The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-15
TIE COLLISION ON THE OHIO.
Appalling Details of the Catastrophe
The Alternatives of Fire and Water
Bridal Parties and Clergymen Lost
Accidents nnd Incidents.

We gather from the Western papers some in
| tereeting incidents of the fearful collision on
the Ohio, between the steamers United States
and America, on the 4th instant;
The collision occurred about is o'clock at
night. The America strucs the United States
| little aft the capstan. cutting deep into her
bow. The forward guards OF the United States
which requires to be carried where the air will
Get at il. Almost simultaneously with the COL
| iision, the flames arose from the bow of the
United States, reaching up as high as her hur-
ricane roof. 1t flashed up like the explosion of
gunpowder. The fire ran up the boats stair
way, and within very few moments the whole
forward part of the boat was on fire. the
| flames leaping up as high as the top of her
| chimneys. The wind was blowing up stream
and directly against the head OF the United
States and drove the fire right into the cabin,
and it was not more than two minutes until it
| extended to the aft end OF the steamer, and
the whole cabin and upper deck OF the boat
were in flames. Captain Wade, Of the United
States remained on the roof Of that steamer
until he was surrounded by flames. BE es-
capcd by jumping to the boile:-deck guards of
the America. when the boats came together.
BE SAYS but for the fire he could have run the
boat ashore and saved everything.
TERRIBLE ansHAP.
The flames drove many OF the passengers to
the aft end of the United States, and many took
refuge in the yawl, which was suspended by
derrick at the stern Of the boat So many OF
them crowded into this boat that the derrick
broke down and let the yawl and thosewho
were in it into the river. AS many as twenty
or twenty-five persons we're in the yawl when
the derrick fell, and it is supposed most OF
them were drowned. One OF them, Captain
Joe McCammott, O well-known pilot, held on
to the yawl when it fell, and was finally res
cued. He was found to be very badly burned,
and his strength was almost exhausted when
assistance reached him.
THE BRIDAL PARTIES
on board lost everything but their sleeping
apparel Calicoes took the place OF elegant
| vesUments, red worsted hoods or bonnets, or
ANYTHING that would cover their feet and ma
kedness. Clothing was eone-elegant trous-
scau, which had cost so much time and trou-
BILE in getting together, were Tapped up in the
hungry flames. Money was gone, and pennl-
less, nearly naked, three OF the newly arried
couples changed their warm beds for the icy
water in tho river; and half dead with fright,
| friendly shore to be greeted by piercing cold
wind But at last they were saved, and they
| fell into the hands Of the good Samaritans.
| APPALLING.
From the shore could be seen women, with
nothing but their robes de rua to protect them,
Efbpgo Esb gohe2g aRGg with il er the children in their
| (most Of them babies) rushing about frantical-
| ly. 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 seel Of her she was standing up with her
| baby hugged closer to her in her awful DEATH
| 1,.set
driven, to the bank and q lady sprang from the
upper deck and clung to the branch OF tree;
her daughter followed, and reached the same
branch, and their united weight breaking it,
they both fell back into The water, but again
climbed upon the land. But, from the United
States to the opposite bank the scene was more
terrible, the escapes fewer. For two hundred
wards the water seemed to bo on fire, and in
| that fiery deluge were women and children.
shrieking in the horrors OF the last agony.
| Thirty five women are said to be lost.
A STRUGGLE IN THE JAWS OF DEATH.
gentleman with his sister, o lovely and ac-
complished young lady, were passengers on
the United States. At the first shock the gen.
| tleman was thrown from his bed clear on the
floor Hastily pulling on his pantaloons, he
rushed to the stateroom ofhis sister, burst open
the door, and seizing her in his arms, carried
her down on the main deck, where, procuring
IL
ed after it with his sister in his arms. He
placed her securely on the shutter, and was
swimming behind, pushing it, with its precious
load, to the shore, when, to his horror, big,
burly, and able bodied man swan up, pushed
his sister off tie board, and climbed upon it
himself. The young girl sank with scream,
and # she came to the surface it was SO dark
and the confusion so great that he could not
find her. Maddened at the dastardly act, he
made after the author, and soizng him by the
throat. q struggle to the death ensued. They
| rose and sunk together, still struggling, and
when last seen we're graphing with each other.
| Whether ci her was saved or both wont down
| together is not known. The sister sunk be-
Meath the waves and was lost, but she was ter
ribly avenged by her brother.
A TOUCHING APPEAL
was made by Miss Jones to a gentleman on
board AS the woodwork was becoming too
heated to bear, and the flames were forcing
their way gradually into the cabin, she went to
him, saving: "Ohl Mr.. -. you have talked
to me this evening; you have danced with me;
You know who I am and where [ came from;
save me! Oh, save mel On, save me ~ He
| told her he had wife to save, and could not
help her. Poor girl, she is beyond earthly help
| now.
FRANTIC HUSBAND.
One OF the gentlemen on board had the pre-
sence of mind to unhlnse door, which he
threw into 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 l con fix myself some way,
aud we can both be saved" Imagine the hus-
bands agony, just rs he had procured some
thing that would float, to see man swim to-
ward the fraIl support OF his wife and knock
her away from it. She was drowaed.
DOUBLE ESCAPE.
One gentleman and vito escaped in rather
yomantlc manner. Fastening hfe-preser9ers
10 both Of their persons, lie tied her right arm
to hs left, then took shutter, over which
they placed both arn.s. Now! one-two--
tureo-jumpl' he cried, when both jumped,
and alter d little mlnOlvrcing they arrived
| safely on shore, minus. however, several art-
| cies of apparel needed 20 make thom present.
abe.
AN kWFDL SCENE.
| A lade on board the u lted States relates that
as she end her husband wore moving towards
the shore. IN the wLLor, sac Lw one or the life
bats filled with people who 10 / escaped But
all ut once tho America begIns backing towal DIS
the sll.re, and marci:essly tho rude ruldcr
strikes tho olt, crushing aud up,ettng it.
| None or those passengers wcro saved. After
csc p!rg one danger, only to meet death III
another form.
OLE BULL AND ELS TROUPE.
Ole Bnll, The flmous ylolinIst, who, with his
concert company, was on board, leaped into
the water from the guards OF the United States
with his over oat on, and swan ashore. Two