Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-12-14
The Late Steamboat Disaster on the
Ohio River.

Ohio River.
The following incidents of the late steam
boat disaster, are narrated in the Louisville
Courier Journal:
A touching appeal was made by Miss Jones
TO gentleman on board. As the wood work
was becoming too heated to BEAR and the flames
we're forcing their way gradually into the cabin,
she went to him saying, "Oh, Mr. --, you
danced with me, you know who | am and
where came from; save me Oh, save me
Oh, save me ~ He told her he had a wife to
save, and could not help her. Poor girl, she is
beyond earthly help now.
One of the gentlemen on board had the
presence of mind 10 unhinge door, which be
threw into the river; and after his wife and
he had Jumped IN, he placed her in a position
to reach the shore "Now, stay here, dear,
was his request, until | can fix myself some
way, and We eau both be saved" Imagine
the husband' agony, just as he had procured
something that would float, to see man swim
towards the trail support of his wife and knock
her away from it. She was drowned.
One gentleman and wife escaped IN rather q
romantic manner Fastening le preservers to
both of their persons, he tied her right arm
to his left then took shutter, over which
three, iumpp' he cried, when both jumped,
and after little man@uvring they arrived
safely on shore, minus, however several articles
of apparel needed to make them presentabe.
A lady on board the United States relates
that she and her husband were moving towards
the shore, In the water, she saw one OF the ilte
boats filled with people who had escaped But
ell at once the America begins backing towards
shore, aud mercilessly the rude rudder strikes
the boat, crushing and upsetting It. None of
those passengers were saved, after escaping
one danger only to meet death in another form.
From the shore could be seen women with
nothing but their robes denuit to protect them,
running about in the flames, screaming for help;
mothers, with their children in their arms
most of them babies, rushing about trantcally.
One mother, holding her baby in her arms,
ran to the guards, but the water seemed to her
only a 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 hugged close to her, in her awful death,
burEing up.
The scene at Warsaw beggars description.
Relatives hunting for each other, the wounded
screaming with pain; people, who at home
we're blessed with wealth, bemoaning their sad
plight The ladies generally had perfOrce to 90
to bed while their linen was being dried
Clothing was brought by the open handed and
warm hearted citizens of Warsaw, and every
thing was done to render them as comfortable
as possible under the circumstances.
The bridal parties on board lost everything
but their sleeping apparel. Calicoes took the
place OF elegant vestments. Red Worsted hoods
or bounets, or anything that would cover their
feet aud nakedness. Clothing was gone, elegant
trOusSeaux, which had cost so much time and |
krNr,b bla nm IN a
hungry flames. Money was gone, and penniless, |
nearly naked, three of the newly married |
couples changed their warm beds for the icy |
water in the river, and half dead With fright, |
and two-thirds frozen, they only reached the |
friendly shore to be greeted by piercing, cold |
wind. But at last they were saved, and they |
tell into the hands of good Samarltans. One |
couple Just married, have fulfilled their holy |
VOW to love each other until death should them |
part but death took them bOth-both together |
trOzen. drowned, dead In their beautiful youth, |
with the kiss Of their pure love frozen on their |
lips.
A gentleman, with his sister, lively and ac- |
eomplished young lady, were passengers on the |
United States At the first shock the gentle |
man was thrown from his bed clear on the |
HOor Hastily pulling on his pantaloons, he |
rushed to the stateroOm OF his sister, burst |
open the door, and, seizlng her In his arms, |
carried her down to the main deck, where, pro
curing a door-shutter, he threw it overheard |
aud eaped after it, with his sister in his arms.
He placed her securely on the shutter, and was
swimming behind pushing it with his precious |
load towards the Shore when, to his horror, |
big, burly, and able bodied man swan up, |
pushed his sister off the board, aud climbed |
upon it himself The young girl sank with a
scream, and If she came 20 the surface it was so |
dark and the confusion so great that he could |
not find her. Maddened at the dastardIy act. |
he made after the author, and seizing him by |
the throat, a struggle to death ensued. They |
rose and sunk together, still struggling, and
When last seen were graphing with each other.
Whether either were saved or both went down |
together is not known. The sister sank beneath |
the waves and was lost, but she was terribly
avenged by her brother.
Two ladies', whose names are unreported,
placed on board the States by Mr.. TOwSend |
Whean, banker of Philadelphia, were as
SSuredly lost They took passage for New Or
leans Mr.. Whelan came down yesterday in
search of them, but could obtain no clue TO
their fate.