The Indianapolis daily herald. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1865-1868, 1865-12-01
Another River Disaster-->teamerN Nj
agar a COlIides with the Post BOy.-
The Niagara sunk and IN Total
Wrcck--A Large Number Of Lives

lO>ts
The large and elegant ,ide-wheel Atlantic
and Mississippi Steamship Company's packet
Niagara. bound for -. Louis from New Or
leans with about two hundred and seventy
four cabin passengers, SeVenty-five tons Of
Eastern freight, and one hundred bales of cot
ton. while one mile below the mouth of the ST.
Francis River. collided with the Post Bow an
I other large side-wheel boat. which was loaded
with merchandise, grain, stock. etc, the latter
striking the Niagara ON the larboard side. he
tween the cook house and the end Of her boil
crs, breaking in her hull. and sinking her in
side Of five minutes. The collision occurred
between eight and nine o'clock on Friday
night. The night was clear. the moon shone
brightly, and il seems impossible that this dis
aster could have occurred except through the
carelesSness Of one ofthe pilots. Who Of them
is 10 blame, we consider prudent 10 withhold.
as the proper authorities will disclose that
fact.
The Niagara was under the command of
Captain William Fitzgerald. Pilot Enoch
King was al the wheel, and promptly signaled
TO Captain William Baxter, pilot Of the Post
Boy, who answered the signal Immediately.
Mr.. John Green0ugh, clerk of the Niagara, was
in the pilot house AT the time, and informs Us
that everything went smoothly for few mo-
mentS, when Mr.. King said 10 him: "What in
the HI i that fellow doing; he is going to run
into US; YES, I'll be id if he DON'T The
words had hardly fallen from his lips before
the Post Boy struck with terrible and crushing
force, resulting a already stated. There was
at the time OF the disaster about one hundred
discharged soldiers on the lower deck. most of
whom Were negroes. and very few Of them es-
capped 10 the upper deck. II i thought that
few Of the deck hands Of the L0at were also
drowned. but all the officers Of the boat es-
capped. There We're i'm the cabin fifteen ladies
and few children. besides about seventy-five
male passengers in the main cabin.
The shock caused considerable excitement
hut through the cool and able management the
excitement was kept under until the boat SET
tied 20 a depth 0ftwenty feet when everything
quoted down. The Memphis and White river
packet, Kate HART. Captain Clark. soon arrived
AZ the scene Of disaster. from Helena. and rem
dered fortunate and timely assistance bs TAX
ing all but A few Of the Niagara's passengers
bringing them 10 this port. The survivors Of
the disaster spoke highly Of the kind treatment
they received az n hands Of Captain Dan
Clark. Captain Caflrey, and the rest Of the
" hates gallant crew.
The Niagara. at the time Of her sinking. was
valued n Sl3o.opo. = very large. gorgeous. and
>taunch craft. ranking among the fastest and
and the best steamers ailOat on Western waters
She was built al Cincinnati in August. IS.5 hy
Captain {. y. bravo. late Of the Ben. stick
ney. Messrs. Barker. Hart 4 Cook. Henry
Jones. Esq. and c g. Pearce. all Of Cincinnati
Her machinery from Miles works and
hull and boilers were built by Dan. Morton.
The boat i thought 10 b. a total loss. but NAV
possibly bc raised. This depends entirely
upon the size Of the hole in her hull. The in
jury done % the Post Box j. immaterial. She
continued her journey 10 New Orleans yester-
morning.
We learn further that last Thursday. the
day previous % the sinking. the Niagara caught
fire. and would have been entirely DESTROYED
but for the prompt and judicious management
u her officers: and in justice 70 Captain Fitz-
gerald. Mr. John Greenough and the rcst Of
the officers Of the Niagara, IL i proper 10 state
that their conduct during the time Of the dis
a>ter was commcndable and cool in the highest
degree. they rejecting great credit upon them
selves by their noble actions. such are the r.
marks Of the passengers " no arrived on the
John Hart. who are unspairng IN the use Of
adjectiVes Of the superlative degree. when
speaking of the conduct Of the ofhcers.-Nen.-
phiS Argus. Nor. y.