The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-12-08
The Great Steamboat Dissster-Terri-
BILE Loss OF Life.

Ahe oecioeuI occuFTeC aDCut HaiI past
IL o'clock on Friday night opposite
Ryais Landing, one mile above War
saw, and sixty-four miles below Cincin-
natl The night was dark, and heavy
wind blowing which induced the Pilot
OF the ascending boat, the America. to
desire to take the larboa-d or left hand
side Of the channel, and, seeing a boat
approaching. he sounded two Whistles
As warning of the direction he would
! steer. Not receiving q satisfactory ans
wer. after few seconds waiting lie
again s'gnaled. and was answered with
only .oIe whistle. Seeing the mistake.
efforts were now made to avoid the acct
dent, but too late, rs the boats st higs,
speed came crashing into each other, the
America little damaged, but the United
States had all her upper timbers OF her
1 upper hull crushed in, causing her 10
sink in very few minutes
| The States had on board some fifty
! barrels of oil, which was set on fire, and
scattered in every direction; both vessels
were almost Immediately wrapped in
flames. The America became Olsen,
tangled, and the pilot remaining at his
post, landed his boat al the shore. ens-
bling almost ell Of the passengers and
crew 10 get on land. lad il not been
for the nerve OF the pilot, the loss Of
| life would have been even more FRIGHT
full than il wss
In steering for the shore The America
run within few feet Of the sinking
States, which gave great many a chance
10 jump from the latter 70 tn former
and reach the shore in safety
The scene at this moment on board
the United States beooars all description.
the intensity Of the heat driving all to Che
aft part of the vessel, where they were
hudd!ed together almost paralyzed with
fear, and making what preparations they
could for leaving the boat One lady,
in her wiki ieirium, threw her children
overheard, and the und ertook to rass
down the stairs to ssist them. but abe
only went a few steps before overcome
with the hest and smoke She fell pros
trate. and persisted in the flames
Mrs r. A Jones and her daughter
Eva, the latter aged eighteen, Young
lady OF rare beauty and refinement. were
lost. The body OF Eve was found
boating in the water at the Madison
wharf, and taken in charge by the prop.
er officers tn await o-Iaro f.o,, fr;o,1
Ole Bull was on board with his trouoe.
and when the boats colided he ran out
into the cabin. but, remembering that
his favOyite violin was still in his state
room, he went back and procured it. the
delay making it necessary for him to
jump into the water to avoid the flames,
where he Rsrrowly escaped drowning.
One young lady named johnson, put
on life preserver and jumped in to the
river, but al her preparations for safety
were in vain as her lifeless body was
found yesterday morning, washed |
We have not the heart to 60 into all
the particulars Of the sufferings Of those |
poor people, az they stood on the sunlen
steamer, having 30 other alternative to
choose excepting death by either fire
or water.
The exact number lost, will reach
fully seventy-fye, perhaps more.
The loss to the company will be about
$3.50, 900, but as the stockholders are
worth millions, two more steamers will |
At once he built, grander and finer than
the ones lost
FROM kANsAs-Wa received q latte, !
from an old friend and subscriber,
now residing near Plymouth, Lyon CO., !
Kansas. dated Nov. oath He saws that |