Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-08
THE OHIO DISASTER.
A Detailed Narrative OF the Ap.
palling Calamity.
Scenes and Incidents.
Heartrending Incidents on
Board the United States.
The Dance OF Youth Turned
Into q Reyel Of Death.
List Of the Lost.

\ From the Louisville Courier-Journa Dec.
4. Our present narrative, though con
h fined to . certain limit, is at least COZ
e. nected and authentic. The Buell. reache
j. her landing with those of the survivor
of who were bound in this direction at 6:3
70 A. NJ, and our information is made u
e from conversations had with officers, pas
sepgers and crew. We shall endeavor {
!, make it as concise as the fragmentary ma
e ture of the subject will allow.
e THE LOCALITY.
d As the two magnificent double. decket
steamers Of the mail line were carryin,
= their load of human freight to and from
Cincinnati, at two miles above Warsaw
: near Rails Landing, on the Indiana shore
they met. Both boats are supposed Il
have sounded their whistles at the sam,
time, so that neither pilot could hear the
other signal; then, when the second
whistle sounded, it was, alas, too late.
THE LADIES' CABIN
: of the United States had that evening
been the scene Ofunusual gayety. There
were bridal parties on board full of the
happiness of their new love, young and
beautiful girls just blushing into woman
hood, gallant cavaliers paying homage at
beauty's shrine. Conversation, music
and dancing, served to make the hours
ny; among the brightest and fairest
were the Misses johnson and Jones. A
gentleman of this city who had been
dancing with them, had given to each
young lady the address of the other one,
which they stuck in their belts. But the
hours increased, and, weary at last, the
dancers had just dispersed with merry
good nights and wishes of pleasant dreams,
when shock was felt, and then came the
awful, sickening cry of
THE BOAT IS ON FIRE AND SINKING.
In minute the scene changed from
the gayety youth to a carnival of death.
People, old and young, men, women and
children rushed into the cabin, partly
dressed, husbands and wives, brothers
ard sisters, fathers and children, locking
at each other in agony, too many, alas
taking final view oftheir loved ones.
FRANTIC HUSBAND.
One of the gentlemen on board had
the presence of mind to unhinge q door,
which he threw in the river and, after
his wife and he had jumped in, he placed
her in position to reach the shore. Now
stay here, dear" was his request, until
| can fix myself some way, and we can
both be saved" Imagine the husbands
agony, just as he had procured some
thing that would float, to see man swim
toward the frail support of his wife and
knock her away from it. She was
drowned.
A DOUBLE ESCAPE.
One gentleman and wife escaped in
rather a romantic manner. Fastening
iife-preserVers to both of their persons,
he tied her right arm to his left, then
took shutter over which they placed !
both arms. Nov! one-two-three-
jump" he cried, when both jumped, and |
after little maneuvering they arrived |
safely on shore, minus, however, several |
articles Of apparel needed to make them
presentahle.
TWO BROTHERS
from this city made their escape in very |
miraculous manner. The elder brother, |
feeling the shock, woke up, opened the
door to discover the startling sight of
smoke, dense and thick issuing from the
door of the cabin. He made his brother
get up, and after hurried dressing, they
managed to get to land.
AN AWFUL SCENE.
A lady on board the States relates that
as she and her husband were moving
toward the shore in the water, she saw
one of the life-boats filled with people
who had escaped. But all at once the
America begins backing towards shore,
and mercilessIy the rude rudder strikes
the boat, crushing and upsetting it. None
Of those passengers were saved. Alter
escaping one danger, only to meet death
in another form
APPALLING.
From the shore could be seen women
with nothing but their robes de mutt to
protect them, rushing about in the flames
screaming for help mothers with their
children in their arms, most of them ba
bies, rushing about frantically One
mother holding her baby in her arms ran
to the guards, but the water seemed to
her only chilly grave; then she jumped
in the cabin again, then to the guards.
The last that was seen Of her she was
standing up with her baby Rugged closer
to her in her awful death, burning up.
FROM INDIANA TO KENTUCKY
he passengers mostly passed, crossing
The river in boats, RATS, and any impro-
Tised transportation they could find,
anding about mile above Warsaw, in
Gallatin county, at which point they rem
iezvoused by general consent.
THE SCENE AT WARSAW
,eggars description. Relatives hunting
or each other; the wounded screaming
With pain ; people, who at home were
blessed with wealth, bemoaning their
ad plight. The ladies generally had
,erforce to go to bed while their
inen was being dried. Clothing was
brought by the open-handed and warm
learted citizens of Warsaw and every
hing was done to render them as COM
Ortablo as possible under the circum-
tances.
THE BRIDAL PARTIES
IN board lost everything but their sleep
ng apparel Calicoes took the place Of
legant vestments. Red WOrsted hoods
r bonnets, anything that would cover
heir feet and nakedneSs. Clothing was
one, elegant trousseaux which had cost
o much time and trouble in getting |
Ogether were Tapped up in the hungry
ames. Money was gone, and penniless, t
early naked, three of the newly-mar- s
led couples changed their warm beds for I
he icy water in the river, and half dead I
nth fright and tWo-thirds frozen, they a
My reached the friendly shore to be J
reeted by piercing cold wind. But at
ast they were saved, and they fell into I
be hands of the good Samaritans. One t
ouple, just married, have fulfilled their a
oily vow to love each other until death $
hould them part, but death took them I
9th, both together, frozen, drowned, d
cad, in their beautiful youth, with the 3
iss Of their pure love frozen on their Il
ps. - a
DEATH STRUGGLE IN THE JAWS OF !,
DEATH. =
A gentleman with his sister, lovely | G
nd accomplished young lady, were pas, b
l.