Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-11-05

ny BLK luCu Ill bu0 SttdIleT 3 ydWl.
They had cut the yawl loose with
out oars, and were entirely at the
mercy Of the current. They finally
reached the shore, and put Williams
and woman, who was also in the
boat, on the bank, and then, with
seats and the fore and aft board of
the yawl, endeavored to reach the
steamer and save some of those in
the water. But they could make no
headway against the current, and
were carried down stream and seen
no more. -
Three hours after the fire COM
menced the Belle Memphis came up,
and rendered all the assistance pos
sible. Her officers took on board
the parties named above, furnished
them with clothing, and brought
them to this city.
It is stated that while the Stone
wall was burning, the Submarine
No. 13 passed by her, going down,
and did not offer any assistance did
not stop to pick up the unfortunate
beings in tbs water; and when she
met the Belle Memphis even failed
to mention the appalling disaster.
This, however, is not believed here,
on the ground that Capt. Washing
ton, her commander, is known to be
a kind hearted and humane man,
and is friends assert that he would
have gladly rendered all the assist
ance in his power had he been at the
scene.
The burning ofthe steamer Stone
wall, on the Mississippi, and the
consequent loss Of life, was the sub
ject of conversation and comment
among all classes, yesterday-on
Change, on the streets, on the levee.
The feeling here was little less in
tense than that at St. Louis, as pic
tured by the papers of that city,
datdd yesterday. The Democrat
says "the city was electrified" and
on Change there ''men stood
aghast." The same paper also says
The friends and relatives of those
on board gathered at the telegraph
and newspaper offices as the news
spread abroad, and sadder or. more
impressive scenes than many por-
tions of the city presented can not
well be imagined. Reporters were
sent to every point for information
and it was necessarily imperfect un-
til some of the rescued passengers
arrived on the Belle of Memphis
last evening.
AS Introductory we further quote
from yesterdays Democrat:
The Stonewall left St. Louis Tues
day night, at about 6 O'Clock, and
having on freight and passengers to
prevent the crew from leaving she
sailed to the other side Of the river,
having loaded at the foot of Elm
street, and set sail from the Eleva
tor at East St. Louis on Wednesday
morning, at 3 o'clock. She first
landed at Chester, Illinois, where
she took in 500 barrels Of flour on
Wednesday forenoon, between IC
and IL o'clock. Many of the deck
passengers were laborers, who had
howled the night before along the
doggeries of the levee, and taken
their last spree on earth, and were
bound for the New Orleans levees
The boat next stopped at Crane
Tower, and took in 800 or 1,OO(
bushels of coal, but no passengers
and her next stop was to have beer
at Cape Gia1 deau, from which The
scene of the catastrophe is about 1!
or 20 miles.
The catastrophe occurred just be
low Harris Landing, about l 5 mile
above Cape Giardeau, not more thar
two hundred yards from the Mis-
souri, shore, and at point in the rive
where the width is a mile and hal
from shore to shore. When tn
fire first broke out, the boat wa
about three hundred yards from
shere, but by wheeling she lande'
on Tea Table Bar, just opposit
Nealy's landing, about two hundred
yards from the shore. The initia
scene is thus described:
Down On the deck motley GRO W,
of hundred and fifty emigrant
and working people were gathered
Many had eaten their supper; other
were taking their last mcuthful
when small blare not larger thai
your hand broke out on pile O
hay, and solitary deck hand rel
forward and cried, "Fire! fire n'-
From mouth to mouth the soul-stir
ring cry ran, and in moment tn
deck passengers were halsied will
fright and desperate with excite
ment. Hardly heard in the cabin
the first cry was regarded only as
ruse- perhaps row among the dec
passengers. Some were little ful
of liquor-then in a second twink
ling, came the second cry-a yell
maddening, deafening yell Of ''Fire
fire fire!'' that pierced the deck an
range through the ears of the SUP
per eaters like death knell. No
there could be no mistake, 1t wa
no foolishness now. That cry near
life or death, and every one felt il
To the upper deck, to the cabin
afore and aft, people ran. Panic
fear and frenzy ruled the hour
There were seven-five life-preserv
ers in the staterooms, but only on
man secured one. There was
yawl, but some Of the deck passer
gers seized it, and without oars, il
discrimately piled in and paddle
ashore with their hands. From th
small blaze on the hay near til
boiler deck the fire spread to til
coal Oil. and the whole shin was i