The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-05-06
Awful steamboat Explnsion..Onp
Thousand Lives Lost.

Awful steamboat Expinsion..Ons
Thousand Lives Lost.
MEMPHIS, April 27.--Capt. Mason arriv
ed from New Orleans last night, the Goth
with about 200 people on board, 1864 O
whom were exchanged Federal prisoners
from Vicksburg, the balance being refu'
points down the river. Proceeding to-
wards st. Louis, she left the coal pile at
clock in the morning, and had made OF
Il 10 miles, when an explosion of one OF bel
boilers occurred. The boat, with its mass
of living freight, took fire in the vicinity o.
the engine, and in short time she was
burned to the waters edge, and now lies
with nothing visible but her charred re.
mains and her jackstaff standing erect.
The scene following the explosion was
terrible and heart-rending in the extreme.
Hundreds of people were blown in the
air, and descending into the water, some
dead, some with broken limbs, some scald
ed, were borne under by the resistless cur
rent of the river, never to rise again. Sur
vivors represent the screams as thrilling.
With no immediate succor at hand, the
desperate effort to save life were agonizing
beyond precedent. Some chung to trail
pieces of the wreck, as drowning men
cling to straws, and sustained themselves
| OI u lew uAOueOtS, Uut uuaiiJ UeC6Ulc "a.
hausted and sunk. Only the best OF swim
mers, 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 assis,an
There were about Is women and children
on board, and as near as can be ascertain
! ed, not more than two or three had been
found at the hour when this account was
written. Some of the wrecked people were
horne q q
| levee at this city, and this was the first in.
| timation officers of boat in port received
of the terrible disaster. A yawl was inl-
mediately sent out from the Marble City,
and in few minutes II persons were ta-
ken out of the water aud brought ashore.
Two were afterwards found clinging to the
wheel, and they were also saved.
Cpon 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 numbers Of
citizens and ladies, who supplied them
with abundance Of dry clothing from the
Quartermaster Department and from va.
rlOuS stores.
At this time it is impossible to give a
correct statement Of the cause Of the acct.
dent, and the number or names OF the lost
and saved. Everything is in the greatest
confusion. Rowberry, lst mate, was on
watch, standing in the pilot.house with
Capt. George Cayton, who was at the wheel
a, the time Of the explosion. He only re-
members the shock. and that he was blown
into the air, and was after wards taken out
Of the water. He saw the lower deck in
flames, aud knows no more. He can give
no idea OF the cause Of the accident, and
| 49, = Nl>
rate OF speed, and that all seemed well up
to the moment the explosion occurred
that the second engineer, sober, reliable
man named Clemens, Was at the engines,
aud that nothing more than common was
in progress. Capt. Cayton was also hurled
into the wreck among broken boilers and
rubbish, sustaining slight injuries. He
door, by which he was enabled to reach
the Arkansas shore, three miles below.
where striking sapling be seized and
chung to it until saved. Clemens, the en-.
gineer, was badly burned and scalled, aud
can hardly recover.
Mr.. John Fogleman, residing on the Ar;
kansas 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 record
OF 3 family named Spike, of Assumption
Parish, La. The names recorded are SAM
uel d. Spike and Elithea Spike, married
October 81, 1887. The record shows that
there were twelve in the family. II was
subsequently learned that the father, moth
er, three daughters, two brothers and
neice were lost. Several OF the bodies were
recovered. This family had Sl7 900 IN gold
Gil of which was lost.
No. kxp nrat
son, was coming down the stream from
Cincinnati when the explosion occurred,
and rendered very valuable assistance
saving many lives. The Pocahon,as. Sill.
yer 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 afterwards seen
throwing shutters and doors to the assist
ance OF people in the water, aud here all
traces OF him vanish. Clerks Gamble and
S,ratton are also missed.
The Suitana was othcered as follows: -
Master, J. G. Mason: First Clerk. VIM. j.
Gamb BILE: Second Clerk, WIN. Siralton !;
Pilots, George Cayton and lngraham; En-
gineers, Nathan Wintenger aud Clemens
1st Mate, Wm. Kowberry Steward, Hen
~ Cross. George Cay.on and VIM. Row
berry were the only ones known to have
been saved, except Clemens, who is almost
dead.
The body Of VIM. Cruddes, Co. /, LIST
Virginia Cavalry, from Wheeling, Va
found. Hs had taken the precaution to
label himself. Among the soldiers on
board were 80 commissioned officers. The
troops were OF various regiments, and
nearly ali exchanged prisoners. Tnsy be-
longed principally to Western regiments.
AT the hcur OF writing only 500 or 600
persons have been saved. Not less than
!, 900 lives were hurled into eternity bythis
most melancholy OF ell river disasters.
Statement, OF Hon. w. D. Snow, U. s.
Senator from Arkansas: ~
con the morning CT the 9Th, about o..
clock, was awakened by q sensible tire.
NOR or shudder passing over the boat, but
heard no explosion. Not anticipating such
terrible consequences, arose and deiiber.
ately dressed. Just before finishing dres-
sing became aware of large volume Of
steaio driven through the cabin BY the
and in an instant realized the horrors of
the fact that the boiler had exploded, Kill.
ling and scaiding many: that the pilot.
house. and ut least one-in ird of the cabin