Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-05-02

The following is the Memphis Bulletins ae.
count of the disaster.
The steamer SultanR, Captain mason, ar
rived from New Orleans last night, the 26th,
with about 2,200 people on board, 1864 of
whom were exchanged Federal prisoners
from Vicksburg, the balance being refugees
and regular passengers from various points
along the river, proceeding toward St Louis
She left the coalpile about one o o'clock this
morning, and had made some eight or ten
miles, when an explosion of one of her boilers
occurred The boat, with its mass Of living
freight took fire in the vicinity OF the engines,
and in short time she was burned to the
water and now lies on n saDd.bar near Fo.
glemans Landing, nothing visible but her
charred remains, and jackstaf standing
erect
The scene following the explosion was ter
rible and heart-rending in the extreme. Hun-
dreds of people were blown into the air, and
descending into the water, some dead, some
with broken limbs, some scalded, were borne
under the resistless current of the great river,
never to rise gain. The survivors represent
the screams as agouizing beyond precedent
Some clung to frail pieces OF the wreck, as
drowning men cling to straws, and sustained
themselves for a few moments, but finally be-
came exhausted, and sunk. Only the best of
swimmers, aided by fragments OF the wreck,
were enabled to reach the woods, and there
take refuge, until rescued by boats sent from
the landing here to their assistance.
There were about fifteen women and chill.
dren aboard, and as near as can be ascer-
tanned, not more than two or three had heen
found at the time when this account was
written.
CG ha OH ha1
by the current ns far down as the lavee of
this city aud this was the first intiniation the
officers of the borts in the port received of
the terrible disaster A yawl was immedi-
ately sent out from the Marble City, and in q
few minutes several persons were picked out
ofthe water and brought ashore. Two were
afterwards found clinging TO the wheel, and
they were also saved Upon being brought
to a realization Of the calamity, the officers of
the boats in port, under notification of Cap-
tain Senior of the River Guard, steamed up,
and in short time we're at the burning
steamer, where hundreds OF people were
picked up and brought to this landing, arriv-
ing about daylight They were met by n
number of citizens and ladies, who supplied
them with abundance Of dry clothing from the
Quartermaster's Department and from var-
Gus stores.
At this time it is impossible TO give cor
rect statement of the cause OF the accident,
and number or names OF the lost and saved.
Every thing is in the greatest confusion.
Mr.. Rawberry, the first mate, was on the
watch, and standing in the piIothouse with
Captain George Clayton, who was at the
wheel at the time of the explosion He only
remembers the shock, that he was blown into
the mir, and was alterward taken from the
water. He saw the lower deck in flames, and
knows no more He can give no idea of the
cause of the accident and says the boat was
going at ordinary speed, and all seemed we'll
up to the moment the explosion occurred
that the Second Engineer, a sober reliable
man named Clemens, was at the engines, and
that nothing more than common was in
progress. Captain Clayton was also hurled
into the wreck among the broken boilers and
rubbish sustaining slight injuries he i'm.
mediately Jumped overheard with n door, by
which he was enabled to reach the Arkansas
shore, three miles below, where, striking a
sapling, he seized and clnng to it until
saved.
Clemens, the engineer was badly burned
and scslded, and can hardly recover Mr..
John Foleman, residing on the Arkansas side,
on being aroused by the noise aud seeing the
burning steamer, hastily constructed rude
raft, and, in this way, was the means of saw
ing about one hundred lives. In the woods
among the drift of the wreck, the officers of
the Rose Hsmbleton, found family Bible,
containing the records of family named
Spikes, of Assumption Parish, Louisiana.
The names recorded are Samuel ID, Spike
and Elethia Spike, married October 81, 1881
The record shows there we're twelve in the
family. 1t was subsequently learned that the
father, mother, three daughters, two brothers,
and niece we're lost.
Several of the bodies were recovered. This
family had $4,000 iL gold, all of which was
lost
The steamer Bostona No 2, Captain Wat
son, was coming down stream from Cincin.
natl when the explosion occurred, and rem
dered valuable assistance, saving many lives
The Pocahontas, Silver Spray, Marble City,
the gun5oat Essex, Rose Hambleton, and
others, also rendered much service
Az the time Of the explosion, Captain Ma.
son had retired from watch, and was in bed
He was afterward seen throwing shutters and
doors to the assistance of people in the water,
and here all traces Of him vanished Clerks
Gamble and Stratton are also missing
The Sultana was c6icerei us follows -
Master, j. c. Mason; First Clerk, W J.
pA'"p'ei oSVohu SiSIhi WIN, olIhttohl INolSi
George Clayton and Henry IugrahAm; Engi.
neers, Nathan Wintenger and Clemens West
Mate, William Rowberry; Steward, Henry
Cross George Clayton aud VIM. Rowberry
we're the only officers known to be saved.
except Clemens, who is almost dead The
body of VIM. Cruddes, Co. |, First Virginia
Cavalry, from Wheeling, Virginia, was found
He had taken the precaution to label himself
Among the soldiers on hoard WOre thirty com.
missioned officers The troops were Of va
rinna ran.irlla nnl I.nnrl.. Il .a...L.I Il