The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-05-10

| The sultana Disaster.
Mr.. Rowberry, the mate of the Sultana,
testified before the commission, now en-.
gagged at Memphis in investigation the Sui:
tana disaster, as follows:
At the time of the accident be had
charge Of the boat, and was in the pilot
house with Mr.. Clayton. I'VE were about
seven miles up the river, when the boiler
exploded, and found myself in the river.
l and five others got hold Of . plank, and
were picked up by the Bostona. The boil.
er was tested in st. Louis on lief last trip;
and pronounced good, and the boat had
the usua! certificates. Mr.. Shriffsr, at st.
Louis was an inspector. There was liz.
tie patch put on the boiler at VicksbufS
l believe that the patch was put on the
larboard side of the boat. The patch was
made necessary by the leaking Of the boil.
er. There was not, to my knowledge. any
fears expressed by the crew or passengers
as to tie safety OF the boat. have been
on the Sultana. for five months. have
been on the river with Captain Mason,
master Of the Sultans, for Eve years. He
was . perfect gentleman. There was no
carousing on the boat among the crew Of
passengers. Captain Mason was in his
room, the first engineer in his, and the
second engineer on watch. The boat at
the time was running as usual, about nine
to ten miles per hour. She was not run.
ming against time, and no boat left with
US. The boiler leaked some twelve hours
before We reached Vicksburg, and the engi-
neer said be would 20 no further until it
vas repaired. We laid at Vicksburg about
thirty three hours. Most of this time was
taken up in repairs of the boiler, and the
engineer said it was good job. 1t w4s
done by regular mechanics ct vicksburg.
We had no trouble with the boiler after
leaving Vicksburg." .... ..ry.y.-...h
George Clayton, pilot On the Sultans,
being duly sworn, testified as follows:
We left New Orleans on Friday list
Officers and crew numbered eighty per.
sons. We landed at Vicksburg on Sunday
evening and remained about thirty. three
hours. We left Vicskburg on Tuesday
morning about one o'clock. We took on
board 1866 soldiers, as heard from the
clerk. don't know whether this includes
officers or net. We arrived here yesterday
evening about seven o'clock, and LIT
about Two o'clock this morning. We went
to coal yard at two o'clock this morning
and took about 1000 bushels of coal, and
proceeded up the river about seven miles,
when the boilers exploded. I Was At the
wheel and fell on the top of the boilers,
where l was wedged in by the wreck
The boat was full Of passengers. should
say there were 1900 persons on board
She was large boat, but not one Of tks
largest class, and about three years old.
crawled out under the pilot. house,
and endeavored to prevent the passengers
from jumping into the river, telling them
to hold on to the wreck as long As possible.
The fire could then easily have been put
out, but all buckets, etc., were blown
overheard. got . plank and swan, to
an island called Hen and Chickens. Tho
boat was fully supplied with life preser-
vers. Her boilers were inspected just be-
fore We left St. Louis, on her last trip,
At Vicksburg one Of our fues was out Of
order, and it was repaired /; but the col,
lapsing o: fue could not Of itself have
produced the accident The mate wss
with me in the pilot.house ,> and had charge
Of the boat. Captain Mason was in his
room. The boat was running at the usual
rate, nine or ten miles an hour. would
have known if the boat was running
against time, or crowded. We had no car
60 aboard, except about sixty head Of mules
and horses"
1t is now ascertainsd that 1880 people
were on thes@i- -fated Sultana, and 7ss have
been found alive. s.... .....-s