis in investigating the
Suitana disaster, as follows:
At the time Of the accident he had
charge of The boat, and WAS in the pilo.
house with Mr.. Clayton. " We were
about seven miles up the river. when the
boiler exploded, and found myself in the
river. and five others got hold OF a
plank, and were picked up BIZ the Bostona
The boiler was tested in St Louis on her
last trip. and pronounced good, and he
beat had the usual certificates. Mr.
Shr.fier, at ST Louis was an Inspector
There was little patch pu, on the boiler
at Wick burg | believe that the patch
was put on tie !arboard side Of the boat
Tha patch was made necessary by The
licking Of the boiler. There was NOT, to
my knowledge, any fears expressed bv the
crew or passengers as TO the safety Of the
boat. | have been on the Sul;ana, for
Eve months. have beer on Tie river
"ith Captaia Mason, master of the Sui
tans, for five years. lie was q perfect
gentleman. There was 10 carousing on
the boat amorg the crew or passengers
Captain Mason WAS in his room, the first
engineer in his, and ne second engineer
en- watch The boat at the time was
running as usual, about nine or ten miles
per hour. She was no. running against
time. and no boa: !,fi with US. The boi
l., i-ol
reached VickSburc, and the engineer said
lie would 90 no further until it was re-
paired. We laid at Tjck>bGrg about
thirty three hours. Mos, Of this time
was taken up in repairs Of the boiler. and
the engineer said il was good job. 1t
was done By regular mechanics q. Vicks
burg We bad TO trouble with tie boiler
after leaving Eicksburg"
George Clayton, 9:lo, on tie Sultans,
being duly sworn, testified Us follows;
We left New Orleans on Friday last.
Officers and crew numbering eighty per
sons. We landed a. Vicksburg on Sun
day evening and remained about thirty
,hree hours. We left Vicksburg on Tues
day morning apont one o'clock. We took
Gu bos,d sec so!diers, as | heard from
the clerk. | don't know whether this in
cludcs officers or not. We arrived here
yesterday evening about seven o'clock, and
lef; about two o'clock this morning. We
went to coal yard at two O'Clock this
morning and took about 1000 bushels Of
coal, aud proceeded up the river about
Il, -
! was At the wheel and fell on the top Of
the boilers, where was wedged in by TIE
wreck. he boat was full Of passengers
should say there we're 2 200 persons on
board She was large boat, but not one
Of the largest class, and about three years
Old. craS!ei out under The piiof-bouse.
and endesyore4 to prevent the passengers
from jumping into the river, telling them
to hold on the wreck as long as possible
The fire could then easily have been put
out, bat all buckets, etc, were blown over
board. | got a plank and swan 20 an is
band called Hen and Chickens. The boa,
US FLY supplied With HE preservers.
Her boiiers were inspected jus. before We
left s.. Louis, on her las, ,tip. AtViclls-
burg one of our hles was out Of order.
and it was repaired but the collapsng of
tlue could 90. of itself have produced
The accident. The mate was with NE in
The ri;ot>house, and had charge Of the
boat. The boa. was running a! the usual
rate, nine or ten miles an hour. | wouId
have known if The boat was running
agains, time, or crowded No had no
cargo on board, except about sixty head
Of mules aud horses"
II is low ascertainei that 1890 people
were Oh the Inflated Sultana, and 1SG
have been found alive,