The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-08-16
An APPALLING DISASTER.
EXPLOSION OF THE STR. CUMBERLAND
From twelve to twenty Lives Lost
Fs,i and Rel, able Particulars.


above and In sight OF Shawneetown.
The explosion was so complete as to in
clude all the boilers, there being only
two pieces Of fiues and q portion Of one
boiler head left on board the boat.
BY this sad accident from twelve to
twenty lives are supposed to have been
lost. We say supposed, because all the
books, registers and papers belonging to
the boat, together with the safe, ware lost
by the explosion. Six bodies have al.
ready been found aud buried, while 1t IL
known that several, and perhaps, many
others, were blown into the river and
seen no more. Thirteen persons are Sc
riously wounded, but will all recover,
and are now well cared for either at thsir
homes or at Shawneetown.
None OF the officers Of the boat were
killed, although some Of them had very
narrow escapes, and the mail agent, Mr..
Copeland, OF Metropolis, who Is not CEN
sidered an officer OF the boat, is missing
and believed to be lost.
Mr.. James MatheDy, pilot, was blown
upwards some distance, and alighted In
the water without serious injury, and
was thus enabled to assist and save Mr..
Bruce Hunter, clerk, who was severely
hurt on the right side Of the head by be-
ing struck with a portion Of the flying
wreck and by being scalded, so as to be
unable TO support himself In the river
where the force of the explosion had left
him. Mr.. Hunter was brought down to
his home In Metropolis, where he has a
family, on the steamer Armada, yester-
day, and although he was at times un-
conscious, 1t Is believed he Wi recover.
Mr., David PIerson, Of Cairo, mate Of
the Cumberland, made narrow escape.
He was ascending the cabin stairs when
the accident occurred, and although that
portion of the boat was thoroughly de.
molished, he escaped with few slight
bruises, aud u now attending to his du-
ties In charge of the wreck.
Capt. VIM. Louth was asleep In the
Texas" at the time Of the explosion,
and experienced n sensation OF being
!iffed up suddenly, and then fell down
among the debris OF the cabin imme.
dIately over the shaft where the boilers
had been. He Is scarcely hurt, with the
exception Of slight bruises.
The force Of the explosion seemed to
be downward and outward. although q
portion Of the force was exerted at an
an angle Of about IS degrees upward.
BY this means the cabin floor was left on
board, while the staterooms on both
sides, from the gangways across her cab.
In amidships, to the extreme forward
portion Of the cabin, are almost entirely
demolished and blown overheard. This
OF course includes the ONCE, mail room,
express and baggage rooms. The main
deck Is also nearly demolished for con.
siderable distance, fore and aft Of the
boilers, leaving the bottom OF her hull
visible from the inside.
The hull itself is not injured materi.
ally, and the boat had big trip offreight
on board which still remains there, al.
though small portion was probably
blown overheard, and large portion Of
the remainder damaged by mud, water
and steam.
Immediately after the explosion rs is
usual, the wreck caught fire and would
have caused q greater loss Of life and
greater agony. had II not been for the
admirable presence Of mind Of Mr.. Dan.
Jacobs, Of Shawneetown, who was
blown up some distance and fell close to
where the fire was beginning to commu-
nicate with the splintered woodwork OF
the wreck. Although considerably
bruised and scalded, Mr.. Jacobs immedi-
ately commenced stamping out the hre
with his feet, and throwing overheard
such poi tons rs he could wrench off
with his hands, at the same time call
ing for water. Some person supplied
water In few minutes, and the fire was
speedily extinguished.
Captain Lowth ordered the sneho-
thrown overheard as soon as he extrica-
ted himself from the wreck, and thus pre-
vented danger from drifting against u
snag or any obstruction which might Oc'
casion her to sink, and thus endanger
more life, and destroy or damage all the
freight spared from the explosion. Not
only Captain Lowth, but all the officers
OF the Cum berland, are reported as hav-
ing shown great GOODNESS and care
throughout the whole time. p4ytsAo
Maj. Mcclure, Of Cairo, was 1t shaw
neetown, awaiting the arrival Of the
Cumberland to come home, and *ai
watching her when the fatal accident
occurred. She had just turned her bow
to cross the bar, ana rang the bells t
work TN an gines slow. n few minutes