The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-05

been found at the hour when this account was
written. Some of the wrecked people were
borne by the current as far down as the levee
At this city, and this was the first intimation
officers of the boats in port received of the ter
rible disaster. A yawl was Immediately sent
out from the Marble City, and in . few min
utes seventeen persons were picked out OF the
water and brought ashore. Two were after
wards found clinging to the wheel, and they
were saved.
Upon being brought to realization of the
calamity, the officers of boats in port, under
notification of Capt. Senior, of the river guard,
steamed up, and in short time were at the
burning steamer, where hundreds OF people
were picked up and brought to this landing,
arriving about daylight. They were met by
hundreds of citizens and ladies, who supplied
them with abundance of dry clothing from the
Quartermasters Department and from various
stores. $751;,
At this time it is impossible to give correct
statement of the cause of the accident, and the
humber or names of the lost and saved. Every
thing is in the greatest confusion. Eowberry,
first mate, was on watch, standing in the pilot
house with Capt George Cayton, who was at
the wheel at the time of the explosion. He
only remembers the shock, and that he was
blown into the air and was afterwards taken
from the water. He saw the lower deck in
flames. and knows no more. He can give no
lue3 Ol Tue CiuSc VI tuc dCClucut, uuu oaFS Luc
boat was going at the ordinary speed, and that
all was we'll up to the moment the explosion
occurred that the second engineer, sober,
reliable man named Clemens, was at the en-
gines and that nothing more than common
was in progress Captain Cayton was also
into the wreck among broken boilers and rub
bish sustaining slight injuries. He immedi-
ately jumped overheard with door, by which
he was enabled to reach the Arkansas shore
halo sfrsiy n 1n
seized and chung to it until saved. Clemens,
the engineer. was badly burned and scalded,
and can hardly recover.
Mr.. John FOgleman, residing on the Arkan-
sas side, on being aroused by the noise, and
seeing the burning steamer, hastily constructed
rude raft, and in this way was the means of
saving about 100 lives.
In the woods, among the drift OF the wreck,
the officers of the Rose HambletOn found q
family Bible containing the records of family
named Spike, of Assumption Parish, La. The
names recorded Samuel D. Spike and Elithea
Spike, married Oct. 81, 1887. The record shows
that there were twelve in the family. 1t was
subsequently learned that the father, mother,
three daughters, two brothers and neice were
lost. Several of the bodies were recovered.
This family had $17 900 in gold, all of which
was lost. The steamer Bostona No. 2, Capt.
Watson, was coming down the stream from
Cincinnati when the explosion occurred, and
rendered very valuable assistance saving many
lives. The Pochahontas, Silver Spray, Marble
City, gunboats Essex, Rose, Hambleton and
others also rendered much service at the time
of the explosion. Capt. Mason had retired
from his watch and was in bed. He was after
wards seen throwing shutters and doors to the
assistance of people in the alter, ard here all
traces of him vanish. Clerks Gamble and STRAIT
ton are also missed.
The Sultana was differed Us follows: Mas
ter, j. G. Mason First Clerk, w. j. Gamble;
Second Clerk, VIM. Stratton; Pilots, George
Cayton and Henry Ingraham; Engineers,
Naham Wintenger and Clemens; First Mate,
VIM. Rowberry; Steward, H. Cross. George
Cayton and VIM. Rowberry were the only ones
known to be saved, except Clemens, who is
almost dead.
The body of VIM. Cruddes, company l., LIST
Virginia cavalry. from Wheeling, Va, was
found. He had taken the precaution to label
himself. Among the soldiers on board were
thirty commissioned officers The troops were
of various regiments, and nearly all exchanged
prisoners They belonged principally to West
ern regiments.
At the hour of writing only 500 or 600 per-
sons had been saved. Not less than 1000 lives
were hurled into eternity by this most melan-
choly of all river disasters.