Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-10
Further Details of In Loss Of tho
VI. z. Carter.


The Cincinnati C5nnSreiay of the eth
learns some additional details of the ex-
plosion of the steamer W. r. Carter, from
passengers on the Inflated boat. We copy
as follows;
From %concurring accounts, given by
the few passengers who escaped with their
lives, the following facts are gathered.
The w. r. Carter blew up at about I
o'clock Friday morning, February 2, about
twenty-five miles above Yicksburg, and
was in the middle Of the river at tho
time, and running slowly. The noise at
tending the explosion was very slight, not
sufficient oven to awaken the passengers.
The boat caught fire Immediately. The
arst warning many had Of danger was the
fire in their state-rooms. The boat did
not sink for upward of one hour after the
explosion. The pilot who escaped says
he and his brother were at the wheel ut
the time, and his brother exclaimed,
What is this ?" He replied, Don't
know, unless she is blowing up r. At
that the floor raised comparatively slowly,
and next place he discovered himself was
down among the boilers. He saved him.
sell, DuL HE DTOlu6E WIS lOsI.
Ayoung man from Missouri was awak-
ened by the fire, when he sprang up and
climbed out Of his state-room through the
flames, burning his hands very badly, and
fell almost exhausted into the water, where
be climbed upon a floating cotton bale and
held fast nearly one hour, when he was
picked up by the Evening Star.
A gentleman said to be from Louisville,
Just married, was on the fated boat with
his wife, and was awakened by fire in his
state-room, when he rushed forward to see
what was the matter, and became sep
arated from his wife by the flames, when
he shouted to her to jump overheard, and
sprang in the water himself, but could not
induce her to follow. He swan around
the boat for some time, trying in vain to
convince her of his ability to save her,
when he swan ashore, and she persisted in
the flames. He threw away, it wal said,
$4,000 in gold.
A waiter (colored) forcibly dragged a
lady from her state-room and threw her
overheard, to gave her from burning to
death, and the poor lady was drowned.
It seems that the women in general clus-
tered upon deck and persisted in the flames
rather than risk the water, while the men
persisted in the water, vainly endeavor-
ing TO persuade the women to trust them
selves to the river. One of the saved tells
of seeing dozens Of men in the river, cling
ing to each other, and drowning In the
struggle. Another tells of seeing them
become chilled and fall back helplessly in
the river, meeting their fate.
To add to the terror Of the scene were
a number of horses and mules, which
swan round and round the burning boat.
As the Luna passed up, tho poor animals
could be seen struggling and Ehivering in
the water, close to the bank, which they
were unable to climb. Only one was to
be seen that had gained a foothold on the
shore. Every thing indicated a most
frightful disaster. Most of the persons
saved had nothing but their night-clothes,
and suffered extremely.
The following is q partial list Of the
passengers saved, lost and wounded:
DR.. j. E. Bell, Louisville, saved; Mrs.
DR.. J. L. Bell, missing; two ladies from
Cincinnati, going to Texas, missing;
Major Lee, Greenville, Mississippi, saved
DR.. Hunt, Frankfort, Kentucky, saved;
Major johnson, scalded; Miss johnson,
missing; lady in company with Major
johnson, missing; Mr.. Raymond, Cleve-
land, missing; John Raymond, saved
Mr.. Smith, from Louisville, with stock,
scalded; MI. Brannin, with stock, miss
ing two ladies from Helena, missing.