Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-16
TERRIBLE MARINE DISASTER.
Sinking of tie Steamer Gov. ShRrkey
at One O'clock this MOrning-Oyer
One Hundred Passengers on Board
Many Supposed DrOWned-HeaVy
Loss in Government Freight.

Many supposed brOWneu-AdeHSy
Loss in Government Freight.
From the St. Louis Dispatch, June l3.
At about one o'clock this morning, the
steamer Governor Sharkey, bound for Fort
Gibson, on the Arkansas river, left our
landing having on board some two hundred
government employees, two or three lady
passengers, and between three and four
hundred tons of freight-about two hun
dred and fifty of which was shipped by
government, the balance belonging to pri-
vate Individuals. The men were engaged
in this city to work for government at Fort
Gibson and other points, and consisted of
carpenters, other mechanics, and laborers.
Captain William Turton commanded
the Sharkey, and we give, as near as posi-
ble his statement of the disaster, as made
to Captain Bernard Agent of the Board of
Underwriters:
Having discovered that he had more
freight than he wanted, Captain T. left
four hundred sacks of corn, three 'thresh-
ing machines and lot of government
freight to be taken by the Princess, boat
that was to follow him. His boat was
pretty heavily loaded, and as soon as he
got backed and rounded out into the river
lG uISGONGItu llldl SllC MAS III udll5EE, anu
listed over, with one guard in the water.
He Immediately went down into the hold
and found water running in quite freely
through the decks, whereupon he gave
orders to the pilot to round the boat too,
and land her alongside of barge that was
lying Just below the lower ferry. Whilst
this was being done the large number of
men on board becoming aware of the dan
ger rushed to the side of the boat nearest
the shore, thereby causing the boat to ca
reen and the water to run more rapidly in
the hold. As the boat neared the barge
there was general rush to escape from the
danger, but before One-third of them could
Jump from the Sharkey to the barge, the
former drifted out into the stream, and
hoated down with her cargo of valuable
life and property.
1t now became evident to all on board
that the boat was rapidly sinking, and
many jumped overheard with such means
of preservation as they could secnre in the
shape of plank, timber, etc.
When the boat passed the sectional docks
at the foot of Lespearance street, nothing
was visible above the water save the hur
ricane roof, to which chung perhaps hun
dreds of men, hoping by their cries to at
tract the attention of some one who could
render aid to them in their extreme peril.
Their hopes were in measure realized.
Several yawls and skiffs belonging to the
John Kilgour, and other steamers laid up
along the shore, put out rapidly to their
assistance.
The scene presented TO those in the yawls
at this conjuncture was one of extreme
terror. Men were clinging to the wreck as
it was floating down, while scores were in
the river, struggling for life. Nineteen
men and one woman were picked up out
of the water by the yawls and landed safely
on shore.
1t is not known, and probably never will
be, how many lives were lost. As vet it is
only known that the first clerk, Mr.. Eu-
gene Turton, the chief engineer, Cornelius,
and cabin boy named George are lost.
The government men are supposed to
have all been saved. The contractor, under
whose charge they were, made several at
tempts yesterday to call the roll, but was
unable 20 get the men together. The last
seen of the First Clerk was when he was
attempting TO secure the books and money
in the office, and it is presumed that in the
rush to get ashore he was pushed overheard.
The Chief Engineer was last seen by his
assistant at his post in the engine room.
The cabin boy was evidently asleep at the
time of the disaster, as his body was taken
out of a s:ate-room.
The Fanny Scott passing the wreck at
daylight this morning, on her way from
Chester to this port, went alongside and
took of a woman, who was standing in the
water up to her chin, holding on to the
pilot-house.
The boat lies on bar, just above the
arsenal, a total wreck, with nothing visible
above the water except the pilot-house.
The cause of the disaster, as generally
believed by the survivors, was from over
loading the boat, she having more freight
aboard than she could possibly navigate
with. The opinion was freely expressed
by many of those on board before she left
the landing that the vessel was altogether
too heavily ladened One of the carpen-
tiers seemed to have a presentiment of
danger, and on leaving his home in the
afternoon to 60 on board stated his appre-
tensions to his family that the steamer
would never safely reach her destination
with the amount Of freight on board Just
as soon as the boat left he took his bunk
upon the hurricane roof, deeming that the |
safest place This gentleman is among the
survivors.
Captain Turton thinks that but four or
five among the passengers and crew were
lost, among whom is the third cook, whose |
name We did not learn.
This steamer was stern-wheeler, built |
at Madison, Ind, in lSG2, and came out
under the name of the Alone" She was
shortly afterwards sold to Captain John ].
Copelin, who, during the war, disposed Of |
her to the government At the close Of the
war she was sold BY the government 10
William and Eugene Tur,on, who changed
her name to the Coz. Sharkey For The
past year or so she has run as a regular
packet from St. Louis to points on the
Arkansas river.
She was valued at from $4,000 to SI5.-
600, and insured for S9000-SjOOO in
George ID. Capens Agencies, and $1,000 in
a Cincinnati office.
Captain Barnard, Agent Of the Under !