The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-12-11

in the signals. The America blew her
whistle twice, which the pilot on the
United States apparently did not hear.
The American again signaled by two
blasts of the whistle. Then the United
States answered. but il was too Late
The steamers were at the point of COLI.
sion. The excitement was terribly in
tense. 1t was not thirty seconds after
the boat collided before the UnitcdStates
was mass of flames from stem to stern.
The America might have been saved
had she not CALAMITY attempted TO save
the passengers on the United States,
which it was her duty to do. Those
saved owe their lives to the GOODNESS and
courage of the officers and crew of the
America. f
The following incidents are from the
statement of Mr.. McFerrin, of Nash
vile. who, with his wife, was on board
the United States when the accident oc-
Cured. We copy from the Union and
american. ... .. .... ... ..
Mr.. McFcrrin states that he had rctir-
cd to his state-room some time previous
to the disaster. but the delightful music
of the sercnading party had prevented
him from going to sleep. Before the
steamers collidcd there was great
noise and confusion apparently on deck,
and his wife remarked that something
must be wrong. and he replied that he
reckoned not. Again she repeated the
remark, when Immediately followed the
shock of the collision. He jumped out
ofhis BERTH opened the door.and led his
wife to the cabin. which he found filled
with smoke. The lamps were extin-
guished, and everything presented q
dark and dismal appearance. He said
that he felt perfectly composed, with
moro presence of mind than he could
himself even expect under the circum-
stances. The first thing he thought of
was the remark made by his father (thc
Rev. DR.. j. b. McFerrin) on the even
ing of his late marriage, when he said,
"My children, will pray for your hap
pincss." Standing thus in the dark cab
in, nearly suiiocatcd with the volume
of smoke that was rolling through the
boat more tempestuous in its fury than
the agitatcd connection of the winds
preceding the hurricane, the farewell
blessing from a fathers lips sank deep
into his heart and in the midst Of the
feXciting scenes of the moment. he felt
it to be duty to address the Throne of
Heavenly Grace, and calling upon his
wife, he said, ''Dora, we must offer up
a prayer to God" and side by side, both
kneeled, and fervently appealed to Hca-
ven. They then arose, and snatching
up life preserver, he fastened it around
his wife. Rushing hurrricdly through
a gangway, they soon gained the guards
aft the wheelhouse, where had already
congregatcd number Of the lady pas
sengcrs. The scene that followed was
beyon description. A mother threw
her children overheard into the river,
and then plunged in after them. Mr..
| McFerrin then babe his wife step over
the ratings, and while both were stand
ing on the extreme edge of the guards,
she wanted to leap into the water, but
he said, ono, wait till / tell you, l will
save you"
Just at this moment, a beautiful little
girl, Miss Jones, of Pensacola, Flori-
da, called upon him to assist her, say
ing: "Save me, save me; Pm little
Rebel" Mr.. McFerrin told her to wait
for favorable opportunity, and then
Jump into the river. He had hardly fin
ished his remark when he discovered
the two boats coming together. He was
not able to tell whether the United
States or the other boat was moving,
but they were coming together. He
told his wife to jump and he would fol-
low. She leaped a distance Of about
fifteen feet below to the guards of the
other boat. Mr.. McFcrrin was instant
ly by her side. He made the leap Just
in time, for he discovered that the boat
which he had left was now careening,
and had Sided out considerable dis
lance. " 500
Going through the engine room he
noticed the engineer at his post. work
ing the engine. He reached the other
side of the boat, which was against the
Indiana shore, and jumping down dis
lance of some twelve feet, Mr.. Meier
rim and his wife were safe on the bank.
Mr.. McFcrrin looked out upon the
fiery waters before him, and saw many
of the passengers struggling with the
waves and the burning timbers. Miss
Jones, the little girl who had appealed
to him, was floating upon the stream,
but her spirit had taken its flight. She
persisted from the fall, or persisted by
the extreme heat after she had jumped
into the river Her face and features
presented the same beauty and limo.
cence as when few short minutes be-
fore she was promenading the cabins of
the palatial steamer. u.. .....
Mr.. McFerrin's attention was also at
tracted to a young German named Zeig-
Ter from this place, who had but recent.
ly married in Fremont, Ohio. Both he
{ and wife were side by side in the water
struggling to reach the shore, The hus-
band had tied the handkerchief around
the wife's arm, and by this means he was
, enabled to hold her up. They both
reached the shore in safety. ..
Before leaving the United States he
noticed a lady rush deliberately into the
flames. An old gentleman, after look
ing around at the condition of things
made no effort to save himselfbut walk
ed into his state-room and said, " Here
let me die" ."'" (" '.'''A
Two Episcopal ministers, it is suppos.
ed, were burnt in their berth, as moth
ing had been heard of them. Mr.. Nc,
Ferrin tells us that they had an appoint
. meut to preach ut Louisville on Sunday,