White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1866-02-08
FRIaHTFUL RIVER DISASTER.
Explosion of the Miami Appalling
Scenes-Oyer 1875 Lives Lost.

A Memphis special to the Louisville
Courier, dated on the 30:h uls., gives
painfully interesting particulars of the
loss of the steamer Miami, on the Arkan-
sss River.
The boat left Memphis on Saturday
evening. heavily freighted and crowded
with passengers. in addition to ninety -one
soldiers of Company B. 33d u. 8. Reg
ulars, on the hurricane roof. The acci-
dent occurred seven miles above Napo-
leon. in the Arkansas River. at seven
o'clock on Sunday evening. just after the
passengers had taken supper; consequent.
IL the passengers and officers were sssem.
bled in conversation around the stove
and in the hall.
The explosion was of such terrible
force as to rend the cabin floor asunder.
and let every living soul in the frops part
Of the cabin down into the dreadful % ass
of FIRE and steam. The boat took Gre
Immediately. and passengers. frantic with
fear. snatched doors, life preservsrs. and
everything light enough to float. sud
plunged into the river in their attsm pts
to escape the flames as they rapidly de.
stroyed the boat. Captain Levy, the
commander. exertsd himself to the ut
most to preserve order. and kept the pso-
pie from jumping overheard, and the boat
was fast drifting toward the north bank.
which it soon touched. Those near the
stern of the boat were, however, cut oG,
and had only the choice Of jumping into
the water or perishing in the flames.
Mr.. John Lusk. second clerk of the
boat. along with Charles j. johnson, his
assistant. who we're sitting iu the hall,
were either killed by the explosion or
burned or scslded to death. John Lusk's e
wife and child. his sister. in law, and q
German lady. just from her native soil.
were in the ladies' cabin. The former
three we're lost. and the latter was saved.
Miss j. E. Rankin last saw Mrs. Lusk,
with her child, on state room door.
Over thirty of the soldiers were lost.
Two of them had been tied up for disor-
derly conduct. and in the excitement they
were forgotten. and left to burn to death.
Two men were seen to blow their brains
out with revolvers.
After the survivors got ashore, negro
women and soldiers came to their assist
aDce, the women stripping themselves of
their under clothes, and rending them in
sbreds for bsndsges to sooths the keen
pain of the wounded and dying. The
negro soldiers were likewise active and
generous. sharing their pants and coats
with those who had none.
Captain Thomas l.. Crawford, of the
steamer Henry Ames. having heard of
the accident at Napoleon. repaired with
haste to the scene of the terrible disaster,
and arrived there about one o'clock A
NJ, greatly rejoicing the hesrts of the suf-
ferers and survivors.
The total loss is calculated a. from one
hundred and twenty-five to one hundred
and City souls. The Miami had about
6fty cabin passengers besides the soldiers
and crew Of the boat, running the whole
number up to $50 souls.
Gen. Ashlsy's band of Little Rock
were aboard. three of whom were lost.
Pilots Levy and Wherry. the head en-
gineer and the first mate, Saul Franklin.
are safe. Clerk Harringwsy luckily re.
mainsd behind.