The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-05-03
THE ASHLAND UNION, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 8
The Greatest Accident of the
Age.

ASNs
Beyond all doubt, the late blowing up
of the steamer Sultana on the Mississippi,
attended, as it was, with a loss of l,4O0
lives, is one Of the greatest accidents re.
corded in the annals of time. Nothing
of the kind can be compared to it, save
the burning Of the Catholic Cathedral in
Valparaiso, Chill, a year Or two since
The magnitude of the horror is perfectly
shocking and astounding. The most OF
our river and ocean accidents fade into
significance by the side Of this overwhe-
ming waste Of life, terrible and calami
tous as many of them have been.
When the dispatch was first received,
we INDUCED the hope that there might
be some mistake, for the number lost was
perfectly inconceivable, judging by past
experience. 1t is an accident that will
carry mourning and desolation into thou
sands of familie, in the West, over whom
already the clouds Of misfortune have
darkly gathered. Among all the terrible
and saddening episodes Of the war, there
is none to exceed this scalding, burning,
and drowning of near 800 victims, be-
meath the turbid waters Of the Mississip-
pi. The bloody tragedy that has been
going on for the last four years has Fad
no darker scene of voc than this terrific
and eliminating accident,
The scenes of distress and suffering
that occurred on board the doomed steam
er, packed SO closely with its precious
living freight, can hardly be estimated as
they deserve. Humanity revolts from
the contemplation. There were two
thousand of our unfortunate but gallant
suns, who have been languising for mont s
and years in the prisons of the South
At length the light of home beOmed
brightly upon them, and the period Of
their sorrows seemed to draw near its end
The prison-doors were opened, and, with
beating and anxious hearts, thousands oil
the late inmates turned their faces home
ward. Gaily the steamer floated upon the
proud Ocean of Rivers, and, as fast as
steam could carry th5m, they were borne
! toward that North where existed all theil
affections and fond recollectiors. As thu
distance before them became brighter an(
brighter, they thought Of their wive'
d l and children, of their brothers and sisters
i of their fathers and mothers, whom the,
1t were soon to clasp ia a fond embrace, Of
ter a long and horrible absence. The
! were returning from the war, never to g
again, and in fond expectancy the.
Is thought of the greetings Of old and anx
Is ious friends, who, perchancc, bad give
d them up for lost.
They had passed safely through a
danger, through the perils of the battle
'e field, the exposures Of the camp, and tn
ID suGcrings Of the prison. Unconscious
"a peril, they b,sked in complete sense {
le security, the FIRST time for years. Ala;
n alas in one fatal moment the boat WI
ut wrecked from stem to stern, and an e.
so plosion was heard that sounded the dealt
r, kneil Of thousands. As if steam was u,
lie enough for the horrors of the scene
if a shower Ct broken legs and arms an
ri headless trunks was not sufficient
internal fire was added; and that no
IN terrible and consuming of all the elemen
DC som licked up what the steam had spare,
e, and drove it beneath the cngulfng wave
Oh, the horrors of that scene. Who ca
us portray them? The f%reDzied rush Of Il
frantic multitude backward ard forwar
the groans. the cries Of anguish the te
er rible splash, all lit up by the glare of Il
n burning boat! What a scene for Pandem
et mum! In n few minutes all was ovG
he The fearful struggle of mighty crov
ceased, aud only a ehorred wreck suffice
a. to tell ofthc proud steamer, with its ~
IN thousand passengers, that a short tin
D. before. was steaming rapidly against Il
In swift current of the Mississippi. T.
en- blood of the survivors OF this torrit
Dr. accident will ever curdle in rccolleeti
~ Of it.-Cin. Eng.