The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-28
ghe 'a1prfulk gast.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1856.
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
PARTICULARS OF THE BURNING or THE STEAM
BOAT WINCHESTER.
from the Wheeling Intolligencer.l

from the Wheeling 1ntelligencerJ
About nine o'clock on Friday morn
ing our citizens were startled by teie,
gram announcing that the new ana
splendid Pittsburg, Wheeling and PARK
ersburg racket, Winchester, had been |
burned to the waters edge, near the
head of Bab's Island, about five miles
above Wellesville, with the probable
loss of twenty or thirty lives.
The excitement was intense, q number
of the employees OH board were citizens
of our town. Unable to gain any salts
factory intelligence, our reporter tooR
the eleven o'clock train and repaired 10
the scene of disaster. Arrived at Liver
nool he found all the men belonging to
| this city safe and sound, most OF them,
however, having barely ,scaped with
| their lives. They were G. w. Dunbar,
and Charles Wincher, Engineers; yohn
| Dulty, Assistant Engineer, and john
Dunn, First Mate. He also found there
A. NJ. Sheets, of Matamoras, one OF TIE
owners of the boat, who was almost
| frantic under the terrible bereavement
he had sustained in the loss of his wife,
an estimable lady to whom he had been
| married but about six months. she
| was the daughter of a highly respecta-
lie citizen of our county, William Wad-
die. ESQ.,, who resides near West Liber-
ty. From these gentlemen our repor-
ter learned that at half-past three
| n,clock one of the fiIemen threw
shovel full of hot ashes out in careless
Kramer. Some of the live embers were
blown into bundle Of hay, which was
| mn 1T of lot that had been taken at the
mouth of Yellow creek. The hay lying
rather loosely baled, ignited instantly,
and although as quickly discovered,
and every effort made by the fire,
men to smother it, the fire darted
through the bales like lightning, and III
moment the whole was mass OF
flame, which, more rapidly than can DC
told was communicated to lot of oil
Mr. Dunbar. who was on the watch al
the time. informed the pilot that the
boat was on fire. Her head was quickly
turned to shore, and Mr.. Dunbar letting
| on all steam, ran her on shore with
| force which drove her head high up OF
the beach and secured her against al
danger of floating out into the stream
d | The scene had now become terrific, Ow
ing to the highly combustible nature o
large portion of her cargo, and tn
boat herself being new, herpaint scarcel
dry. the fire leaped from point to .poin
and ran as If upon train OF powder, s
or that by the time her head struck tn
~ shore all her deck-rOOm was q mass
raging fire. The passengers, rouse
suddenly from slumber, in their awft
peril ran wildly about, only to mud ever
pt avenue closed by the fire and blendin
smoke. Many Jumped overheard, som
he are thought to have been unable to ge
os out of their berths, and 1t is not know
IRE how many were lost, as all the book
IRE and papers belonging to the boat wei
ose DESTROYED. Those known to be lost al
snt Michael Fragrett, of Sewickley, Peni
=" sylyania. James Algeo and wife, al
md Mrs. A, M. Sheets, all of Matamoro
, ,as Ohio. John Vanmeter and four chi
edi dren' of Woodland, West Virgins
&C George Young, Of Rochester, Pennsy
ave- yania. barkeeper on the boat, Ebenez
# Martin, of Sisterville, brother-in.law
Colonel johnson, of the House OF Del
t. gates, West Virginia, also man nam'
Walters, with one child, were burne
The chambermaid (col. and two firem'
(colored) were also lost. the scene
tiap described by those who witnessed it
awfully grand, the flames toweril
oof- aloft. Illuminating the country for mil
s"e around, and threw a light far up al
rom down the surface of the river bright
MONDAY. 1t was short-lived as 1t "
II grand. and it only remained for daylig
unk to reveal the horror Of that hour. The
was a mother wailng the loss of h1
m, n 70 band and four children, while by her 81
be a sat her remaining two, shivering w
for cold and fear. Another with her infa
H. child rescued from the water, but dc
VT lying beside her, looked upon the
VIM vouring fire and knew that her husba
vour and her other child were among its ash
gard A young husband, rendered almost fri
, = re, tic by the terrible uncertainty as
ated whether his young wife had sunk In
elite water or been consumed in the fan
my The officers of the boat stood nobly
s''S their posts till driven away by the
/, tense heat. Notwithstanding the int
MA GOODNESS of the water, they stayed ii
as long as it was possible to render
assistance. Mr.. Sheets swan out tn
times into the river, lured as he thou
lent" by the voice of his wife, and each d
name brought some one to shore. All
:, but rescued spoke in the highest pr
,ere of the people who lived in the
,S t n entity OF the disaster. AS quickly
,rt for possible all were clothed and mad
,ietion comfortable as could be under the
ra;om. cumstances. Our reporter visited
not it wreck itself, and found it the most c.
above nlete he ever witnessed; not vestie
ID, anything, save few bundles OF hay
rect. capped destruction.
The boat was owned by Andrew
burch, lev, G. d. Moore, Daniel Moore,
,psia o. james Hamilton, of Pittsburgh,
Sheets & Brother, of Matamoras.
North was built expressly for the Pi.tsbu
recon. Wheeling and Parkersburg trade,
: cured was Just ten days old and was on
" irst and last trip.
lopedia Her cargo consisted in part of 241
e Phil rels of oil from Longmoor Il Co., a
Bsptist dred and i've bales of hay, a large |,
empty oil barrels in her hold. She
, Penn had on board four horses, one yok
Church oxen ana one COW.
Her officers were A. c. s. Shepf
n'' their Captain; VIM. Abrams, Pilot; d.
Moore, 1st Clerk; A. Z. Bunting
Clerk John Dunn, Mate; g. w.
bar and Chas. Wincher, Engineers.
She cost 81 900, and was insure
Pittsburgh offices for $4,000
N"ison A reward of one thousand doll,
n .r,;. offered for the recovery Of the bodi
prrpsra- Mr.. and Mrs. Algeo, Mrs. Sheets
u.s. aud | En0ineer Martin.
Tur DEATH OF GIBSON. THE Sc